The timeless pulse of Africa - Cathy Buckle
Key topics:
Reflections from 25 years of Letters From Zimbabwe
Showcasing Zimbabwe’s wild beauty through photography
Sharing hope amid hardship through personal storytelling
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By Cathy Buckle
Dear Family and Friends,
Take your shoes off, stretch your legs out in the sun and let my brief glimpse into Zimbabwe soak into your heart today. This is my 930th Letter From Zimbabwe. Some of you have been with me since my very first letter in March 2000 when my life, Zimbabwe’s life, was turned upside down. For 25 years I’ve been telling you our story. It’s been a very hard story for me to write and for you to read, one of violence and brutality, pain and struggle but I always try and look for sunshine and hope and I find it in the smiles and warmth of the ordinary people and in the spectacular beauty of Zimbabwe’s wild places.
Five years ago, I began producing an annual Photobook, a collection of photographs and evocative stories from wild places in Zimbabwe, to show you, that in spite of politics, corruption and greed, there is also a very beautiful side of our country. Every year I choose 25 of my favourite photographs from places I’ve visited recently and then I look back in my notebooks and try to capture the very essence of our country to share with you, to revive memories deep in your heart and allow you to close your eyes and feel as if you are here, you are home, in Zimbabwe, under the blue sky and hot sun.
This is an extract from one of the stories in my brand new Photobook, 'Zimbabwe's Timeless Beauty The 2025 Collection,' a story from Zimbabwe’s beautiful Mashonaland West: “…Once our camp is all set up, we go walking along the river path. It’s like being in another world here, one of secrets and mystery where giant Fig trees and Sausage trees grow right on the river bank, their twisted roots clinging to the bank and spreading into the water. The canopy is high and dense here, the trees heavy with fruit and branches adorned with thick vines climbing and looping through the bush. Leaves are dropping everywhere and we walk in silence in the deep yellow and gold carpet underfoot. Emerging into the sun we climb up a hard and rocky track until we reach an open area where a kopje drops to the foot of a small dam. The trees are a magnificent spectacle of gold and orange, yellow and green. We sit on a log in the sun, legs outstretched, not talking, just absorbing the timeless beauty and peace of the bush…”
You can see the ‘Autumn Gold’ photograph that accompanies this letter and the story in my new Photobook and on my website. I hope that “Zimbabwe’s Timeless Beauty The 2025 Collection” will start the pulse of Africa beating in your heart, quieten the noise and bring you comfort and hope. Available exclusively from LULU in hardback or paperback, click here to order https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/cathybuckle2018
I remain ever hopeful for the future of Zimbabwe and keep writing as long as you keep reading. Thank you for reading this Letter From Zimbabwe for a quarter of a century and for your love of Zimbabwe and your support of my Letters Books, Photobooks and Calendars.
There is no charge for this Letter From Zimbabwe but if you would like to donate, please visit my website. Until next time, thanks for reading.
Ndini shamwari yenyu (I am your friend)
Love Cathy 18 July 2025. Copyright © Cathy Buckle
https://cathybuckle.co.zw/ www.lulu.com/spotlight/cathybuckle2018