Characterization

Buyisiwe

Buyi is a 14 years old teenage boy who lives in London with his mum. He is willing to fight when
somebody attacks his character. In London Buyi doesn't have friends and he doesn’t know a lot about
Africa. Buyisiwe doesn’t know what to do when he sees his father at the first time. When he sees the
chalet from his dad first he can’t imagine, that there is no TV. Buyi likes Simoshile, André, Mama
Unahti and Lwazi, but with his dad he doesn't have a good relationship. He is also very kind to
animals, as you can see when he lets a dog into his father's chalet during a storm. Buyisiwe wants to
have a lovely relationship with his father. In South Africa he often feels dreamful empty, scared and
lonely. In South Africa he has for the first time in his life a true friendship with Simoshile and André.
At the end Buyi is in love with Simoshile, she is his first girlfriend ever. At the end he thinks that he
belongs to South Africa but in the beginning he thought he could never be happy in South Africa. At
the end he has also a very good relationship with his father, because they have just talked properly
for the first time.

Themba

Thempa is Buyi’s dad. He works as a game ranger in a game resort. To Buyi he is strict, but he is very
accommodating to tourists. In the end he saves Buyi's life by throwing himself between Buyi and a
lion. Thempa hopes that Buyi, Buyi’s mum and he can be a family.

Lwazi

Lwazi is a tracker and works with Themba. He was bitten by a lion and Thempa helps him. Thempa
says that he is the best tracker in the world. He is Simoshile’s a (weglassen) father and she thinks that
he is a very good father. At the end he saves Themba and Buyi from the lion.

Mama Unahti

Mama Unathi is a kitchen manager. She believes that all sorrows can be drowned out by food. Mama
Unathi is very strict with to (to nicht – muss weg) the kitchen workers, but loving towards the
kids/teenagers.

André

André is a white boy who lives in the game reserve. He speaks Afrikaans, English and a bit of isiZulu.
André doesn't like school and wants to be a game ranger like his dad. He plays rugby and is very
adventurous. From the beginning he is helpful to Buyi and explains a lot about South Africa and the
animals and plants to Buyi. He likes teasing Simoshile and Buyi.

Simoshile

Simoshile is a black girl who lives with her father Lwazi in the game reserve. She speaks isiZulu,
English and a bit of Afrikaans, isiXhosa and siSwati. At school she is in grade nine. From the beginning
she likes Buyi. She is a fearful and shy girl, who seems to be superstitious. At the end she is Buyi's
girlfriend.