My Story

Oketch (Profile of Ngamba Island’s Introvert Chimp)

They named me Oketch. It’s a name given to Luo speakers in northern Uganda and it means born in the time of drought. In so many ways the person who gave me this name must have known that one day I would grow up and live to the true definition of this name.

This I’m afraid has happened for me in one particular way,that is, suffering from the ‘drought of lack of friends’.

I have lived at Ngamba Island since 15 March 2002 and I have only 2 friends out of the 48 other chimpanzees I live with at the Island, I have only two friends. That is Bwambale and Umugenzi.

Two! You might think my life is hard don’t you? Unfortunately I am going to disappoint you, the only two friends I have happen to be high ranking at the Island so they fight every single chimpanzee that tries to steal my food and tease me.

Talk about friends in high position, it’s like having two big brothers with PHD’s in wrestling and you bring out Bwambale and Umugenzi.

When any chimpanzee tries anything stupid around me, I entertain it because I know I have backup. No matter where Bwambale is in the forest or Umugenzi, if they hear my battle cry, they will show up and fight for me in all chimpanzee styles from somersaulting to buttress clapping and biting.

That is the most coveted thing about friendships, having friends who stick closer than a brother.

Don’t you wish you had friends like that? Find us at Ngamba Island.

1000 Pant Hoots

Oketch