Etymology

Entering the English language in the late 19th century, the word safari means "journey" in Swahili. Originally from the Arabic سفر (safara) meaning travel

The verb for "to travel" in Swahili is "kusafiri", the noun for the journey is "safari". These words are used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa. The person generally attributed to having used the word in English is Sir Richard Francis Burton, the famous explorer.

The Regimental March of the King's African Rifles was 'Funga Safari', literally 'Halt the March', or, in other words, stop work for the day.

Funga safari, funga safari. Funga safari, funga safari. Hamari ya nani? Hamari ya nani? Hamari ya Bwana Kapteni, Hamari ya keyaa.

Halt the march? On whose orders? On the order of the boss captain On the order of the KAR.

On Kenya's independence from Britain, Funga Safari was retained as the Regimental March of the Kenya Rifles, successor to the K.A.R.

Touristic usage

Although the word safari came to popular usage in reference to hunting and touring expeditions in East Africa, it is now used generally to mean any long or adventurous journey or expedition, e.g. whale watching safaris, photography safaris, eco-safari, etc.

As a cinema genre

The safari provided countless hours of cinema entertainment in sound films from Trader Horn (1931) onwards. The safari was used in many adventure films such as the Tarzan, Jungle Jim, and Bomba the Jungle Boy film series up to The Naked Prey (1966) where Cornel Wilde, a white hunter, becomes game himself. Also, safaris and the safari genre films were parodied in the Bob Hope comedies Road to Zanzibar and Call Me Bwana. An instant 15-minute helicopter safari was shown in Africa Addio where clients are armed, flown from their hotel and landed in front of an unlucky and baffled elephant. There are Tour and Travel companies which can take you on a safari. One Company in East Africa that is reputed for making best and memorable safaris is SuperLight-Africa (Tours & Travel). It takes care of tourists in a special way. The Company is based in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. It is fun going on Safari and seeing thousands of wildlife in their natural habitation.

Fashion and architecture

Many items worn on safari became fashion statements such as bush hats, pith helmets, bush jackets, with the costume eventually becoming a safari outfit.

The 1998 book Safari Style by Natasha Burns with photographs by Tim Beddow features interior and exterior design inspired by African safari lodges.

See also

• Safari jacket
• Safari park

External links

• WorldBank: "Saving the safari industry", regarding safari workers and AIDS/HIV, May 23, 2006