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My
inspiration for the business name Gune (pronounced Goonie) came
from an Elephant that I was privileged to care for during
Volunteer work in Sri Lanka.
In
2006, towards the end of July, I had decided to volunteer
at the Millennium Elephant Foundation in Kegalle, Sri Lanka. The
experience was to last for 4 months. Each new volunteer
was designated their own elephant to care for. Mine was 64
years old and absolutely massive. He was called Gune.
Due to old age and ill health he was slightly bony, his
poor spine as a result of many years of illegal logging had also
become slightly twisted. Still after a few years at the
Foundation he had started to regain his health and I was given
the task of caring for him.
Gune
was a charismatic
elephant and we really did hit it off with each other. Ok the
lemon biscuits might have helped. When we first met he
would not acknowledge me and at the time this was quite
unnerving. By the 2nd week he started to give me playful
little shoves and small elephant showers whilst I was bathing
him. It was an absolute joy to connect with such an
amazing creature. When I first met the elephants they all
seemed the same, but as I got to know them I could see that they
had their own personalities and outstanding intelligence.
Gune, as far as I was concerned was the stud of the Foundation.
All the female elephants loved him despite his age. He was
the Sean Connery of the Elephant World.
Sadly,
towards the end of my third month, Gune slipped outside his
medical enclosure and was unable to stand. It seems the
shock of the fall was too much for him and his already weakened
heart. After repeated attempts to lift him we were told
that there was nothing more that could be done. In Sri
Lanka they consider all life to be sacred and will not consider
ending an animals suffering. Instead we tried to make his
last days as comfortable as we possibly could. Gune died
on the 27th of October, 4 days later. For me, it was a
bizarre feeling to see someone so mighty end up looking so
helpless. I was truly heartbroken. Now that I have
had time to reflect, I realise how privileged I was to have
known this magnificent creature and am grateful that I was able
to be there for him during his last days.
This
website has been named after Gune not only as a tribute to an
elephant who will always remain in my thoughts but also as an
inspiration to follow each challenge with the strength, resolve
and intelligence of that mighty friend. |
