Sam and the Volcano: the Exploring Spirit of Sámuel Teleki
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Sámuel Teleki via Wikipedia Commons
It’s a little known fact that in Africa, in southern Kenya to be exact, there is a volcano that bears a very Hungarian sounding name. The formation in question: Teleki’s Volcano, was named as such, because it was discovered by Hungarian explorer Count Sámuel Teleki.
Historically, no doubt because it is a land-locked country, Hungarians haven’t set sail to name or colonize distant parts, like the British, Dutch, and Spanish. But the aristocracy where well traveled, and enterprising. Their enormous wealth made such journeys possible.
Sámuel Teleki was born in 1845, in then-Hungarian Transylvania. A politician by creed, he also was an avid hunter. While his studies took him to Germany, his hobby took him to Africa, particularly the eastern portion, where he could safari, hunt, and explore. But Teleki also traveled in the fashion of an aristocrat, taking with him some 400 porters on his expedition, starting down the Ruvu River in Tanzania.
Teleki Volcano via Hungarikumokkal.com
Teleki was one of the first European explorers to take significant interest in this portion of Africa. He was also the first explorer to reach the snow line on Mount Kilimanjaro (he would later fail to make it to the mountain’s peak). While he is also credited with discovering several African lakes, it should be noted that he only discovered them for Europe, as they were of course known to locals.
It was in east Africa, in Kenya, when he came upon the active volcano, which now bears his name: Teleki’s Volcano. But that is not the only discovery that was named after him. He took great interest in the area’s flora and fauna. A giant Lobelia plant native to Kenya is also called Tekeki (the plant looks like a strange hairy cactus, and grows at high altitudes, like on Mt. Kenya).
Teleki did return to Hungary, and died in Budapest, quite famous, and still rich, in 1916. His legacy abroad may be small, but it is significant. His volume East African Diaries is still around and available to be read, and from what we understand, the volcano he discovered has yet to blow. Perhaps it likes its name, and wants to keep up the good image of Hungarians abroad.
via Wikipedia Commons
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