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History
Extra article
Pardubice region
CZECH LIVINGSTONE*
AND HIS ROSE
The most famous Czech
explorer1 Emil Holub
(1847–1902) was one of
the first Europeans who
set foot2 in unknown3
places in South Africa.
He was born in Holice in
the Pardubice region.
TIP FOR A TRIP
In Holice you can find
the African Museum
(www.holubovomuzeum.cz).
Brave Rose
His museum was
opened with the kind
help of his his loving
wife Růžena in 1956.
She went to Africa with
Emil on his third trip
when they tried to be
the first Europeans to
travel from South Africa
all the way to North
Africa. Unfortunately
the British colonial
authorities4, and later
a serious tropical
disease5, did not let them finish the
trip. His wife also saved their lives when
she bravely stopped one tribe6 that was
trying to kill them.
African adventure
Emil Holub was not only an explorer
but also a doctor, geographer and
ethnographer*. During his first visit to
South Africa, he was curing7 the local
diamond searchers8. For the money he
made, he travelled further9 in the land
of the Bushman people (= Křováci) and
other tribes. He went to Africa three
times. On his third trip he visited the
Victoria Falls* and he was the first one to
make a detailed map of the area.
Precious collection
During his travelling he gathered11
many interesting objects and plants.
Emil was the first person who created
an in-depth study12 of the local tribes.
Later, when he returned to Europe he
opened the biggest ethnographical
exposition13 in Vienna. After that,
he loaded 72 wagons14 and brought
his exposition to Prague. He wanted
to give all the objects to the National
Museum but he was refused15. So he
generously16 decided to give away his
collection to different museums around
Europe. Today you can see it in Vienna,
London or Paris.
Gate Extra Articles | May-June | 2014
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Look at some objects Emil Holub brought
from Africa. Can you guess what it is?
1
A a tribe’s king crown
B a musical instrument
C a basket for picking berries
David Livingstone (1813–1873) – Scottish missionary
(= misionář) and one of the greatest explorers of Africa.
Perhaps the most popular British hero of the late 19th
century. He was trying to find the source (= pramen)
of the Nile, and he was the first European who saw the
Victoria Falls (= waterfall – vodopád) in 1855.
Ethnographer – a scientist who describes culture and
society (= společnost) where he lives.
2
A a sun cap
B a leather bag
C Mr. Holub’s shoes
3
A a dry tree leaf
B an elephant’s ear
C traditional bread
Victoria Falls – spectacular (= působivý) waterfalls on the
Zambezi river on the border (= hranice) between Zambia
and Zimbabwe. It is almost twice as wide and twice as
deep as Niagara Falls.
4
A local biscuits
B precious stones
C pieces of a plant
© digitalizace sbírky –
Muzeum Dr. Emila Holuba
Solutions:
1B / 2C Mr. Holub’s shoes* there were holes in the shoes
to relieve (= ulevit) the swollen feet / 3B / 4C pieces of
plant* parts (root) used for curing stomachache
1 explorer [Ik"splO;r@(r)] – cestovatel
2 to set foot – vkročit
3 unknown [%Vn"n@Un] – neznámý
4 authorities – vláda
5 serious disease ["sI@ri@s dI"zi;z] – vážná nemoc
6 tribe [traIb] – kmen
7 to cure [kjU@(r)] – léčit
8 searcher ["s3;tS@(r)] – hledač
9 further ["f3;D@(r)] – dále
10precious ["preS@s] – drahocený
11 to gather ["g&D@(r)] – sbírat
12 in-depth study [in-depT] – důkladná studie
13 exposition [%eksp@zISn] – výstava
14wagon ["w&g@n] – vagon
15 to refuse [rI"fju;z] – odmítnout
16generously ["dZen@r@sli] – velkoryse
Gate Extra Articles | May-June | 2014
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