All You Need to Know
“AFRICAN DREAM PARADE – Raising awareness for abused animals, uplifting communities through music and volunteering. From Cape to Kenya”
The first Leg of the Tour – An overview of South-Africa
“Community & Music, those 2 have been the foundation of my whole life, heart & soul over the last 13 years and now, recently, Animals, thanks to Kevin”
6 Months ago I sold everything I own and embarked on the most ambitious journey of my life. The “AFRICAN DREAM PARADE “.
This mission is based on a quest to find absolute freedom. Freedom from time, freedom from reoccurring relationships. Freedom from the questions I have about myself and questions I have about society. Freedom from my ego. To top it all off, freedom from paying someone else’s mortgage at a ridiculous amount because I chose to stay in an area where 4 million other mother humans beings also chose to.
So far, it has been the biggest and most humbling experience of my life.
My name is Ann Jangle and this is my story:
They say people come into your life for a reason. After meeting a guy, who is now cycling to Morocco to raise awareness for endangered Donkeys, due to the Chinese “mannetjies” and their need to kill everything that moves, in order for them to receive super powers and prevent the inevitable thing called aging, I started meeting more and more crazy adventurous souls, who stick out from the norm, yet keep a very low profile because they know, that to live a life outside of what society tells us, they bravely need to go off grid over long periods of time, to cleanse, to figure things out, to reboot and drown in the pure ecstasy & healing energy that nature provides. (Go check him out on Facebook / Instagram – “A Donkey’s Life” / Keegan Horn & support his cause)
I also met Steve Black. Steve is the real deal, the last hardened cowboy in South Africa. He founded and runs the horse trail and adventure business, Khotso, in Underberg on the border of Lesotho, running rides on his farm and into Lesotho, catering to educational school trips and general horse and animal lovers. Steve is nuts, in a great way. He is like a human race horse with a heart that beams love & light (Go check out his latest project “Coastal Challenge” on facebook/Instagram as well as his establishment “Khotso Lodge & Horse Trails”)
So decided to make an epic journey myself, but with the main focus of giving back.
I am now 32 years old. I am Single. I have no kids, aside from my 2 rescue dogs Kevin & Kezzy. A am Consumed by an incredible feeling of liberation with all the time in the world, fueled by a desire to give back.
It’s easy for me to “give back” or shall I say work or live in a rural environment, as I have lived like this many times throughout my life. Living in a “normal” square shaped house in suburbia is almost foreign to me. I don’t dig it at all.
It all began when I was in grade 11 or Standard 9 as I recall; I met some amazing community workers on their way up to Mozambique to start some projects there.
I, of course, hadn’t finished school yet but decided to join them anyway. After much fighting and begging, my parents finally allowed me to go. I always disagreed with the “Nazi-based” school system so I convinced them that I would do my final year through the post. I passed with flying colours in Subjects I had never done before thanks to a Lantern, (we later got a generator) and a Mosquito net under some giant trees in the middle of Mozambique, with a pet epileptic Vervet monkey, who they rescued after he fell off his mother’s back, after she was killed in a trap, whilst teaching Self Sustaining Living, AIDS awareness programs, English- & Childrens Church and Volunteering at an Orphanage, where I picked up enough Portuguese to get by.
Now here is the “shocker”: My first experience of community love & involvement was all sparked off by an evil bugger called “Heroin Addiction” that throughout the ages of 15 till about 19 I was desperately trying to kick.
I used to skate board with a bunch of guys, who I was very intrigued by, around the same time my parents split, so I had the honour of dabbing in hard core drugs while other chicks my age then, went to school, sober. I have always been very drawn to people with a rebellious nature. I guess because I was forced to conform as a child in a very, very conservative upbringing.
As much as I am being highly sarcastic about this whole situation, it was an absolute nightmare to conquer and once I found my ticket out of that depressing hell hole of house-hold drama and drug addiction, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. To be honest, I never intended to be hooked on a substance, no one ever does, I just needed something to numb the noise inside my head, inside my heart & around me.
It ended up being my only coping method.
I’ve never touched the stuff again since. It’s been, I dunno, over a decade and to be honest, I really cannot relate the sad little girl I was then….. This did, however, create a travel bug inside my soul and a thirst for rural living & adventure like you will not believe. It also showed me that I had the will power of an ox. This personality trait turned out to be my greatest quality because I refuse, till this day, to take “No” for an answer and by now I had learnt a whole new set of survival skills to conquer the mountains I would later be faced with.
I lived in Mozambique without any hot water & what most people take for granted. Like a roof that does not leak, a backyard that does not contain the possibility of being eaten by a hippo and trees that don’t contain ‘boom slang’, for about 2 and a half years….and I LOVED IT!
I fell in love with Africa, her people and all the difficulties that came with it. You see, your greatest strength, lies in knowing & conquering your weaknesses. The worst time of my life broke the barriers between me & the youth I would later go on helping.
From there it was many years of many different projects. I moved to Musina with a friend where we started Feeding-Projects in Zimbabwe, collecting leftovers from local restaurants and cooking it into the local brew made of chicken bones, marrow, mielie pap and spices. Quite gross but it smelled really good when you rapped your head around it.
I then travelled up and down the coast line of South-Africa selling T-Shirts & jewellery like a real Hippy (I met a guy who gave away all his jewellery after closing shop in Mpumalanga for next to nothing. I got a whole load of cheap brass pieces I incorporated into Macramé, a South American style of knotting, weaving and platting. Some of my friends still own some of those pieces) This is also when I fell in love with the Wild Coast and its people. Moving to and from Transkei.
I started singing on a trip back when I started working at a small music establishment, running the bar, kitchen, and front of house. It had a little stage with live music and totally “rocked my world.” My plan was to work at this little farm Theatre to save enough money to go to the Kibbutz in Israel but by some “Divine intervention” or whatever you want to call it, my plans changed.
I met these 2 guys. They were twins and played music for a living. I learned that I could fund my travels via performing music. Music became my best friend, my ultimate healer. A platform for me to tell my story. They still play music till this day and most probably will till the day they die because that is the power music has over you.
“One good thing about music is when it hits you feel no pain – Bob Marley”
I don’t think they will ever know the big impact they had on my life and how much my meeting them, changed the whole course of my existence.
I started a band and very quickly, my love for this healing art form called music turned into a business. After many years of performing in and around South Africa, I moved to Europe and spent 3 years performing there. My last tour there consisted of 30 gigs in 31 days in over 11 countries. From train stations to bus stops to performing at large festivals with the biggest one was to 30 000 people where I opened for one of my biggest idols, Nneka, a Nigerian, reggae soul singer& human rights activist at the Afrika Tage Festival in Austria. We played at the famous Reeper Bahn Festival in Hamburg where I got the drunkest tattoo of my life to small theatres and bar-like establishments in from Slovenia to Czech-Republic where after 10pm, no one could speak a word of English. We slept on over a hundred couches from Poland to Croatia, on many floors, with my favourite one being the Tour managers’ floor of one of my all-time favourite Punk bands, called “Sublime.” From 5 star Hotels to German Penthouses. It was the craziest time of my life.
I can go into a lot more detail about being backstage with Motorhead in Spain before Lemmy died, meeting Ben Harper and all these kinds of experiences, but ultimately, this is where I grew tremendously as a “Business Woman” and where I wanted to be as a musician.
I didn’t really enjoy big crowds or main stream music and fell in love with smaller shows where people where quiet and I could talk about the message or story behind my songs.
I found myself at the age of 30 with all this experience, yet a longing for Africa that surpassed all my understanding. So I came back to South Africa in the hopes to settle down like “normal” person my age. But what the hell is normal and why the hell would I want to actually settle down? The moment I started fully embracing who I was, the real magic began to happen.
So I desperately wanted to change. Deep in my heart I knew that my behaviour was not coinciding with the image I had in my head of myself and the life I wanted to lead.
The next steps I took where some of the most difficult things I ever thought I would have to do, but came with a surprising ease.
These where the best and most important conscious decisions I made, that would ultimately, brake me free from anything tied to my identity, as Ann Jangle, the partying musician.
I changed my circle of friends (You become who you surround yourself with) and also the way I lived.
These actions I took, came from a force deep inside me that grew stronger with each day I spent feeling unfulfilled. There are still a few burnt bridges that left some deep scars but enough is enough, bru.
At the end of the day we need to live a life that we can be proud of, that inspires people to be conscious of the earth and feel good about themselves.
To love themselves & those around them, because if I’m just going to sit in the corner with my finger in my arse and do nothing about our current situation, what the hell is the point even?
In August 2017, the year I got back from Europe, and the year of my biggest attempt to “settle down”, I woke up one morning, got in my car and drove straight to “Animal Anti Cruelty League” Epping & adopted Kevin. I mean what better way to settle down than get dog, right? ……………………RIGHT!
I didn’t choose him, he literally chose me. I actually bent down to pick up his brother who was slightly more golden with way bigger ears, but Kev ran from the back, leaped up on that gate with his tiny ears and what I can only describe as warthog-like, scruffy hair. It was honestly the most, out of proportion “brak” I had ever seen, but this pavement special chose me, rescued me, and shook every part of my fiber.
[wolf_col_4 class=”first”]Kevin made me want to be ‘fresh like a daisy’ for early morning walks, mountain hikes, swims in rivers I didn’t even knew existed which slowly but surely eliminated a ‘party pattern’ I fell back into after coming back to South Africa.[/wolf_col_4]
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DOGS! Getting a dog is a great way to ground yourself, “settle down”, but Kevin had a slightly different effect on me. He was perfect for ME because he made me do quite the opposite & that was exactly what I needed, for who I am. I am a traveller. He helped me stay true to myself and in that; he gave me a reason for the greatest adventure of my life. The AFRICAN DREAM PARADE. Kevin was my mission, my reason to give back. I need to tell the world that we can be healed of any hurt no matter how big or small and that learning to respect animals we ultimately learn to respect ourselves.
Since the start of this tour in July 2018, I have driven roughly 22000 kms across South Africa, played over 60 shows, spoke at schools for troubled youth, raised and donated 3 tons of dog food & blankets to 3 different shelters. I have helped sterilize animals in Zululand, built dog kennels in Graskop, Mpumalanga, milked my 1st cow, helped build huts in the Eastern Cape, slept in those huts with their Xhosa families, walked 22 hours on the Wild Coast coastline, performed in every Province in South Africa, spent all the money I made in the first few months of playing gigs, on buying Bravecto, tick & flea relief- & deworming- medication for stray dogs in rural areas to give their immune systems a small chance of survival as most of them live very short & painful lives. I took many dogs off chains, healed over a hundred wounds and got bitten by a boerboel while dedicating my life to saving them. The irony. Just preparing me for this journey even more: (‘just because you love something and want to help, does not mean it will love you back or receive your help openly, or even at all’) I contemplated my life, got my heart ripped out, experienced the happiest moments of my life, cried tears of joy and experienced the most panicked state, broken down, woman alone, at 2 am next to a highway in an area I could not even pronounce but where I could only make out the words: “High Crime Zone” on the traffic sign. I have prayed harder than I have ever prayed in my life and I have seen some things that made me question whether there is anything spiritual that exists at all.
All to raise awareness for animals which directly raises awareness of the self, self-respect, self-love, self determination to get people to a place where they want to better themselves, better the space around them and, to do this, all the way to Kenya.
I thought “CAPE TO KENYA” had a nice ring to it. A friend of mine went from Cape to Kenya in a TUK-TUK to raise awareness for endangered wildlife.
The top speed of the TUK-TUK was 40 kms p/h and it took them 8 months to get there. (check them out on Facebook / Instagram: “The Barefoot Adventurers Club” // Willie Badenhorst)
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[wolf_col_6 class=”last”] I will be cycling through Malawi in May/June this year (2019) and then joining Willie to kayak the famous Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is the second oldest freshwater lake in the world, the second largest by volume, and the second deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is the world’s longest freshwater lake.[/wolf_col_6]
Owning one bag of clothes, 2 dogs, 1 vehicle, a guitar and no place to call home is sometimes challenging but over the last few months I have become very aware of my ever growing sense of peace and the calm spirit one finds when living a life of minimalism. It has taken some time to unlearn things like complaining in the morning and being stressed out about things I cannot control. Morning routine is that of stillness and a moment to reach pure gratitude and bliss. I sometimes stair out into nature and find myself utterly alone but never lonely and I wonder how I will ever be able to live otherwise.
“The quiet does not come when you see the path clearly. The quiet comes when you are no longer afraid to get lost along the way”- L.E.Bowman
To everyone incredible human being I have met on my journey so far who do the most amazing things for our planet, Thank you!
I haven’t even touched my 1st border. This country is beautiful. She is big and she is rich in lessons if we would only humble ourselves enough to listen.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela
My name is Ann Jangle and it is my soul purpose to give back to the Kevins’ of the world, to say Thank you for rescuing me.
A lot of people have contributed to this journey so far and deserve a giant “High-Five”, to mention a few, here they are:
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Mike Hunter, my good friend and the best sound guy I have ever worked with. Mike flew to Bloemfontein and spent 3 months on the road with me. Mike always goes the extra mile. I love saying Mike. Mike knows how to work a mic.
Mike is holding Emma in this photo. He adopted her at Wollies Animal Project, Pretoria. Wollies was our first Animal Welfare organisation we donated dog food and blankets to. Emma chose Mike. It was love at first sight. Their story is one of many great things we witnessed in the 4 months on the road together.
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My mom, she just cuts through all my nonsence!
Like she will tell me to calm down when I didn’t ever know I was worked up but then after she tunes me, I realise how worked up I was and then I’m like, “Yaaaaaas” that ‘Antie’, she knows me better than I know myself. Our relationship has been through more than most Mother- Daughter relationships but we have found a place where we respect each other & acknowledge that we might not be able to get back all those years we lost but we now make every moment count. I believe that her love & prayers have had a much greater effect on my journey than I will ever comprehend in this lifetime. (I wrote her a song that explains things way better than me saying thank you, go check it out on any media platform – “OH MI MADRE”)
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PJ Powers – Thandeka, Thank you for being such an incredible inspiration!
So hard working and dedicated to making the world a better place. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share the stage with you and for still being such a humble woman. You are the voice of my youth and I will always cherish our tour together with the highest regards. P.S. Your hair set the bar for me. What a fiery babe.
(Please follow the incredible work she does on Facebook/Instagram @ PJ Powers – Thandeka, her most recent project being raising awareness for albinism in Zimbabwe).
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Melissa Lewis, owner of The Adventure Lifestyle Show, who is as crazy about travelling as I am and who makes it really fun & comfortable when we do join for certain stretches.
She is a weirdly, well-balanced workaholic (I say weirdly because balanced and workaholic shouldn’t be in the same sentence) but I just don’t say anything because it actually inspires me to be better and work harder at achieving my goals.
To everyone who provided me so generously with free accommodation: Better Live SA,
Valie & Corlia from In The Green Backpackers Morganbay for my heavenly treehouse accomadation (please check them out on facebook/Instagram and the next time you travel to the Wild Coast) “Slabs” in Pretoria, Mischa Els owner of “YOGA FLOW FESTIVAL” & “HOT POD YOGA PRETORIA”, Manie, owner of Flycatchers Castle Graskop Mpumalanga, Carla, owner of GAIN – GRASKOP ANIMALS IN NEED who transformed her whole house & property into an animal welfare organisation (You literally climb over cats to get to the bathroom) Whilst we were building dog kennels there I fostered a puppy for the first time. Big mistake. After 3 days I was incapable of giving her back and Kevin got a sibling. (We all know how easily an accidental sibling can happen).
Welcome to the family baby Kezzy, who is now the size of a couch.
Sponsors
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Ann Jangle supports “A Donkey’s Life”
Keegan Horn is walking from Eastern Cape to Morocco raising awareness for donkeys.
Please follow Keegan on his journey – 
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