This movie is based on William Harrison's epic historical novel. In the 1850s two British officers, Captain Richard Burton (Patrick Bergin, Patriot Games), a womanising anthropologist and Lt. John Speke (Iain Glen, Game of Thrones), an aristocrat with a pending book deal, embarked on an awe-inspiring adventure to discover the source of the great Nile River.
Warned of the many dangers ahead of them, the two pioneers attempted to make history, as the first ever Westerners to venture deep into the untamed African wilderness and document their findings. Along the way, their exploits become the stuff of legend - experiencing a fearsome lion attack, challenged by the complexities of communicating with the natives and observing the sheer beauty and grace of the greater African landscape. But as the difficult journey takes its toll on the two intrepid explorers, their friendship is tested to the limits of conflict and pushed to the point of betrayal.
Listening Beyond Words – Lessons from Mountains of the Moon
In the film Mountains of the Moon, there’s a moment that says more about human connection than any dialogue could. Deep in Africa, during the 1850s quest to find the source of the Nile, a tribal chief greets one of the British explorers by spitting at him. The traveller stiffens, shocked and insulted — but what he doesn’t realise is that this act is not an offense. It’s a blessing. In many African traditions, spitting can be a sacred gesture — a way to share one’s spirit, one’s goodwill, even protection.
That simple scene captures the heart of what it means to meet the world with open eyes and an open mind. True communication goes far beyond words. It’s about pausing our assumptions, sensing the intention behind each gesture, and allowing ourselves to listen beyond meaning.
Every explorer, traveller, and wanderer faces this moment sooner or later — when the world suddenly reminds us that our way is not the only way. In that realisation lies the essence of travel: not just to see new landscapes, but to understand new ways of being human.
This moment teaches an enduring truth about communication across cultures — whether in the 1850s or today:
To understand another culture, you must listen beyond words and see beyond your own logic.
When we meet people from different backgrounds, what matters most is curiosity and humility — the willingness to ask, “What does this mean to you?” instead of judging by our own norms.
In that particular moment, Burton and Speke are outsiders in a land whose customs they don’t understand. To them, being spat on might seem humiliating or aggressive. But in many African traditions — including among some East African tribes — spitting is a sign of goodwill or protection. It’s symbolic: the saliva carries the person’s life force or blessing. A parent might spit lightly on a child’s head for good luck, or a chief might “anoint” visitors to welcome them.
So, what the British explorers took as an insult was actually an honour. It’s a vivid cinematic way to show how misunderstanding arises not from ill will, but from different frames of meaning. The explorers’ scientific curiosity about the Nile contrasts sharply with the chief’s spiritual and communal worldview.
As travellers, we cross more than mountains and rivers — we cross into other people’s worlds. Every culture holds its own wisdom, often hidden in gestures we don’t yet understand. The more we listen, the more we learn that respect is not about agreeing, but about being present.
At Travel Explorations – The Global Travel Guide for Genuine Adventurers, we believe the greatest journeys are not only measured in distance, but in understanding. To meet others as they are - that’s the true discovery.
Stein Morten Lund, 26th August 2025