Impeesa--The Wolf That Never Sleeps

Baden-Powell was once called M'hlala panzi by the Zulus - he who lies down (to shoot). He earned this nickname by developing a peculiar way of firing a rifle from between his legs while lying on his back.

During the Ashanti expedition he was called Katankye - the man with the big hat.

But his most famous African nickname came from the Matabele: Impeesa - the wolf. It was also translated as `the beast that does not sleep, but walks about at night'. The nickname became famous at Mafeking, where it was translated into English as `The wolf that never sleeps' - a tribute to his reputation as a watchful military scout. At Mafeking, a cannon built during the siege was called `The Wolf' in his honor.

The origin of `Impeesa' is a strange story, however. There are no wolves in Africa, and `Impeesa' means a hyena. It is possible that Baden-Powell misunderstood the word, because to be called a hyena is not a compliment.

But whatever the origins, the nickname of Impeesa, the Wolf, became a great tradition in Scouting, and Baden-Powell used it with pride.

Today, BSA's NYLT youth leadership training is called "Impeesa," in honor of Baden-Powell.

--WB Scribbler

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More Impeesa: The Baden-Powell comic book

The Italian Scout Association CNGEI, in collaboration with the publishing house Lizard of Rome, published a comic book in 2007 based on the life of Robert Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting. The series, titled "Impeesa", has been realised by Ivo Milazzo, one of the greatest comic strip authors of the world. And the storyboard has been written by Paolo Fizzarotti, the editor of the CNGEI magazine "Adulti nello Scautismo" and "Scautismo".

"Impeesa" is not just a biography of Baden-Powell transferred into comics, but an adventures book in which some of the outstanding episodes of B-P's life, before he founded Scouting one hundred years ago, are narrated. CNGEI has intentionally released it in line with the celebration of the centenary of Scouting and the 150th anniversary of B-P's birth.

The international dimension of Scouting has enabled the book to be published already in four languages: Italian, English, French and Spanish and should there be enough requests, the publisher will also translate the book into other languages.

The series is sold all over the world through Scout stores, bookshops and on the Internet.

Order the book on ScoutStore.com

For more information, please contact the publisher on lizarded@tin.it or visit http://www.lizardedizioni.com/ (Italian only).