The Herd Boy

His legacy includes dozens of books published during his lifetime – from the popular Jamela books to Not so fast, Songolo to The herd boy and to his most recent On my papa’s shoulders. His books were translated into many African languages and were available widely in his home country of South Africa.

Perhaps more important than his books, Niki Daly’s legacy includes his inspiration, mentorship and encouragement of the many people who were fortunate to spend time with him, whether it was a few minutes, a few hours, a few days or a few years. In the United States, we have a saying: “Make hay while the sun shines.” This means that when fortune shines upon you, you should make the best of it. When conditions are good, you should work hard in order to prosper. But Niki Daly was one of those people who made hay whether the sun shone or did not shine, whether he was making hay by creating books or by forging connections and shoring up enduring friendships with others.