A world renowned Anglo-Zulu War raconteur – recognised by the Royal Geographic Society in London – and in my opinion the foremost orator in South Africa, the indomitable Rob Caskie always has a way of leaving his audience utterly spell bound and fully immersed in a world so unlike the one we inhabit today.

Rob is a fantastic speaker and motivator, I thoroughly recommend him to any organisation as either a fund raising event or a motivational talk that no employee will ever forget. Give Rob a sturdy stage and he will do the rest

Rob Caskie is the consummate storyteller and raconteur. His incredible journeys across the globe have seen him become a sought after speaker on the subjects of the Zulu Wars, expeditions in Antartica plus a host of other tales. One of the most memorable experiences of my life was to sit on the Isandhlwana Battlefields at Kwazulu Natal and hear him recount the battle in both English and Zulu. Grown men wept; me included!  When Rob is in situ recounting tales in his beloved Antartica, Rorke’s Drift, the auditorium at London’s Royal Geographic Society or company conference gatherings anywhere – he transports you effortlessly and ultimately into other worlds and times. Quite simply, the man is a legend in his own lifetime.

I have met a most unusual and inspirational speaker. His name is Rob Caskie and he is a world renowned story teller. His talks range from the life and exploits of Shackleton, battle field tours and in particular to the story of the Zulu wars – specifically the battle of Rorke’s Drift where 100 British soldiers fought off over 4000 Zulu warriors and in the process were awarded 11 Victoria Crosses in that 12 hour battle to name but a few. He is an author, raconteur, historian, a very personable man and, above all, a very gifted – and one of the few – true story tellers. I am utterly inspired by what I witnessed from Rob Caskie last week. The story of Rorke’s Drift was the story he so beautifully illustrated, told and brought to life at our conference, using no notes it was packed with historical accuracy, names, dates and worded pictures of the heroic men who fought off those Zulu hordes. There’s was no hate, no blame, no hysteria – just pure fact and skilful wordplay. He uses no props and, where he spoke for over 70 captivating minutes to our 250 guests at the dinner, to not even a murmur from the totally absorbed audience. It was fascinating to watch, captivating and emotionally draining and it will stay with me for the rest of my life. Rob was our guest speaker at our AICC conference gala dinner.

Why am I telling you this? It is rare – almost unheard of in fact – for me to recommend someone so highly, but having seen Rob first hand, and having heard about what he does and how well he does it from so many other people, he is definitely one to have on your radar for future dinners or events. Many of us in that room were actually overcome with an extraordinary wave of emotion throughout the speech, and left emotionally drained afterwards. You can Google him or visit www.robcaskie.com for more information on this remarkable man. 

Storytelling is an ancient art, and the basics haven’t changed: a compelling story centering on heroic characters and events, and a narrator with the dramatic skills and power of personality to bring them alive. Rob Cassie has these qualities in abundance, and his mesmerising performances have all the power of a great actor. I have rarely witnessed a performance as magnetic as Rob’s on the battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift in Zululand, and I’ve watched with admiration as Rob has widened his repertoire to include other great feats of human endeavour far afield from his native South Africa. If you have an opportunity to see this extraordinary man in action, don’t miss it!