Retro Digs

That's what you are looking at in the above picture. It
is a traditional San (Bushmen) hut/house.

This is the first one I've seen since arriving in the area
over 14 months ago. The hut is located in a village up the
road (30 kilometers) and it is part of a project that this San
(Khwe tribe) man who is a paraplegic is working on. He
is trying to build a little traditional Bushman village. It is for
a few purposes ... 1. to keep the traditional ways alive as
many of the young kids have never seen a traditional styled
hut from their culture before. And 2, maybe there could be
some tourist interest sometime in the future. He is struggling
to get it done but there is something to say about his character
and for what he is trying to accomplish.

Today the huts/houses of the San people that I've seen are more
of a permanently built type design. Usually with either dry grasses
or maybe some mud for the walls. Doesn't sound too permanent
does it? If the person is a little prosperous, then zinc metal
sheeting for the roof, if not, then again, dry grasses.

Looking at the traditional San hut, it sure looks a lot like a tent
in it's shape. A hut like that takes some work but not a
tremendous amount of time to construct. Usually the San
were people on the move. Going from one water and
food source area to another.

The knowledge I have is that they would on average stay in one
place for a month or so ... then move on. So, these style huts
were just the ticket for their needs. It was also told to me that
if they did return to the same area that they inhabited before and
the huts were still standing, then, they would just ignore those and
make new ones.

Looking at the hut in person genuinely brought the reality home
that the life for the San in general, has totally changed and in a
certainty, will never return again. All in a matter of a generation
or so. No wonder the challenge of change is such a big one for
these people and the problems they are facing as a result are
difficult to solve.

One of things on my wish list is to try and get a mini-workshop
for some of the kids here that would include them building one
themselves. Not to be experts but just to know part of the
traditions of where they came from. But the time it takes to
organize anything here, even as simple as that, makes me think
that even with the time I have left, it may not happen. I will
just try as usual and hope for the best.

It must be difficult for the older people to relate to the younger
ones and just by looking at the hut brings that thought to mind.
Their elders lived a lifestyle where that hut was a big part of their
lives. Now the younger people are watching music videos on
a TV. Big change in a short period of time.