a month and it is always a little struggle
to get momentum going again.
But ... things are starting to move. Right
now the majority of the people in the
village are out in the bush collecting what
they call ... devil's claw. .
They dig it up, sell it and it is then exported
to somewhere in Europe where I've been
told they process it for some natural remedy
or drink. I really don't know for sure.
We have been continuing with the Young San
(Khwe) Cultural Group project. In the picture
is an old metal shelf from a locker that we'll
try and make a nice sign out of. The kids
have gotten a little entrepreneurial and have
gone out to the road and are trying to attract
tourist to watch them dance and hopefully
leave an offering.
What happens is that we are the first village
that anyone comes too after driving 60 km
or about 42 miles. So by the time they come
up upon the village they are going pretty fast.
The kids have found that they need a decent
sign that is at least 500 meters or yards
ahead of where they are so the people have
time to stop or not jam on the brakes and
create an accident.
So, me and the Romanian guy have volunteered
to try and make a good sign that will be easy
to read for people who are traveling at 130 kph
or 80 miles per hour.
We also made a music CD of the songs that
the group performs. I took the audio off the
video clips that we took of their practices. The
group played it last night. I wasn't there but
I guess they had a little speaker system and
the neighbors all came over thinking that they were
performing. The kids danced to the CD and also
decided that they wanted to do a few of the songs
over and also add to the 12 songs on the disc.
We are trying to also take the kids out to the
game park to see some of the animals. This
is always an exercise in patience and the ability
to face rejection and being let down. We have
talked with an organization about transportation
but we would be going in a few weeks during
their school break. A few weeks is a long time
when it comes to planning things out here. So,
that's on the drawing board and we'll just try our
level best to make it work for the kids.
I've had a discussion with David the head of the
cultural group and a person who works with
cultural issues and so forth.
The point is that with the change in the traditional
ways of the San that the knowledge of the those
ways have a chance of vanishing with the passing
of the elders. I brought back a small Flip Video
camera and the thought is to try and film interviews
with the elders and hopefully get them to demonstrate
the traditional skills and tell us of the old ways.
The thought is that if we can document some or all
of it that it would be available for future generations
if need be. I am not sure if this has been done before
for this San (Khwe) people but no one seems to
remember anything like it.
The plan is to create a small digital library . But like
all the ideas and plans, it seems great and we are
ambitious about it. The real thing is ... can we do it.
This will take participation and if the elders agree
then we are in business.
We have one man who lived the old ways until he
was in his early 20's, so he would have gone
through all the traditional ways such as hunting a
springbok on foot. This would have proven that
he was capable of being a provider. We will
start with him and he is a good man with an
open mind and he understands what we are
trying to do.
I am excited about this as I should have a
tremendous chance to learn of the old ways. Of
course they will talk in the San language of
Khwedam so I will understand not too much.
David will fill me in afterwards.
Right now the majority of the work is cultural related
and in my mind it is more important than what it
seems to be. A people have lost their traditional
ways and are struggling to find another identity
or way. Sometimes it is better to take what you've
learned and then go back to the beginning or
basics. In this case the basics are the old societal
ways.
Now, the societal ways are somewhat confused and
many of the ways such as only elders could drink
alcohol, respect for adults and expectation of young
men providing for their families are on the way to
being lost. These are just a few examples.
By keeping in touch with the old way's expectations
from the society and adapting it to today's life, I
think that the San could work they way out of the
marginalized life that many are experiencing now.
All this sounds good on paper but it is a challenge
at the least. That's why I came back for a third year.
