First published: 21/07/23.

Szucs Tamas 2.5

ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape

ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape (Inscribed)

ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape by Szucs Tamas

Most rewivers complained about the missed cultural element of the site, so while planning my visit to South Africa I deliberately wanted to find some kind of clue how not to miss it. Finally I found a website - www.khomanisan.com - where -  though there is absolutely no reference to the World Heritage status, I assumed, I can fulfil my desire. The site is maintained by the bushman council, so if anybody knows what the sam cultural landscape is about, they are surely the ones. The comunication with the admins war painstaikingly slow. After some weeks I got an aswer from the tour operator appointed by the council, Vinkie von der Westhiuzen, an email, that, yes, she is the one who is in charge and once she would send me some more information. It was in late November, and in January I got it. The two days cultural tour, though somewhat pricey, seemed to be interesting, so we booked it. What we got was really interesting - though in a certain sense somewhat patchy. We had two local guys - Elivs and Philemon - with us who tought us how to use bow and arrow (we were better, but even though did miss the coke can), how to recognise the  excrement of different animals in the bush, which are th the plants with healing  powers etc. This was real fun. We have also seen some tribal dancing around the fire with some stories told.  The choreography was quite simple - but I think it's naturally like this.The accomodation in their camp was good - the tents are spacious, and the sky is sooo dark, that you can never see that in the developped world. The game drive was rather forgettable - but the sunset from the dry lake was glorious. The catering was great, and Vinkie - who despite her name is a member of the san community - happened to be a really lovely person.   So the experience was good - but still should be improved. The program could be better organised,  for example we would have been interested in the actual life of the san community now. Talking with Philemon and Elvis (do not sound really san, but that were their actual names)  we learned a lot - e.g. that their actual mother tongue now already Afrikaans, and they just learn some san in school, or that their biggest income ins the meat of the game, that is marketed as biltong, but it could have benne better, if better organized.  Also it was by chance that they saind that yes, they know the people, who worked on the nomination file - just they did not think that it is woth to mention. So we learned, we stayed in the middle of the core zone.

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