PROJECT; SAN
Overview
The Trust was established to take positive action to halt the slide of San culture and heritage to extinction and to ensure the continuity,
even at this late stage, of truly old traditions and culture which are
in their twilight years. For too long have the San been treated as non-people , deprived of land they had occupied for centuries and
exploited for political and monetary gain.
Already the 'First People of the Cape' are no more. The language and
culture gone forever. The Khomani San are in serious decline with
political intrigue, cohersion and alcohol taking its toll. The !Xu and
Khwe are living in abject conditions on the outskirts of Kimberly after
being brought into South Africa from Namibia. Other pockets of San are
in similar conditions throughout Southern Africa.
This Trust is taking positive action to ensure the cultural survival of
these forgotten people.
The trust will acquire land which will be
set aside for habitation by a nucleus of “San’ dedicated to the values and
traditions which have helped them survive for thousands of years. On this
land we will reintroduce the wildlife and flora which forms such an
integral part of ‘San’ existence.
Utilizing the skills and knowledge of the
elders, this clan will re-establish the lifestyle of past generations.
To ensure
sustainability we will embrace ‘Eco cultural tourism’, both local
and international. To this end, a lodge will be erected where visitors
will experience this unique culture in an environment devoid of
exploitation both of the ‘San’ and the visitor.
A school and a clinic
will be part of this development to ensure the health and education of all
participants.
All development on
this project, including habitat conservation, will be in accordance with
recognized ecological standards with the emphasis on minimizing our carbon
footprint.
Once operational the
project will employ thirty persons from disadvantaged backgrounds and
training will be provided in the Hospitality, Conservation and Maintenance
fields.
Support for this initiative is essential if we are not to rue the day when
the ‘San’, as were the Incas, the Aztecs, the Egyptians and indeed many
other past civilizations, confined to the history books
