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. The cultural clock is
ticking for these people and time is running out as the old people
pass on.
This Trust is taking positive action to ensure the cultural survival of
these forgotten people.
The Trust is establishing a sanctuary where a core of selected San ,
dedicated to the values and traditions which have stood them in good
stead for centuries, comprising initially of five or six family units,
will live as they did before the arrival of other groups into Southern
Africa. Teaching the young the customs and traditions of old while
simultaneously providing them with a modern, western education,
stimulating the spiritual values and rekindling the pride they had in
protecting the land they once occupied. In this sanctuary we will
reintegrate the wildlife essential to their physical and spiritual
needs. We will also reintegrate the flora which forms such an integral
part of San life in the form of medicines and sustenance.
Utilizing the skills and knowledge of the elders, this clan will
re-establish the lifestyle of past generations
On the perimeter of the reserve, which will be a restricted area, a
small complex, comprising a school room, clinic, staff accommodation and
eventually a lodge, will be established. The project will be monitored
by the relevant academics and medical scientists to ensure the well
being of the clan as well as providing data which will be utilized in
future such projects.
Education would also be a key factor and a school will be established
where the cultural traditions will be taught alongside the basic
education that the young require to ensure literacy.
With one of our aims being to make this project sustainable, we will
explore the possibilities of controlled and selective Eco-cultural
tourism. This would enable interested parties such as sponsors, donors
and academics access to the project. If this can be controlled, so as
not to turn the project into just another shallow Eco-tourism
showpiece, exploiting the people and wildlife
involved, we could eventually open the project to the more general
public.
This project will not become another showpiece to cater for tourists
with performances laid on for the cameras. However, opportunities will
arise to observe the activities and lifestyle of the San of centuries
ago.
Positive benefits once the project is viable would be to expand the
number of family units, to include others from different areas, thereby
bringing additional cultural attributes to the project. We will also
expand the cultural aspect of the school to include areas where the San live in large numbers without the benefit of any cultural input.
As a corner stone of the Trust, and incorporated in our Trust Deed, are
the values of consensus and transparency. Although not a legal
requirement, and as per our Code of Conduct, the Trust will have their
books audited on an annual basis and the results made available on
request.
We are not an activist group and this project will refrain from
utilizing the rhetoric and protest actions used by some to draw
attention to their cause. We will conduct our fund raising campaigns
with decorum and will reach consensus with all parties, in all spheres,
in all matters. Wentzel Katjara, as a member of the San community of Khwe in the Kimberly district and a Trustee, will liaise closely with
the community in this regard. Volunteers have offered their services and
will provide valuable support in the tasks allocated to them.
We are aware that this Trust, alone, cannot solve the problems of the
entire surviving San population. However, if this project raises
public awareness to their plight, collectively, solutions might be
found.
Our immediate aim is to bring to the attention of the public the fact
that in twenty years this culture and these traditions will be gone
forever, only to be found in history books. With the passing of every
elder something else dies and will never be recovered. Through public
awareness, sponsorship and donations we, as a people, have managed to
save the rhino, have stopped the slaughter of whales and rescued
countless other species from becoming extinct. The extinction of the San is now imminent. Surely if we can rescue animals we can do as much
for the San who are, after all, part of humankind.
Allan Seabell
Trustees : A. Seabell. W. Katjara
Reg. No. 9617 / 06
P
O Box 214, Banbury, Northwold
Johannesburg 2164
South Africa
Web:
www.endangeredpeople.com
E-mail:
allan@endangeredpeople.com
or
allanseabell@iburst.co.za
