Khomani Cultural Landscape inscribed by United Nations
people are unique in that they descend directly from an ancient population that existed in southern Africa some 150 000 years ago.
The red dunes of the Khomani Cultural Landscape are strongly associated with this unique culture, stretching from the Stone Age to the present, thus making it a landscape that has changed little from a time long ago when humans were mainly hunter gatherers.
The Khomani Cultural Landscape has been home to at most a few hundred people who have survived life in the extreme desert landscape of the southern Kalahari through their knowledge of the land.
Particular to their practices is their way of physically defining the land through designated uses of the different parts, how their movements were organised as well as other significant cultural practices.
The landscape, which covers an area of 959.100 hectare in the Dawid Kruiper District Municipality in the Northern Cape, covers the entire Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (KGNP) and forms part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which is bordered by Botswana and Namibia in the east and west respectively.
The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, welcomed the recognition of the Khomani cultural traditions at a global level and acknowledged the significant role played by the Khomani community on the successful inscription of the site.
“The South African National Parks (SANParks), which already manages the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, will also ensure that the integrity of the outstanding universal value of the property is sustained and that the Khomani community will continue to be involved and benefit from their cultural heritage,” Molewa said.
SANParks chief executive officer, Fundisile Mketeni, said that the inscribing of the Khomani Cultural Landscape was a very important and symbolic step in the recognition and restoration of the dignity of the Khomani San, whose cultural life and traditional practices were significantly undermined by the forced removals they suffered under apartheid.
According to Mketeni, this inscribing by Unesco adds to the recognition of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and the larger Kgalakgadi Transfrontier Park as a special and unique conservation area to be protected and enjoyed by all South Africans and citizens of the world.
“It further gives recognition to the great work being done in the preservation and promotion of South Africa’s diverse heritage. The Khomani Cultural Landscape features sparse vegetation, occasional trees, and the dry riverbeds of the Nossob and Auob rivers, as well as the large expanse of sand dunes and associated physical features which contain evidence of human occupation from the Stone Age to the present associated with the Khomani San culture.
“The Site also includes landmarks of San history, migration, livelihoods, memory and resources. It attests to the adaptive responses and interaction of the Khomani San, past and present, to survive in a desert environment,” Mketeni said.
In his address to the session, a member of the Khomani San community in the Kalahari, Dirk Pienaar, remarked that “the decision that was taken marked a long awaited historical moment for us the Khomani San and all other San communities”.
“As one of the most researched and documented cultures in the world, it was finally acknowledged for its universal value and importance. This listing will thus provide a foundation for us to continue to preserve, protect and practice our ancient culture and traditions with minimum threat of extinction within the current society.”
Pienaar promised that the community would never stop respecting and nurturing their culture as transferred from generation to generation. “Conservation for us is not a planned action or a buzz word to use to impress when needed. It is neither a choice but a way of life which is instilled within all San people from a very tender age.”
He concluded by giving special thanks to all the elderly within the community including “Oupa Dawid Kruiper and Ouma Una Rooi who died whilst fighting for our cause”. Kevin Moore (SANParks)