“Savage” Harvest…

Ethical lessons from an ancient people

Inhospitable, desolate and savage are adjectives some use to describe the Kalahari. Primitive, uncultured and savage are adjectives oft heard to describe the Bushmen who live here.
All of these suggest the original requires modification in order to render it acceptable. Egocentric is the only adjective fit to describe such a perspective!

3000km was our (Marilda and I) terrestrial journey to go and spend 5 days with some of the last remaining Khomani San Bushmen in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park...immeasurable was our mental/emotional journey!

What I expected from the experience was NOT what I got.
Practical skills like improved ways of making fire through friction, added insight in animal tracking, interesting medicinal plants and better ways of making rope from bark was what I anticipated, but what really struck me more than anything else came from something so noticeable in its absence from our modern “civilised” cultures!

“Here is camp” Richard said pointing at a bare patch on one of the linear dunes in the South West of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, indicated by Toppie and John, sons of the famous Oom David Kruiper who fought to reclaim their ancestral land.
We unpacked our meagre kit which would have to see us through the next 5 days and that included only 120L of fresh water for 13 of us! A quick calculation revealed a rationing which would preclude bathing and other wasteful ways of utilising this precious commodity!

The first afternoon was spent setting up camp and getting ready for a very cold night! Exactly how cold we didn’t know...
After dinner we divvied out stag (staggered watch) to have at least one person awake and standing guard throughout the night just in case we were visited by lion or hyaena. Having someone sitting at the small fire and walking around occasionally is usually enough to deter any would-be unwanted visitations. The night was fairly quiet and only the odd jackal call broke the silence and the early morning cold became intense making getting out of the warmth of our sleepingbags unappealing.

A warm cup of strong coffee beckoned and so did our first outing with Toppie, John and Honeyboy! With water-bottles packed we headed out along the dune. It wasn’t long before John brought us to a halt by kneeling down on the sand. In elaborate and colourful oratory flair he started explaining the fineries of interpreting the subtle spoor left in the sand by passing creatures. What was striking was not the interpretation of the signs themselves but rather his referring to the individual animals as people. Instead of subordinate creatures or subjects, as often seen nowadays, animals are afforded the same degree of respect as humans. This approach is very contradictory to our scientific view which shuns anthropomorphism. Ascribing human emotional qualities to animals is frowned upon in the scientific community at large and thus as a guide, one is coerced into the same frame of mind. As I have aged however, witnessing the multi-dimensional aspects of animals’ characters, I have grown conscious of the separating effect this clinical and cold way of looking at life has on our relationship with nature.

The gentle reverence with which the Bushmen treat everything around them, is vividly evident in their everyday conduct. Nothing is done in haste. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is done injudiciously. Nothing is done with violence.
After drawing in the sand to illustrate something, a hand palm is used to erase and sand strewn over to completely remove any trace of their “intrusion” before they move on.

If a stick has to be cut, they kneel down beside the shrub to carefully inspect and select a suitable twig, and only then is the knife unsheathed to gently make multiple incisions around the twig, knife re-sheathed and finally the stick bent to break off at the intended mark. None of the above actions are done with any measure of speed, there is an unhurried pace in their movements as if to show requisite respect. What followed next is what really made a deep impression on me. Every single side-twig cut from the main shaft falling to the sand, was immediately picked up and carefully replaced back into the shrub so as to “return” to the mother plant!

At one point we were shown the distinctive burrow of a “bokspoor” or “antelope track” spider. The name is derived from the semblance of the burrow to a spoor/track of an antelope left in the sand. Here Richard can be seen gently coaxing at the entrance to entice the little arachnid to reveal itself. They are harmless to humans but very effective hunters of passing insects!

Morning walks usually took us to about lunch-time. With an icy wind blowing over the dunes, we gladly spent middays at camp just lounging in the sun. Seeking out a large clump of dune-grass, we would hunker on the lee-side for some shelter from the breeze to do some reading, chatting, cat napping or take time to reflect on the mornings events.

It is during these times of contemplation that subtle but powerful realisations precipitated.
It also reconfirmed that whilst it is counter-intuitive to sit around doing “nothing”, it is an invaluable component of bringing experiences into perspective. Too often we are so frenetically busy with cramming as much as possible into our day, that a lot of what our soul is desperately needing, is hardly noticed in the rearview mirror.

Our afternoon outings were shorter and frequently spent in silence, just slowly walking along the crest of a dune. However as soon as dusk approached Toppie would say that we had better head back to camp as it is now the time of “the big man” as they referred to the male lion.

This is said with a sense of respect as opposed to fear...

Toppie was feeling a bit unwell and during the latter part of our walk started collecting some traditional medicine. First he gently plucked some leaves from a “verkoue”(cold) bush and then later dug up the roots of a “koega” bush to make a concoction. Again what was evident was how careful and respectful they treated the plants. Never was a mother/ main root damaged as only the daughter/side roots were excavated, and when done the soil returned to cover the exposed parts lest they desiccate. However before covering the mother root with soil, something had to be returned as a sign of gratitude and to “replace” what was taken. This was usually something like a snippet of their loincloth or in this case a piece of hair that was plucked from the head and buried as an offering.

Anyway, Toppie eventually brewed his tea which he stirred with a little stick and then drank the incredibly bitter infusion. That evening around the fire after dinner we were treated to some spectacular tales as only the Bushmen can tell. Detailed accounts of personal experiences as well as stories passed on through the generations. From hunting events, personal mishaps and triumphs, to tales paying homage to their ancestors and all the hallowed animals. Jokes also featured greatly and it is the way in which these were told more so than the punch-lines which exceeded anything I have experienced before! One could not help but start laughing from the second phrase onwards...

Early the next morning after another very cold night I woke with strange white stuff on my sleepingbag...ICE!!! The condensation on my bag had frozen in the dawn chill!
NOT my idea of fun! This rude awakening occurred for the next 3 mornings...

During our explorations we happened upon some very interesting gems like this tiny nest constructed from cobwebs. The Cape Penduline Tit is one of South Africa’s tiniest birds and cleverly build a nest sporting a false entrance to confuse any would-be predators from accessing the true cavity which shelters the chicks.

From around 0330 we were woken from our slumber by the unmistakable reverberating rumble of the roars from ‘The Big Man”! Tracing his progress through the darkness by his frequent calls, we knew he passed quite close-by camp first to the South and then to the East as he made his way North. We walked so as to intercept his spoor and as we did, we heard him for the last time roaring way to the North of us, placing him out of reach. John followed his spoor for a while and interpreted the subtle nuances he recognised by looking at the tracks. “First he was walking over here, calling to his family who left him behind, then he heard them in the distance and started trotting” John said indicating the longer stride-length and showing sand having been kicked up by his flicking paws. Despite not actually seeing the lion, it was so nice to walk on his tracks and interpret what happened only just a few moments ago…

The last afternoon saw us just relaxing in camp, gathering to chat and see how Honeyboy and John made some walking sticks and beaded necklaces. Spellbound we watched as beautiful trinkets appeared to emerge from seemingly nothing. Back to basics it was!

All too soon our time on the dunes came to an end. What initially looked like a very basic camp with gear slapped straight onto the sand, had quickly become a familiar and comfortable home.

It made me aware that we would probably readjust to a simpler more basic existence just as rapidly as we have grown accustomed to all the trappings of our creature comforts so taken for granted today.

Returning to the lessons residual of this amazing experience.
I realised that it is very convenient to look at life through eyes tinted with egocentricity. Manipulate and alter everything (environment and people) to suit your own selfish objectives. If something is not yielding the results we want from them, we MAKE them do. If someone is different to us in education and belief, then we alter that by interfering and so doing make them more like us...easy.
Spending time with this gentlest and most respectful of cultures, strengthened my resolve to increase my own awareness. Consider that our views are drastically selfish and maybe, just maybe, everything is not about US.
Can we, with a clear conscience and with conviction, say that we are not constantly trying to alter something or someone to suit our own narrow perspectives?
Maybe WE are the ones requiring the change...?

Yours in awareness