South Africa 6: Kagga Kamma

Land of the Bushmen

Part of the Series: Exploring the World Series: Africa

"Recommended. Originally, the Bushmen/San lived in the Kagga Kamma area of western South Africa, but European settlement drove them into the Kalahari Desert; today, we see some Bushmen/San have resettled in their original homeland. Here Bushmen/San and reserve rangers explain how the Bushmen/San culture lives off the land; we see examples of rock painting; also we visit a school on the reserve and an ostrich ranch." -National Media Review The Bushmen of South Africa, also called the San, received worldwide attention with the success of the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy." This recognition did not insure these indigenous people a secure homeland or way of life; however, efforts are being made today between the Government and the National Parks Board to help the Bushmen/San resist extinction. In this engaging program we travel just three hours from Cape Town to Kagga Kamma, which is located in an untouched wilderness area south of the Cederberg Mountains and discover the Bushmen/San continue to survive in this land of majestic sandstone formations with a knowledge of their environment that dates back to Stone Age times, taking from nature only what the community needs; rock paintings that reflect their rich cultural heritage, which date back 6,000 years, can be found here; also we get the rare opportunity to meet several Bushmen/San families first hand and learn how they co-exist with their ancient ways during modern times.