Projects
Community Custodianship Initiatives
The primary aims of the Community Custodianship Initiatives are around restoring indigenous cultural heritage, tourism and conservation. We aspire to link initiatives with job creation and empowerment for communities. We train field guides and develop regenerative networks to reconnect the community to their cultural heritage, tourism and conservation within these areas.
Our projects are all about reconnecting the historical cultures with the heritage of these sites with their ancestral links. In the process of safeguarding these sacred sites we map, research and share generations of knowledge with the world.
With each site we create a unique custodianship which outline its particular conservation needs. We identify initiatives to facilitate medium and long term protection of the sites. In this process we aim in upholding the spiritual and cultural ways of the Khoisan, Gam and Bushman Nations, while uplifting and supporting the communities through these programs.
An update on our Table Mountain project:
- We prepared specific Custodianship Management Plans to assist with the protection of the ancient sacred heritage sites in and around Table Mountain; highlighting the negative impacts surrounding each site.
- We submitted plans and proposals to Paddy Gordon, Manager at Table Mountain National Park;
- We are currently sponsoring the training of potential field guides and custodians;
- We hold gatherings, seminars and tours to sites.
South Peninsula Khoi Council – Ocean View
One of our main Community Custodianship Initiatives is with Chief Ishsaqua Saboedien and Chief Stephen Fritz of the South Peninsula Khoi Council in Ocean View. These are our friends, colleagues and neighbours on the Southern Peninsula that are all descendants of the indigenous Khoi people.
Ocean View projects at the Care Centre update:
- We sponsor free Khoi classes led by Senior Khoisan Chief Ishmael Sabodien (Ishaqua). This includes language, drumming, dancing and song circles for all age groups. These classes also help reintroducing aspects of the sacred heritage.
- Nature hikes, introducing them to the sacred sites and shelters, teaching both children and grown up alike, about the medicinal and edible wild food. We are also busy training future field guides in preparation to run their own tours.
- The encouragement of local heritage Khoi crafts, indigenous recipes, medicinal teas, herbs and the recording storytelling from the elders of Ocean View communities.
- SSFSA are also engaged with the Solomon Sq Rastafarian community in Ocean View with an indigenous garden with plants from local landscape. These are for medicinal plants for local community, re-vegetation of harvested plants from local mountainside, supply to local restaurants and healers. The beds have been created and mulched and ready for planting for rainy season.
- A water storage well has been built for the garden with water source from an underground spring which enables the community to become custodians of water from local watershed. A nursery is also being built by local community using what they have.
- You can make a donation to help support this important work safeguarding the Sacred Sites of Southern Africa along with developing a strong network of Community Custodianship projects around the country.