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Bushmanland
To the east of Grootfontein lies
the area known as Bushmanland. This almost rectangular region borders
on Botswana and stretches 90km from north to south and about 200km
from east to west. The land is flat and dry, with trees, bushes and
drought-resistant grasses growing on the Kalahari's sandy soil. It
is very poor agricultural land, but home to a large number of scattered
Bushman villages.
To the east of the region, especially south of Tsumkwe, there is a
sprinkling of seasonal pans, whilst straddling the border itself are
the Aha Hills, which rise abruptly from the gently rolling desert
like their counterparts in Botswana – the Tsodilo Hills.
The wildlife is a major attraction. During the late dry season, around
September and October, game gathers in small herds around the pans.
During and after the rains, from January to March, the place comes
alive with greenery and water. Birds and noisy bullfrogs abound, and
travel becomes even more difficult than usual, as whole areas turn
into impassable floodplains. From April the land begins to dry, and
during July and August the daytime temperatures are at their most
moderate and the nights cold. But whenever you come, don't expect
to see vast herds like those in Etosha or you will be disappointed.
The other reason for visiting is to see the Bushman people. The conventional
view is that less than a century ago these people’s ancestors
were a traditional hunter/gatherer society using stone-age technology.
Yet they possessed a knowledge of their environment that we are only
just beginning to understand. Tourism is increasingly seen as a vital
source of revenue for these people. In placing a high value on traditional
skills and knowledge, it is hoped that it will help to stem the erosion
of their cultural heritage.
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