 The community of the Richtersveld have formed a distinct niche for themselves in landscape that, to the outside observer may seem desolate, remote and lonely. But many believe that it is this relative isolation that has resulted in the protection of the unique culture and heritage of the people of the region. The people have a rich Nama ancestry and transhumance lifestyle, a way of life that is so unique that is was one of the main reasons for the Richtersveld being proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008.
During the period of pre independence in South Africa, indigenous cultures were rejected and many indigenous people became integrated into the mainstream society and practices. The Richtersvelders have fought hard to hold on to their heritage, even in a time when it was seen as primitive and discouraged. And rightly so, in a harsh environment such as the Richtersveld indigenous knowledge can prove vitally important in order to survive. Today if one visits the region you will still see the old and young dancing the Nama stap together, singing in the Nama choir, hear the language, see traditional matjieshuts, and evidence of the tranhumance lifestyle is evident with stockposts scattered throughout the land.
To revive such a unique culture that was almost lost through being repressed is a great feat. To overcome stigmas and rebuild a heritage takes courage, yet carrying on with ones heritage is one of the greatest gifts one can offer to future generations. To this end the Swedish Development Corporation has funded an indigenous knowledge book… A book on the Richtersveld, by the Richtersvelders for the Richtersvelders.
 The idea of the book was to capture oral and written indigenous knowledge. In the Richtersveld much knowledge and information is passed down orally, and although it has up to this day has survived that way, there is always the danger of it being lost. Events of the past, of how families came to settle there, how the towns and names originated, narrations by the community elders on ancestral heritage, knowledge on medicinal plants and how to identify them, legends of the land, myths, poems and short stories, drawings by young kids, photographs of the days gone by… this and more is what the book is intended to hold.
Apart from the cultural preservation, traditional knowledge in many instances also offer the most basic means of sustainability of resources, and it is the way communities have been doing things for decades before the era of industrialisation and commercialisation. Drawing on communities cultural and traditional knowledge of the environment is highly beneficial to any programme as it provides information that is gathered through decades of first hand experiences. Not just in Southern Africa but societies all over the world are taking renewed interest in reviving their traditional practices, those that were suppresses under various regimes, oppressive governments, colonialism or western paradigms.
UNESCO says that what makes the concept of world heritage so exceptional is that it is a heritage for all people of the world, irrespective of their territory. This is the rich and unique heritage that the Richtersvelders want to share. DLIST will keep you posted on the books publication date.
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