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Cederberg Rock Paintings
Cederberg Rock Paintings, published in October 2003, is the latest publication in the Follow the San series. The text, written by Professor John Parkington, is illustrated with over 200 colour photographs, tracings, and diagrams.
As noted on the cover blurb these Cederberg rock paintings are, as Wilhelm Bleek observed in the late 19th century, about the things that "most deeply moved the Bushman mind".
Cederberg Rock Paintings will serve the current intense interest in rock paintings across the globe because clearly images that have survived the millennia from a stone age past continue to move minds. The book appears at an important moment when the insights offered to Bleek and his sister-in-law Lucy Lloyd by their /Xam informants have transformed the analysis of painted images from speculation to understanding.
The Krakadouw Trust through the CLLP believe that through the dissemination of the written and painted archives, the stories, images and sounds of the /Xam are gradually finding their way back into the minds of Cederberg people.
Publication was made possible through the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. All of the proceeds from sales are channelled through the Krakadouw Trust into the job creation programme of the CLLP.
Cederberg Rock Paintings is obtainable from the CLLP or directly from the author.
CD First In Africa
The University of Cape Town has recognised the interactive CD developed and produced by the CLLP. This is what they had to say in the campus Monday Paper.
Ancient rock art now on CD
The acclaimed Living Landscape Project in Clanwilliam has added another string to its bow following the release of a CD of local rock paintings in what archaeologist Professor John Parkington believes is the first of its kind in Africa. The CD has been designed and created by two archaeology MSc students, Bastian Asmus and Conny Meister.
"There are CDs of rock art in Europe and North America, but nothing on African or southern African rock art it would seem," he ventured. The CD is based on the book, The Mantis, the Eland and the Hunter, which acts as an accompaniment to the historic Warmhoek rock art trail for which the Clanwilliam area is becoming well known.
Prof John Parkington (above), wrote text and narrates the CD. (Parkington is a trustee of the Krakadouw Trust, which underpins the enterprise, and the leader of the Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project).
Like the book, the CD provides a mirror of the images found in the shelters along this trail, images depicting the lost culture of the indigenous San people, with their rich mythology, hunting rituals, religious thought and knowledge of local plants. Whether you are an armchair connoisseur of local heritage or a student of history, the CD affords "extra capacity".
"There are some wonderful 360 degree photographs showing the rock paintings in their surroundings, providing a better visual idea of the landscape than the book does," Parkington commented. This is important as the paintings are strongly connected to the landscape, once home to the San.
New release: A CD of the Warmhoek rock art trail has been produced as part of the Living Landscape Project in the Clanwilliam district.
An additional touch of authenticity is lent by Parkington's voice (a professional narrator would have cost too much). He wrote the text for the CD and, having worked in the Clanwilliam district for over 30 years, knows the terrain intimately.
The
revenue earned from the CD (like all other revenue from the Project with
its job creation focus) will be ploughed back into the Project. The Living
Landscape Project has successfully used the Clanwilliam landscape as a
framework for teaching in local schools and developing sustainable
business ideas for local people. The programme has created an archive of
historical, archaeological and environmental information with links to a
job creation initiative, a new schools curriculum and new heritage
legislation.
Parkington has thought of extending the idea to include CDs of other South
African rock art regions; from the Drakensberg to the Brandberg, the Karoo
and the Matopos.
But this is a far larger project that will need some big funding.
The book and the CD each sell for R75 and are available from the Living
Landscape Project.
Art and Performance
The Clanwilliam Art and Performance project is a contribution to the University of Cape Town's Living Landscape Project. Last year (as in 2001), members of the University's Fine Art and Drama Departments as well as professionals from Magnet Theatre, Jazzart and others, ran art and performance workshops with hundreds of local school children, during which they were assisted to find creative ways to interpret the stories of the San whose paintings colour the shelters of the surrounding mountains.
The large mobile Mantis, created by the school children, joins in the lantern parade.
The result is a Spring Festival - a lantern parade and series of dances, shadow acts and fire performances. In addition various kinetic art objects (clocks and windvanes) have been created and constructed, some of which have been installed at the Living Landscape Centre.
Clocks and windvanes installed at the Living Landscape Centre.
Mayors Get Together For "Twinning"
The Living Landscape's attempt to reclaim the past has been recognised and endorsed by a wide spectrum of the local community in the form of enthusiastic participation in events organised by the Living Landscape Project and the receipt of an award from the Clanwilliam Chamber of Commerce for developing new business for the town. As part of the initiative, we proposed a twinning relationship between the municipality of Cederberg and the French Dordogne town of Les Eyzies de Tayac, which prides itself as the 'World Capital of Prehistory'. The mayor of Les Eyzies, Philippe Lagarde, visited Clanwilliam in November 2002.
The intention is to build archaeology and heritage as a strong pillar of the regional Cederberg economy, as it is in the Dordogne and many other parts of Europe.
Pedro the music man visited Clanwilliam in June 2003 and gave a workshop for high and primary school learners at the CLLP. The focus was on how to make musical instruments using materials found in the environment.
UCT's Drama Department, Magnet Theatre and Jazzart worked towards the 2002
Spring Festival which culminated in shadow acts and fire performances.
Performers take part in the Spring Festival parade.
The Spring Festival is now an annual event in the Clanwilliam town calendar.
One of several windvanes installed at the Living Landscape Centre.
They
mayors of Clanwilliam and Les
Eyzies de Tayac, Jan Meyer and Philippe Lagarde, celebrate the
"twinning" of their respective interests in pre-history.