GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - IYX Africa will be holding its second annual #Indigiwalk to #saveoursan from 25 to 30 January from Knysna to Wilderness.
The walk will be concluded on Sunday 30 January with a fund-raising event in Wilderness from 13:00 to 16:00, featuring spectacular presentations of urban and indigenous song, dance, poetry and informative talks on herbalism, agroecology and about the #savethesan campaign.
There will be live musical and dance performances from !XUN youth and elders from Platfontein in collaboration with singer and songwriter Shomon.
Craige Q7 Beckett, CEO of IYX Africa, will give a formal presentation about the #savethesan movement.
Arts, crafts and natural medicines will be on sale and custom picnic baskets can be pre-ordered for the day. The audience will be able to immerse themselves in indigenous knowledge, song, arts and crafts as well as informative talks and holistic wellness.
The venue is Denneberghof Private Estate, Kraaibos, Kaaimans Valley (direct access to driveway from Knysna Road/N2).
The #savethesan campaign was created to raise awareness about the current state of living conditions and to support and assist in developing San communities from the !XOON, !!Kung Ju| Hoansi and N|OHAN tribes of the Omaheke region of Namibia as well as the !XUN tribe of Platfontein in the Northern Cape.
"These communities are some of the last San people in Southern Africa and are in desperate need of food and water security solutions," says Beckett.
"These people hold indigenous knowledge that is vitally important and should be protected. The communities are at high risk due to tuberculosis (TB), HIV, fetal alcohol syndrome (Fas) and now Covid-19. We believe it is time the world heard the cries of the oldest people, the San, who have thus far been forgotten. We believe the #saveoursan campaign will create momentum for the San communities in Omaheke and Platfontein."
Tickets for Sunday's event cost R100. To purchase tickets, pre-order picnic baskets or for further enquiries, contact Shomon on 071 289 8370 or indigiyouthexchange@gmail.com.
The public can also follow the event live via the IYX Africa Facebook and Instagram pages. All proceeds raised on the day will go towards indigenous youth development of the !XUN community of Platfontein.
"Monetary donations as well as donations of building or gardening material, beads or seeds are welcome. We thank our sponsors for making this event possible," says Beckett.
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