The Kalahari Desert Festival 2015, Andriesvale

By: Moshe Maghundu
Archivist and Librarian, Platfontein, Northern Cape

On Thursday, 19 March, the X-K FM broadcast team got the privilege again to do the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015 (KDF 2015).

Left: Simon Hasjenda (Programme producer); Moshe Maghundu (Archivist);
Reinhardt Kampunda (Presenter)
Right: Jeta Manuel (Presenter)
[Camera: Rena Maghundu (Technical producer)]

It is an opportunity to do stories, interviews and oral history for SABC Platfontein Archives, but it does not come easy due to budgetary constraints.

This is the third festival that Moshe Maghundu attended where he could gather a sizeable amount of material for broadcast and for the Archive. Speaking to people around the festival is easier than speaking to them at home where they are asking for monetary compensation before telling their stories. He is appreciative of the fact that the people came to talk to him for free.

The broadcast location was centred right in the middle of all activities It was very easy getting hold of people for interviews.

They got hold of Andries Steenkamp on the first day. He is a respected leader from the area and he is one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015. He has a very strong vision of the KDF and how he want the festival to survive in future.

The tent was used as a lecture venue for the three San languages; !xun, Khwe an !khomani. It was amazing to observe how encouraged the young people were in learning these languages.

The beauty of the Kalahari: dry, with grasses and plants
which can only grow in the Kalahari

One of the challenges they had was the booking of Telkom lines. Telkom could not give them any lines because of birds making their nests on these poles which became heavy and breaks the poles.

Thanks to technology, they used the mobile devices Comrex for Broadcast.

















At the festival there were many activities which kept the youth entertained, with drama performances, poetry and music.

There were young ladies modelling for the crowd.

The ladies team from Platfontein also took part in the traditional dance performances. This was very encouraging seeing the young people interested in the cultural affairs.

Moshe Maghundu arranged for an interview with one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival. She spoke on issues of the San people being exploited. Researchers and film crews do not compensate fairly for research and visual material being shot in the area.

Police and medical crews were on standby in case of emergencies.

Day 2 of the broadcast by X-K FM

They managed to do a number of interviews with Andries Steenkamp. Moshe Maghundu helped out to make sure that everything went well with the broadcasts before going off  "sound hunting".

Children were also given the opportunity to enjoy the festival with jumping castles. The day was cloudy with some drops of rain, but the wind was one of the main challenges. They were thankful that the Gazebo was not blown away.

There was also a session of storytelling around the fire where by all San groups came together to tell their stories. It was a very exciting experience for all!

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Thanks to the following people for believing in the work that's been done:
- Regina Beregho, the station manager of X-K FM - for taking the initiative to arrange for this trip for Moshe Maghundu. It would not have been possible without her and he would not have been able to do his work in the Kalahari.
- Hennie Swart - for all the financial support. Thanks for believing  in the development of the San people by supporting the X-K FM Archives: "Baie dankie Hennie, ek waardeur alles!"
- Colleagues: Simon Hasjenda, Rena Maghundu, Reinhardt Kampunda and Jeta Manuel - "Thanks for the co-operation you gave. I really enjoyed working with you all.You all are hard-working and we all had one mission to accomplish, and that was to do our best for our station X-K FM".


Related posts

- The Kalahari Desert Festival 21 - 23 March 2014 > "Sound Hunting" for archival purposes

- X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival

The Kalahari Desert Festival 21 - 23 March 2014 > "Sound Hunting" for archival purposes

SOUND HUNTING 
by Moshe Maghundu
Archivist: SABC Platfontein 

The Kalahari Desert Festival took place for a second time in the Kalahari at Andriesvale, ten kilometres from Ashkam. This event is very historical in nature to the SAN people as it brings together all San people from different countries with their traditional festivities.

The San people from Platfontein, the Kalahari, Upington and others from the Western Cape took part as the festivities started on the evening of Friday, 21 March, on Human Rights Day.

Moshe Maghundu was there with a crew to do “sound hunting”. He was able to host storytelling sessions with the Kalahari people and others. The people gave their full cooperation. He faced challenges with some people expecting to be reimbursed for their oral contributions. He complied out of his own pocket because of his love for the project. He understands and put a great value on their contributions for heritage and archival purposes.

Station X-K FM covered the event live from its opening till the evening of the last day Saturday 22 March.They were also responsible for arranging some of the interviews which Moshe recorded.

• Mr Markus Jetembo        Presenter
• Mr Joe Mpungo               Presenter
• Mr Piorro Mushavanga   Producer
• Me Rena Maghundu       Technical Producer
• Mr Moshe Maghundu     Archivist

X-K FM

X-K FM struggled with some technical difficulties, but luckily the technical producer took care of the problems.

It is highly appreciated that Mike Nemane provided the gazebo in which the broadcast took place.

The challenges of the Kalahari sand did not put a damper on the uplifting spirit of the festival.
Moshe Maghundu was working non-stop to get the people to tell their stories. Although it was hot, time was limited for him to get all the interviews.

Moshe Maghundu during a short break
before taking up the Marantz recorder again

DRAPJJ STARS

There were music performances in the main tent. The group from Platfontein, called the DRAPJJ STARS, with hip hop and rap music, mixed it up with the San language and the English language.

DRAPJJ STARS

The moment DRAPJJ STARS stepped  on the stage, every one in the surrounding areas ran to the tent to watch their performance.

X-K FM presenter interviewing young people

On the evening of the last day the presenter interviewed  young people about their  experiences at the Kalahari Desert Festival 2014. The presenters did an excellent job.

The donkey carts were the only transport allowed at the venue. People had to pay to be transported around in the area and it was found to be very trustworthy.

Hennie Swart

Special thanks goes to the main man, a friend, organiser and everything of the Kalahari Desert Festival.
He started the initiative for the San people to share their cultural heritage. His name is Hennie Swart, the only white man with a black surname. He drives a black Isuzu truck and likes wearing his black t-shirt.

Also thanks to the following people for making the trip a success:

• Me Regina Beregho, X-K FM station manager.
• Mr William Heath, Line Manager RBF.

Late Oupa Dawid Kruiper’s dream comes true

From left: Billies Pamo (South African San Institute), Simon Hasjenda (X-K FM producer)
 and Riano Nduve (X-K FM presenter) at the water tap
in Andriesvale

By Moshe Maghundu

Librarian/Archivist of  X-K FM community radio station which broadcasts in !Xu and Khwe from SABC Platfontein.

Our late hero, Oupa Dawid Kruiper, had been fighting for a very long time for development around Andriesvale. 

He was a San elder and leader of the Khoisan community in the southern Kalahari Desert. He was also one of the main players in the land claim by the #Khomani San. He died in June 2012, and the burial service of  Oom Dawid Kruiper was recorded for the archives as well.

One of the major problems was not having drinking water sources. The community had to dig wells to get water. After his death, and media coverage of the challenges the communities face , his dream about running water became a reality.  

The team visited the family during the Kalahari Desert Festival.

The house of Dawid Kruiper’s sister

Poverty remains the biggest problem for these people. They struggle each day for food. As Bushmen they still try to survive from the Kalahari sand dunes, which is not an easy thing to do.

A positive development by the government is that the team of SASSA (social grants) is actively involved by registering the people around Andriesvale. We saw them working there, and we thank the government for their involvement and the good work of the acting premier of the Northern Cape.

From right, Mr Billies Pamo, Moshe Maghundu,
the Kruiper’s sister with her daughter, Mr Simon Hasjenda, Mr Riano Nduve.

I thought it will be good to take a photo with the Kruiper family as their issues of poverty has touched my heart. The hope remains that their problems would be addressed!

I told the X-K FM team of the water issues before we visited, and when they saw the tap, they all were very happy to see it!  (See photo on top)

I have been waiting for this opportunity to witness it myself. I visited the house of late Oupa Dawid Kruiper around 25th March 2013. I could see that the water that Oupa Kruiper had been craving for, had finally became a reality. 

I could even drink from the tap outside his house. 

It is a pity that Dawid Kruiper himself could not witness it, but his family appreciates the legacy he has left behind!

Related posts:

X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival 

The burial service of  Oom Dawid Kruiper, Andriesvale, Kalahari

In memory of Dawid Kruiper, tradional leader of the Khomani San

Blog post by Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist at SABC Radio Archives.

In memory of Dawid Kruiper, traditional leader of the Khomani San

Dawid Kruiper
(jpg cut from cameramen Byron Taylor's video material - SABC Fokus 10 June 2012)

Dawid Kruiper passed away on 13 June 2012. He was a San elder and leader of the Khoisan community in the southern Kalahari Desert. He was also one of the main players in the land claim by the #Khomani San.

Moshe Maghundu, the librarian & archivist at SABC Platfontein, remembers the following about Dawid Kruiper, a well-known personality in their district:

"Oom Kruiper lived his whole life in the Kalahari, where he was involved with many of the issues regarding the #Khomani San.

Moshe Maghundu never had personal contact with him, but he had read and heard about him, especially when he was involved with the land claim and they got their land back.

Dawid Kruipere did a lot for the San people. They see him as a well-known man, especially in the Kalahari. Dawid Kruiper was involved with the leaders of Platfontein and used to organise many meeting with the San people. His work inspired the people.

Moshe plans to do some interviews in the Kalahari when the funds become available to record the full story behind the man Dawid Kruiper."

                                                                          - (Translated from Afrikaans by Karen du Toit) 

The following link by the SA San Institute gives a good insight in the life of Dawid Kruiper:

In Memoriam - Dawid Kruiper


The following YouTube video is an interview by SABC Radio specialist correspondent Angie who speaks to eco-adventurer and ex-SABC Radio presenter, Patrcia Glyn, on the late #Khomani San leader Dawid Kruiper:

YouTube: Dawid Kruiper (published on 19 June 2012 by SABC Digital News)


SABC 2 Fokus also did a programme on 10 June 2012 about the Khoi and San groups of South Africa and their search for recognition. Producer Karin D'Orville did an interview with Dawid Kruiper in this programme:

YouTube - Fokus 10 June 2012 (SABC Digital News)
See photo on top by kind permission of producer Karin D'Orville.


May you rest in peace, Dawid Kruiper!