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

Election debate 2014 at Pella, Northern Cape - report from the technical producer

By Rena Maghundu
RBF Technical Producer

Pella is a pristine town in the Northern Cape. The X-K FM current affairs team and RBF recorded an outside broadcast (OB) of a pre-election debate with the community of Pella to make their voices heard.

The team were surprised by the beauty of the nature as they turned into the gravel road leading to the town. Pella is situated 30 kilometres outside of Poffader. From Kimberley they had to drive for a day to get to Pella, passing through Upington as well.

"Pella is an oasis in Namakwa (Bushmanland) in the Northern Cape province of South Africa earlier known as Cammas Fonteyn, the spring was used by a nearby stronghold of the San people. In 1776 a South African Dutch farmer called Coenraad Feijt settled there and lived in harmony with the San despite their fondness for raiding the cattle of the Dutch farmers in the Hantam. A nearby farm called Aggeneys later became the site of the modern mining town of that name." - Wkipedia

The Cathedral in Pella

Pella

The team went in search of a river in the area as as the area is very dry, but could only found the place where the river dried up.

A drive in the surrounding area of Pella

They were amazed to see the high mountains with small trees. The beauty of the area made an impact on them.

The Team

Left Ulrich Hendriks; middle Rena Maghundu and right Tressel Katembo

Back Magdalena Juharra 

Picture by Fresto Mangumbu

The team for the outside broadcast consisted of five people, four from news and one from RBF.


Pella Pre-election Debate

Community Hall in Pella

The big day of the broadcast arrived, with political parties in attendance to face the community of Pella. The beautiful decorated hall added to the rural charm of the environment, as well as gave the team motivation to do their job.
Tressel Katembo and Fresto Mangumbu handled the proceedings in the hall.

Magdalena Juharra was the producer of the day, ensuring the success of the broadcast. Rena Maghundu, the only technical producer in the team, took the pictures.

Magdalena Juharra and Rena Maghundu during the broadcast (on far right)

Ulrich Hendriks handled the floor microphone and made sure they heard what the political parties were saying. He gets a special mention because it is very difficult to handle the floor microphone when the people got angry when their hands were raised for too long.

-----------------------------

Rena Maghundu thanks RBF and News Management for giving her the opportunity to attend the OB and to visit Pella. She also thanks her team members for their support during this time.


Blog post and pictures by Rena Maghundu.

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.

X-K FM radio drama in the local San language of Platfontein

Story by Moshe and Rena Maghundu
Librarian/Archivist and Recording Technicians at SABC Platfontein


TUSSEN WASGOED DRADE  (Between washing lines)

X-K FM

 X- K FM, the radio broadcasting facilities (RBF), in partnership with SASI,  introduced a radio drama called "Tussen wasgoed drade" (Between washing lines). 

SABC RBF

SASI

It is recorded in the local San language of Platfontein (!Xun & Khwe) as well as in the San language of the Kalahari (N/u) and Afrikaans.


The drama addresses social issues in the community and also educates the listeners on health matters.  

The script writer Alme Swart was exposed to the San communities since her birth as her parents were teachers at Schmidtsdrift San Combined School. It was not easy to start with the script she said. She had to drive through the community to get the feeling of the kind of living of the San Communities.

Platfontein actors – Xun & Khwe

Actors busy recording in X-K FM studio

The youth of Platfontein are very passionate about educating the people of Platfontein through their drama message. The drama is the most listened to on the station and is aired every Wednesday after the 16:00 pm news with a repeat on Sunday at 12:00 pm.

Kalahari actors– Andriesvale

“Ek voel sommer jonk hier tussen die kinders," says Ouma Geel. (I feel very young here with the young people.)
 She’s the only N/u speaker among the Afrikaans speaking youngsters. She translated the character of Charlene, the widow, and Juliet’s best friend in the N/u language.
"Ek is so bly dat die Here my gespaar het om vandag my taal op te neem vir my afstammelinge," was Ouma Geel’s words. (I am so glad that I was saved to record my language for my descendants.)
She also does part-time translations in her language.


The production team had the following comments:
 It was not easy couching and mentoring junior actors who do not have a drama background. The SABC team had to sit in at their rehearsal sessions. They started recording this drama in Afrikaans at Platfontein. After they met with the Kalahari actors who only speak Afrikaans, they had no other option but to change the one of Platfontein in the two languages of Platfontein which is the !xun and Khwe.

They had to work extremely hard to accomplish this product, especially with the editing part.

Special thanks to the SABC for the equipment and SASI for the CD's to get this product to the relevant people. 
The wish is that we get more sponsorships to run such a project continuously.
Special thanks, as well, to Billies Pamo (Project manager at SASI) for managing the team.

The X-K FM programme producers, Piorro Mushavango and Simon Hasjenda for the excellent promos, and the programme manager, Malton Edburg, for allowing the drama to be on air.
Lastly, Me Regina Beregho of X-K FM, for seeing the value in this drama and her continuous support.

Here is a promo of the drama, in the local San languages:

- Alme Swart (Script writer)
- Moshe Maghundu (Recording Technician)
 -Rena Maghundu   (Technical producer, editing & packaging)


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

Archivist Moshe Maghundu at the Khoi and San land claims meeting in Kimberley

Minister Gugile Nkwinti

Archivist and librarian Moshe Maghundu, was at the land claims' discussions between the Minister of Rural Development and Land reform, Min Gugile Nkwinti, and the Khoi and San people.
They want to re-open the lodgement of the land claims.
It was held on 13 - 14 April 2013 in Kimberley.


As an archivist, Moshe Maghundu tries to be at any event with regards the issues and culture of the Khoi and San people; to record and gather material for the archives, which he has started from scratch at SABC Platfontein.


By Moshe Maghundu:

One of the issues at the heart of the Khoi and San people, the land claim, was once again reopened by the minister. A meeting was organised in Kimberley at the Mittah Shiperepere convention centre. The deliberations during these two days were very difficult.

The Khoi and San at the meeting were very frustrated, saying that the government has not recognised the Khoi and San and treating them as if they do not exist at all.
The point was made that the Khoi and San are the first peoples of South Africa, and different sciences prove this point. The rock paintings all over South Africa are such a case in point.

The San demanded an immediate solution to the following:

• The land should be given back.
• Heritage site ownership should be awarded to the Khoi and San.
• Acknowledgement for their traditional leaders and chiefs should be given.

The Khoi and San at the meeting also demanded that government should consult with them before they start planning and implementing with regards their issues.

The following promises were made:

• PANSULP - that the Khoi and San language be nationalised and included in the S.A. school curriculum.
• Recognition of Khoi and San leadership..
• A Khoi and San committee or steering body to be elected to represent them.

Moshe Maghundu interviewing a government official 

I had the privilege to speak to some of the government officials who was very positive in their response. The government acknowledges that mistakes were made when land were taken away from the San peoples (in 1913). After years of government research on this issue, the government want to correct all the wrongdoings. They reopened the land claim issue after it was finalised some years ago as it did not take the Khoi and San people in account.

SABC station X-K FM (107.9) was there for the two days to broadcast from the venue. 
Afrikaans was the language at the conference and only a little bit of English was heard. The recordings was made in Afrikaans.

At some point the frustrations of the Khoi and San made the government delegates uncomfortable. The wisdom of the Minister steered them through this difficult hurdle. 

It needs mention that the Khoi and San land claim re-opening came from the speech President Jacob Zuma made in Parliament. We as the San thank the government for giving us a voice.

Oupa Petrus Vaalbooi (Kalahari) thanking the government
for their involvement

Team X-K FM

Far left: Rena Maghundu (RBF technical producer); Middle, Anna Ndao (X-K FM  presenter):

Right: Joe Mpungo (X-K FMpresenter)

The X-K FM team is acknowledged for a job well done. They had to broadcast in a situation where people were shouting and making noises. 
This is what the station is tasked with: To cover all affairs of the San peoples and to communicate it to those who could not attend.

The final day ended with entertainment and a gala dinner where the SAPS band 
occupied the stage.

SAPS band

Left to righ: Moshe,Rena,Anna and Simon.

Content and photos by Moshe Maghundu.

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

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.

X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival

By Moshe Maghundu
Archivist and Librarian at SABC Platfontein 

X-K FM radio station covered the “Desert Festival “in the Kalahari.  The Desert Festival was on the eve of Human Rights Day in South Africa on 20 March 2013 at the //Uruke Bush Camp Adventure grounds.
Moshe Maghundu, as the archivist, got the opportunity to go with the crew and do recordings (thanks to William Heath) for the archives.

He is very grateful for every opportunity he gets to collect material for the X-K FM archive, as he is busy building the archive from scratch. Whenever a San-related event is taking place, he has to make arrangements with his managers to be able to go and collect archive material, whether it be audio, photos, arts or crafts.

He writes these blog posts which is an unique way to capture the history and the culture of the San people.

The Acting Premier of the Northern Cape, Grizelda Cjiekella opened the //Uruke Bush Camp, which was part of the official opening of the Kalahari Desert Festival. 

Acting Premier of the Northern Cape, Grizelda Cjiekella

Those who attended the festival appreciated her presence tremendously. 
The photo on top shows the the outlay of the //Uruke Bush Camp from a distance.

The //Uruke Bush Camp Adventure Project sign,
with names of sponsors

Opening ceremony

New technology made it possible to broadcast at the Kalahari Desert festival ("Innovation beyond boundaries").

This unique festival is the first of its kind in the Kalahari. It had its challenges in terms of the area and the environment. Many wanted to know where to find the place and whether it would be possible to broadcast in the middle of the red dunes. 

Moshe Maghundu with the Comrex

We did a live broadcast from the venue. The challenges included a MTN signal which went up and down, but we as the training personnel discovered that I had to lift up the Comrex while they were broadcasting. 

We were surprised to see so many people that came to our tent just to be with us and listen to the languages we use. 

X-K fm made history by broadcasting in the three San languages:
Xun, Khwe and Naro (San language from Botswana, Gantzi)

It was very interesting hearing all three SAN languages speaking to each other on air. 
Left is a Naro speaking person, middle is !xun speaking and right is Khwe speaking. The different languages have some overlapping words, some with different meaning, and some with the same meanings. 
We had a very long day of interesting broadcasting. 
We made history!

The Upington dance group taking a lead by performing their dance

Andriesvale Kalahari dance group

The sons of the late Dawid Kruiper doing their performances, and the group from Platfontein singing for them, being in very good spirit. 

Botswana traditional dance group from  Gantzi 

Botswana traditional dance group from  Gantzi 

The Botswana traditional dance group from  Gantzi is part of a SAN group from Platfontein that I have limited contact with. They performed different dances but we could identify their performances to be the same as those of the other SAN groups. This group had to travel a day long from Botswana to be with their SAN colleagues. 

The disabled Namibian artist called Kadawaka playing his instrument

Platfontein Khwe traditional dance group

The Platfontein Khwe traditional dance group performed a magical performance while all could shout and sing with them. The audience wanted them to occupy the stage for long,  but time would not allow.

Platfontein! Xun traditional dance group  

School choir

The school choir did an excellent job, which will not be forgotten.

Chris Mpisi with Pops Mohammed getting ready for the day and performance

Pops Mohamed

Pops Mohamed made his appearance at the festival. His music career is revered by all. 
Every one was waiting to see Pops on the stage. It was well worth the wait!


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