Khwe Museum pre-opening
We are happy to announce the pre-opening of the Living Museum of the Khwe.
Supported by our project partners Gebeco and Futouris e.V. we have repeatedly organized workshops and project meetings with a group of Khwe-San from Mut’icu to develop a living museum in the last two years. This work was quite successful and we are proud that the 7th Living Museum in Namibia is ready to receive visitors.
Due to the corona pandemic, the official, ceremonial opening can only take place a little later this year, probably in November. For this purpose, the project donors Gebeco and Futouris e.V. will travel to Namibia to officially open the project with a proper celebration.
In the meantime, the Living Culture Foundation Namibia will create the marketing infrastructure for the Living Museum. Project coordinators Kathrin and Sebastian Dürrschmidt will travel to Divundu at the end of August to set up the road- and reception signs, distribute informational material such as brochures and displays to the lodges and work with the Khwe to fine-tune the program and financial concept again.
How can you support the Khwe and their Living Museum?
Although the living museums are managed by the local communities themselves (which is why the concept works so well), the German association Living Culture Namibia e.V. (known in Namibia as the Living Culture Foundation) is the driving force behind the projects. The Living Culture Namibia e.V. organizes the project work on site, training for the project people, cultural workshops and is responsible for the marketing of the living museums and public relations in general. All members work on a voluntary basis, 100% of the associations income is directly spent for project work.
Especially for the opening of a living museum funds are needed, for example for the production of road signs, brochures, for the opening ceremony and much more. Here you can support the Living Culture Namibia e.V. with a donation if you are interested.
Info: The traditional culture of the Khwe in the Living Museum
The Living Museum of the Khwe is situated between the small north Namibian town of Divundu and the Buffalo Park. The project deals with the traditional culture of the Khwe San (Bushmen), one of the most endangered cultures in Namibia.
The Living Museum of the Khwe offers a fascinating impression of the ancient hunter-gatherer culture. The museum village consists of some traditionally built grass huts around which the original way of life and pre-colonial culture of the Khwe is illustrated. For example, visitors experience traditional dances, gain an insight into the ancestral world and see, smell and feel the historical life of the Khwe. A hike to the floodplains of the Okavango with the opportunity to observe antelopes, buffalo and even elephants is part of the interactive program, as is the production of traditional tools and weapons. The Khwe attach great importance to the fact that the old hunter-gatherer culture is presented in the same way as it used to be and as authentically as possible.
All information can be found on the website of the Living Museum of the Khwe:
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