Meeting in Grashoek: Controversy between Ju/'Hoansi and !Kung

Meeting Grashoek Ju/’Hoansi Living Museum 23.05. & 24.05.2025

Kathrin Dürrschmidt

On Sunday, 18.05.2025 morning I received a phone call from the manager of the Ju/’Hoansi Living Museum, Apollo, informing me that the police arrived in Grashoek that morning to investigate a guest that had taken pictures of children and that there apparently was a problem.

On Wednesday, 21.05.2025 I spoke to Apollo again. The British tourist had been arrested and was faced with 38 charges including rape and child trafficking and indecent assault. Apollo was not aware of any of those assaults and said it would be better if we came up to Grashoek to have a meeting.

Friday. 23.05.2025

I left Windhoek at 10:00 am and arrived in Grashoek around 15:00. I met with Apollo, the manager, Alois, the guide and Visser from the conservancy, who used to be the manager of the museum, as I wanted to get some background information on what exactly happened.

Douglas Brooks, the 65 year old British tourist arrived in Grashoek with a guide from Windhoek on Saturday, 17.05. afternoon. He has visited the Museum once a year for the last 3-4 years and is known to the community. On every previous visit he has also taken photos of children and adults, which he would then distribute to the respective models on his next visit. Alois showed me some of the photos of the previous year, which they claimed where not unusual, as many tourists take pictures like these.

When Mr. Brooks arrived in Grashoek a whole bunch of kids immediately went to meet him at the craft shop, as he was a familiar guest from previous years. Alois also went to meet him as he was the guide on duty that day to inquire if Mr. Brooks wanted to book any activities in the Museum. He informed Alois that he only wanted to take pictures and camp and that he was not yet sure how long he wanted to stay.

While Alois went to fetch firewood and water for the camp side Mr. Brooks started to take pictures of the children, teenagers and young adults (both male and female). His guide from Windhoek was busy setting up camp so long.

When Alois returned to camp Mr. Brooks had finished photographing and gave Alois money for the models to distribute – N$ 50 for younger kids and N$ 100 for teenagers and young adults.

At 18:00 Apollo was called by Jacobus, the teacher of the school in Grashoek. Jacobus overheard children speaking about photos being taken and told Apollo that there was a problem. Apollo said he would speak to Mr. Brooks and the community the next day, as it was too late already.

This is the normal procedure, when problems arise. The community and the community police meet with the manager to discuss and then approach the guest. Only if the problem cannot be solved the police is informed.

Apollo was informed by Thomas, a member of the community police at 07:00 am the next morning that the police was on its way to Grashoek, which surprised him. Normally the police would contact the head of the community police and not just a member like Thomas. The officers arrived shortly afterwards accompanied by Mrs. Glony Arnold, head of the !Kung Traditional Authority in the area.

They picked up Apollo and some community police members and drove to the campsite of Mr. Brooks, where they confiscated his camera and laptop.

While the police investigated Mr. Brooks the village headman Willem called a community meeting with the parents and asked if they thought that Mr. Brooks should be arrested or pay a fine.

As the parents were not aware of any wrong doing they decided the Mr. Brooks should not be arrested.

They were overruled by the police, who eventually arrested Mr. Brooks and took him to Grootfontein into custody.

I asked Apollo, Alois and Visser if they knew who informed the police, but they did not know.

We ended the meeting for the day and I informed them that I would like to speak to everyone that was photographed the next morning and afterwards to their parents.

Saturday, 24.05.2025

Alois brought all the people that were photographed the next morning and informed me that two kids were allegedly forced by the police to give a statement, although they were not photographed.

All present confirmed that they had their pictures taken by Mr. Brooks, but were not touched or assaulted in any way, with the exception of two. The younger kids were naked, as it is normal in their tradition, the teenagers and young adults wore their traditional dress. When I asked them if they felt in any way uncomfortable during the photo sessions they denied and confirmed that they know Mr. Brooks and he had been taken photos before.

Two women (16 and 19 years old) told me that Mr. Brooks touched their breasts and that they gave this information in their statement to the police, when they were questioned. When I asked them if they informed their parents about this afterwards they denied.

None of the parents were present, when the police spoke to the children.

A meeting with the parents and some more members of the community followed. The parents confirmed to me that they were aware that Mr. Brooks took pictures (he did not asked for their consent) and they did not have a problem with it, as it was not the first time and there never had problems with him before. They also confirmed that none of their children had complained to them nor appeared stressed in any way.

My question to why the police was informed if no one was aware of any problem went unanswered. They also did not know who specifically called the police, but suggested that it must have been someone of the !Kung community. This in turn made me very suspicious, as it opens up a whole different chapter.

As it became very evident that serious issues can arise in the museum with kids running around naked being photographed by tourist I urged the community that all kids should have their private parts covered at all times, even though it is not their old tradition.

A written parental consent must be given by parents involving any activities with minors. Minors must be accompanied by adults of the community when taking part in any activities, especially special activities that don’t take place within the museum. Everyone consented to that.

Just when the meeting came to an end chief Arnold arrived and requested to speak to me. She clarified that Johanna from the community police (!Kung) informed Headman Willem (!Kung) about the photos that were taken, who in turn informed her and she called the police. She made it very clear that she wanted to take over the Museum, as it is “situated on !Kung land” and that it must be renamed into !Kung Living Museum.

I asked her if she wanted the Ju/’Hoansi to leave and she told me: “Yes, they must all go. They must go to Tsumkwe, their land is there.”

I then asked her if she had a leasehold for the land where the Ju/’Hoansi Living Museum is on and she denied. This is a long ongoing issue and we did have a meeting regarding this last year, where unfortunately Chief Arnold, the Conservancy and the Land Board were not present.

We then agreed that this was a different topic to be discussed at a different meeting, where all involved parties – the Traditional Authority of both the !Kung and Ju/’Hoansi should be present, as well as the Conservancy and the Land Board.

The meeting was ended and I returned back to Windhoek.

Personal conclusion:

I am not in a position to say if Mr. Brooks is innocent or guilty. He paid minors for taking their photos, which might be ruled as child labor. If he touched someone indecently without consent he has of course be liable for that in court. Furthermore it is illegal to take nude pictures of minors, even if nudity is part of a traditional culture. 

I believe that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The !Kung want to take over the Museum. It has been a lucrative business for over 20 years now. The press headlines on Mr. Brooks and the Living Museum might just serve that purpose.

The land issue has to be addressed urgently, as it seems to be escalating.

I spoke to Apollo again on the 08.06.2025 and he informed me that the police arrived once more just after I had left and the two women, who claimed they were touched indecently, withdrew their statement.

Shortly after we heard about the incident of the British tourist, the LCFN issued an update of the rules of the Living Museum, regarding nudity of under 18 year olds, child labor and parental consent when minors are involved in the Living Museums. The rules were changed with immediate effect. All the managers of the Living Museums were informed and the rules have been implemented already.