Upon the request of the San people and several NGO, and on behalf of the Tribal Trust Foundation, Barbara Savage traveled to Botswana and Namibia. She interviewed game wardens, lawyers and activists to understand the immediate crisis. Through the power of traditional trance dancing, chief G/a’qo Kaeqce, understood the President of Namibia was intent on genocide of his people. A lawsuit was filed and in 2006 the Botswana High Court judges awarded the former occupants of the game reserve the right to reoccupation as well as the right to hunt in the reserve. As of this writing, the government of Botswana has not implemented the decisions that had been reached.
San Chief Ju/’hoansi San requested TTF document the tribe’s cultural traditions to pass on to future generations. In partnership with Springbok Films TTF produced Vanishing Cultures: Bushmen of the Kalahari. It became an award winning documentary, bringing international awareness of the San’s plight of facing extinction. In documenting the San and creating an everlasting experience through film, we shared their sacred teachings with the world. The film offers insight, awareness, appreciation, and understanding of an original way of being. crew documented sacred songs, dances, and traditions to help facilitate a male initiation ceremony, including three dances that had never been seen before by Western eyes.
Toward our mission of documentation, a professional photographer, Gregory Ross, also joined the trip and photographed each member of the tribe, babies and elders a like. The unedited documentation was placed in trust to the San at the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and at the Namibia Museum in Africa. Unedited footage was sent immediately to the United Nations, alerting the organization of the San’s existence in the Kalahari and the threat to their lives. The UN blocked the President from his deadly intention, therefore saving the lives of the San community. The tribe reported the success of the male initiation ceremony – and how it contributed greatly to helping them preserve their culture and rekindle interest among San youth in learning the ways of their elders – therefore keeping the ancient traditions alive.
In documenting the San and creating an everlasting experience through film and photography, we share their sacred teachings with the world.
The Tribal Trust Foundation is honored to have donated to the Human Studies Film Archive at the Smithsonian, who recently accepted all of our footage and photographs from our cultural preservation initiatives into their permanent collection.
Learn more: Kalahari Peoples Fund
“Have camera, will travel. My passion for documenting and telling real life stories through my images of people, issues, and unique places has taken me around the world on assignment. With ‘boots on the ground’ experience – getting to the heart of a story, analyzing working parameters, hands on interface with assignment editors, writers, and government officials – I specifically understand the interface that photographers deal with on a daily basis both home and abroad.” — Gregory Ross, Time In Media