|
The Tribes and Cultures Safari
With Benson Siyawareva 13 Days  Benson Siyawareva is one of our top guides( image above) He manages one of our Zimbabwe camps and is recognized as one of the region's best naturalists. On this safari, he hosts the group through the many different cultures of southern Africa. We start off just north of Johannesburg at the "Cradle of Mankind" where it is thought modern man had his humble early beginnings millions of years ago. We contrast this with a visit to Soweto, the vibrant "city within a city" in Johannesburg for a taste of modern day township life. We then head for Namibia and visit three contrasting tribes and cultures - the Herero, the "Riemvasmakers" and the nomadic Himba. From Namibia, we travel to the northern reaches of the Okavango and meet with the BaYei and Batawana who have lived in and around the Okavango for centuries. We then travel down to the Kalahari for hands-on San/Bushman experiences. The safari finishes in Benson's home country where he will guide the group in his natural habitats and with his people. Dates are on a tailormade basis. About Benson: Benson was born by natural birth in rural countryside of what was then Rhodesia. His mother failed to make it to hospital in time. On her long walk from her village to hospital, she found a little gully for a bit of privacy and on her own, Benson was born. That was his first contact with Africa and nature! That event also earned him his first nickname 'GORONGA' which means the gully.
Being born into a rural subsistence / peasant African lifestyle, he had to do a lot of hunting for survival - including birds using birdlime or catapults; smaller animals with dogs; collecting of insects and edible plants and even spear fishing. His father was a renowned herbalist and being the last born in a family of six, his extra duties included collecting herbs for his Dad whenever he had patients in his home clinic. Benson's daily duties involved looking after the families? herds of cattle, goats and pigs. He spent his time play-fighting with the other kids, collecting fruits, milking cows or playing tricks with other herd boys. The trick was if you could fight well or if you were a good trickster then the other herd boys looked after the animals for you while you enjoyed fruits, honey, milk, swimming etc. All this gave him an incredible knowledge on fauna and flora early on in his life. If he had a choice - and his life could be rewound, he would easily do it all again. |
