The research team

The CRA has been a co-operative effort by three NGOs. The project was initiated by the South African San Institute (SASI), a service organisation affiliated to the Southern African San leadership council known as the Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA). SASI established an early partnership with Dr Hugh Brody of Open Channels, which is a United Kingdom based NGO, dedicated to empowering people through media training and support. Dr Brody joined us with more than twenty years’ experience working with Arctic and other Northern Canadian First Nations. Our third partner is Strata 360, a Montreal based Geographic Information System (GIS) NGO whose founder, Mr William Kemp, also has some twenty years of experience in the Canadian far North and more recently assisting Mayan GIS projects in Belize. Mr. Levi Namaseb of the University of Namibia has provided important linguistic technical support. Mr Henry Esau, the then Assistant Director of Culture for the Gordonia District, also provided technical and logistical assistance.

Community informants and researchers included: the late |Abaka Koper, the late Griet Bot, the late Albert !Gort Koper, the late William Springbok, the late |Galides Org, the late Antas Kariseb, |Una Rooi, Piet Rooi, Khais Brow, Anna Swarts, Anna Aenki Kassie, Elsie Vaalbooi, Karel VetPiet Kleinman, Dawid Kruiper, Sana |Gabakas Kruiper, Jacob Malgas, Lena Kruiper Malgas, Japie Jaggers, Johanna Koper, Geelmeid Esau, Griet Seekoeie, Jan Jantjies, Annie Disebo Koerant, Maria Malgas, Jantjies Malgas, Andries Xubonoma Olyn, Sana |Adeke Gooi, Roosie Koper, Lena Kassie, Magrietha Tities, Belinda Mathee Kruiper and Petrus Vaalbooi.

Magdelena Kassie and Getruida Sauls are the CRAM fieldwork team along with ethno-ecologist Eleanor McGregor.

Thanks go to Thomas Güldemann, Anthony Traill, Levi Namaseb and Wilfred Haacke who have shared their valuable time to help us figure out the conundrum of ethno-linguistics in the southern Kalahari. Thanks to Janette Deacon and Lita Webley for helping with the archaeological section.

Special thanks to Hugh Brody for mentoring me in this work and helping me to reflect on what we were doing and learning. NC