In the heart of the Kalahari Desert, the ancestral ways of the San people embody a model of sustainable living intricately linked to their natural environment. Nomadic and resourceful, they have thrived through a delicate balance with nature, utilizing the rich biodiversity of the Kalahari for sustenance.

The San’s social cohesion is defined by egalitarianism, fostering cooperation without the need for leaders or weapons. This collaborative approach was integral to their sustainable lifestyle, demonstrating a commitment to non-violence and shared responsibility.

Despite their resilience, the San people have faced mistreatment, forced displacement, and encroachment on their ancestral lands. Their struggle highlights the fragility of their sustainable practices in the face of external pressures, historical injustices and modern politics and economics.

In the face of such challenges, the San people stand as stewards of a vanishing way of life, traces of a by-gone-civilization like the petroglyphs left on the granite rocks by their own ancestors.

This series, N!um ("essence" in the Koisan language), is my personal homage to these proud people. Their story is a poignant reminder that the pursuit of progress should not come at the expense of losing ancient wisdom.