Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project, Cederberg
The Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project is a community based heritage program that highlights the ancient culture and lives of the San Bushmen and the Cederberg environment in which they lived.
The Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project is conceived around the idea of the Cederberg landscape as a time machine, that visitors can ‘travel’ through, using the wealth of archaeological material continually discovered there – rock art, structural remains, and plant, animal and human artefacts – to connect to the lifestyle, beliefs and wisdom of our San ancestors.
At this Cederberg community-based tourism initiative, your journey begins with a full tour of the Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project – a sort of pre-flight briefing – before you’re taken to the Time Machine (an old school hall). Here, your knowledgeable community guide explains how the Cederberg Mountains formed, revives the areas long-forgotten San names, and describes the San heritage of the flora, rock art and the archaeological artefacts on display.
From there, you’ll visit the Time Garden, where the San way of marking time and the passage of the seasons, is captured in a variety of indigenous medicinal and functional plants – like the Quiver tree, used by San hunters as a container for carrying their arrows.
Next, you’ll head off on a guided tour of the Warmhoek rock art trail. The community guides, trained by professional research archaeologists from the University of Cape Town, interpret the local rock art, at sites close to Clanwilliam.
The full rock art trail comprises 5 sites and takes around 4 hours to complete. Two of the sites can only be accessed by a steep climb, so there is also the option of easier, shorter, one and 2-hour tours. Whichever option you choose, you’re sure to be entranced by the artistry and delicacy of these glyphs, and the ancient dialogue that flows from them.
Tours commence at 9.30 am with two-hour intervals between departures. Booking is essential at the Living Landscape Craft Shop, 18 Park Street, Clanwilliam. Telephone: (027) 482-1911. Participants must assemble at the craft shop half an hour before departure time.
Finish off your interesting trip at the Centre’s workshop and shop at 18 Park Street, Clanwilliam, where, using traditional methods of production and authentic materials, San crafts are produced on the San theme of history and archaeology.
Tel:+(0)27 482 1911 E-mail: 18 Park Street, Clanwilliam.
For more information about this area, visit ShowMe Cederberg.
Take the N7 highway out of Cape Town, north for 212km (+/- 2hrs), passing through the towns of Malmesbury, Moorreesburg, Piketberg, and Citrusdal, arriving at Clanwilliam. Turn off the N7 into Clanwilliam.
| More info on the town of Clan William | More info on the Cederberg Region |
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