the opinions of the khoisan chief: impact of the project
Fig. 53 The springboks hunted by Chief Wallace Williams for the ceremony
«Every time when I look at that video I notice something new.
many years ago. And the night that we shot him we prayed and said
Sometimes I have the correct word to describe it and sometimes
thank you for the animals for giving their lives and we brought it
I don’t have the correct words. It makes me speechless what every
down to Cape Recife».
time comes up in its own secret form, own secret ways. And then
«I remember the day of the actual ceremony. I felt very calm,
I said for myself, I cannot explain everything but the experience I
there was sort of a huge calmness that came over me. And then,
have to keep it for myself and work it for myself out».
when we were at the waterfront as we progressed through the cer-
«That is my honest and my open opinion».
emony, when the fire was made, I remember Chief Maleiba call-
«There was something that we could learn, and there was also some-
ing out the different names of the Chiefs that were present before
thing that you have to keep it for yourself. The happiness still boils
us, our ancestors. Even some of them they were not from this re-
deep down in me. It is just indescribable words of happiness. Yeah».
gion, but I could feel the spirits of our people and at that time… I didn’t want anybody to notice, I’m not a person who cries, it’s not
Chief Wallace Williams, Oeswana
in me you understand. I just felt… My tears just started flowing
CWW: «Starting out Magda when I met you and Ernst it was nice
from that point. And it was a combination of sadness, of what the
and the more you talked about the project, the more I got inter-
people went through. And it was also a combination of joy. There
ested in it. And I felt that I needed to make time and make myself
was no regret or hatred feelings, you know».
available to make this project successful. And when the request
«And I could feel in my spirit hundreds of years ago, our people
was granted that we could shoot the Springbok, I felt it would on-
were walking here, they were living here, they were fishing here
ly be proper that we eat the wild animal; the way they did many,
and that is where the tears came from. I could see…I couldn’t see
65
