Living From the Veld in Namibia

In our modernised, fast-paced world many of us are increasingly disconnected from the planet we live on. Our food comes in neat plastic packaging in conveniently sized portions that are put into the shopping cart with little more thought given to it than the price tag. The most conscientious shoppers will perhaps read the back of the package to find out if the product is organic, local, free-range, etc. But the words on the packaging are as close as many people will ever get to knowing where their food comes from and how it is produced.

Consumer demands for the cheap and familiar have had a severe impact on rural areas around the world. Biodiverse landscapes are ploughed up and replaced with single crop species, domestic livestock has taken the place of numerous wild herbivores – domestic animals are easier to manage and produce familiar products like beef and mutton. Not by accident, parts of Africa look just like the English countryside, and produce the same food. The land itself has thus lost its variety, wildness and sense of mystery that we only glimpse when visiting national parks.

Against this global backdrop, Namibia is perfectly placed to do things differently – this harsh desert country with the world’s second lowest human population density cannot be totally tamed and cultivated. Furthermore, the sustainable use and conservation of the environment are enshrined in the Namibian constitution, thus encouraging farmers to include nature’s bounty as an integral part of their livelihoods.

Danene van der Westhuyzen’s new book From the Veld captures the Namibian approach to living off the land by celebrating the astounding variety of food from nature’s pantry. Far from the shopping carts, tellers and neat packaging of the supermarkets in the city, Danene and her family pick, gather, milk and hunt for the ingredients which go into the recipe collection in From the Veld.

“I was born and raised in Namibia. I have lived here all my life. My family’s roots are deeply embedded in this soil. The harshness of our beautiful country has forged our existence. Drought grips the land every so often, bringing both despair and discipline. We are constantly aware of nature’s balance, as our survival depends on faithful conservation and the wise use of resources. And so we’ve grown to cherish the parched times as much as we relish the deafening sound of thunder that promises much needed rain.” - Danene.

Danene goes on to explain that as a family living on a farm 200 km from the nearest town they hunt and gather as much as they can. They’ve learnt to make the most of what they have. And they like it that way.

Danene, who is the current president of the Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA), is a passionate advocate for sustainable conservation hunting and living off the land.

“In Namibia, hunters do not just kill. They are nature lovers who seek sustainable and ethical hunting methods that help conservation strategies to protect wildlife and its habitats from modern man. They are people who want to experience nature as a participant. People who want to take responsibility for their food. People who acknowledge their kinship with wildlife. I am a hunter. And I am not ashamed of that. Through hunting I have fought for my meals, and remembered that eating is a privilege. I have learnt the weight and responsibility of taking an animal’s life, so that I may live. I know the darkness and the light of that act.” - Danene.

In Namibia, hunting is an integral part of our conservation model: it benefits communities, wildlife, ecosystems and natural habitats. It also means we enjoy quality game that is naturally at its best: organic, free range, ethically produced, low in cholesterol and free from antibiotics.

From the Veld is filled with recipes that were developed over years by Danene’s family, friends and fellow Namibians, and perfected at their Aru Game Lodges, Kalakwa and Veronica. Danene has included her favourite game choices, but readers can try different game as substitutes. The recipes are a tribute to all those who remember Namibian sunsets and camel-thorn wood fires, and to those who hope to savour them soon, or perhaps do so on a permanent basis.

From the Veld comes in leather-bound and raw white linenbound versions, available at major bookshops in Windhoek. Or order the book online at fromtheveld.com or via Whatsapp at +264 81 129 5536. 15% of the proceeds from this book will go to the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE) for the grant programme that funds conservation projects in Namibia.

Gail Thomson & Danene van der Westhuyzen