Does anyone remember the Union of Democratic Mineworkers? Thatcher’s heroes in the struggle against the enemy within. Born in the coalfields of Nottinghamshire, they organised the miners who didn’t believe that Thatcher was intent on shutting down the coal industry and were, many believe, one of the reasons the strike ultimately failed.
Anyway, the UDM is in the news again
I bet it brings a sentimental tear to the Iron Lady’s rheumy old eyes.
Leaving the adorable but stinky seals behind, the truck headed inland passing Brandberg Mountain, at 2,573m/8,441′ the highest point in Namibia, and entered the southern part of Damaraland. The name “Brandberg” is Afrikaans and German for Fire Mountain, which comes from its glowing color sometimes seen in the setting sun.
To the San (Bushmen) tribes, Brandberg is regarded as a spiritual site. The main tourist attraction here is The White Lady rock painting. To reach The White Lady , it was necessary to hike for about 40 minutes over rough terrain carefully watching your step. The ravine also contained more than 45,000 rock paintings and 1,000 rock shelters. The Bushmen are the oldest ethnic group in Namibia and were forced by the South African “homeland” policy to settle in a desert-like area between Kaudom Park and Omaheke. An interesting Bushmen fact: They coat the tips of their arrows with a highly toxic poison obtained from the larvae of a beetle. This poison is fatal to humans (even tiny amounts) and the recipe to make it is known only to the Bushmen. Unfortunately, this area was not on our itinerary. Perhaps, next time.
Bushmen painting
Twyfelfontein was next to see more Bushmen paintings and engravings. This massif also contained a record of the rock art of the Khoisan people, painted and incised into the sandstone of the mountain over a thousand years ago.
among the rocks admiring petroglyphs
hiking up to see more petroglyphs
Twyfelfontein has the largest concentration (approximately 2,500) of Stone Age petroglyphs in Namibia. Although the area was declared a national monument in 1952, some engravings have been damaged and even removed. It is thought that this area was occupied over 6,000 years ago.
the most famous one at Twyfelfontein
Ostrichs incised in the rocks
Next, was the so-called “Petrified Forest” before making our way to Etosha National Park. The Petrified Forest was declared a National Monument in 1950 and is estimated to be over 250 million years old. Both the bark and the rings are perfectly preserved and it is strictly prohibited to remove or damage even small pieces of petrified wood. (That was the official dictum but then we’d see natives selling chunks of petrified wood a short distance away.) The trunks and branches were carried to its present locations by rivers or floods.
Petrified Forest sign
information about the Makalani nuts
There were a few Himba people selling some unusual souvenirs at the Petrified Forest. The Himba carved pendants out of Makalani nuts and incised animals on them. Beautiful little pendants and great souvenirs. The Himbas also sold little red clay dolls representing themselves. We made their day by practically buying up the entire stock for grandchildren and friends.
Makalani nuts
The Himba are herdsmen and lead a semi-nomadic life, migrating with their herds to different waterholes. Clothes, hair and jewelry are an important part of their culture. The women spend hours on beauty care and grooming (not much different from us), creaming their entire body with a mixture of rancid butterfat and ochre. The ochre gives the body an intense reddish glow, the Himba’s idea of beauty, and moisturizes. (If I thought the rancid butterfat would moisterize and brighten up my complexion, I’d market this anti-aging cream around the world.) (The two Himba photos are courtesy of Namibia-Travel.)
Hima woman and child
Okaukuejo, our destination, is one of the three rest camps situated within Etosha national Park and has a floodlit waterhole for game-viewing at night.
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