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San Style: Dancing in Botswana

You never know what you’ll encounter in your travels.  During my time reporting on Cheetah Conservation Botswana’s work, I headed to the town of Ghanzi to get supplies and run a few errands with CCB’s camp manager. Right when we arrived, the Botswana National Youth Council was staging a huge outreach festival in the town...

You never know what you’ll encounter in your travels.  During my time reporting on Cheetah Conservation Botswana’s work, I headed to the town of Ghanzi to get supplies and run a few errands with CCB’s camp manager.

Young women start the rhythm with hand clapping and harmonies before going onstage in Ghanzi, Botswana
Young women start the rhythm with hand clapping and harmonies before going onstage in Ghanzi, Botswana

Right when we arrived, the Botswana National Youth Council was staging a huge outreach festival in the town center.  Grabbing my camera, I jogged across the street and asked to take a few photos and video as a group of young San (Basarwa) dancers prepared to go onstage.  A bit shaky on the video as it was difficult to get a good position, I was keenly aware of the lucky timing.  This performance was not for tourists, journalists, or anyone else but the people of Botswana.  The enthusiastic cheering for their peers was full of cultural pride.

A group of young men from the San dance troupe take a moment to pose before performing.
A group of young men from the San dance troupe take a moment to pose before performing.

Having studied many forms of dance from Brazil, Guinea, and Haiti, I was enthralled with the movement, singing and complexities of the rhythms that reminded me of so many other dances of the African Diaspora.  Its these serendipitous moments that I look forward to on my journey to Kenya as I continue to follow the story of the cheetah and people of Africa.

All photos, text & video: Marcy Mendelson © 2013 / Cheetah-Watch.com

Read more from Botswana via these links on National Geographic News Watch:

Reaching Out to Communities in Botswana

The Cheetah Mother’s 72 Hours Part I

The Cheetah Mother’s 72 Hours Part II

The Cheetah Mother’s 72 Hours Part III

When Predators & Farmers Collide

A lighthearted moment with the group of young men from the San dance troupe.
A lighthearted moment with the group of young men from the San dance troupe.

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Meet the Author

Marcy Mendelson
Marcy Mendelson (above) is a conservation photographer working on a project to help save the cheetah through visual storytelling and reportage of the hard work by fundraisers, farmers, NGOs and local communities. She will be traveling to Africa this coming fall and reporting to National Geographic News Watch in addition to her site, Cheetah-Watch. In the meantime, she resides in San Francisco, California and works with nonprofits like Cat Haven and Animal Ark in observation of the outreach they do with animal lovers eager to help and learn. More about Marcy’s photography and interests can be found on her website, Mendelson Images.