Local
community guides accompany guests to the magnificent rock art shelter
in Game Pass, which has some of the most outstanding examples of rock
art in the world and is known as the "Rosetta Stone of South African
rock art". A San rock art interpretation centre of international
standards has been established at Kamberg Camp, together with a restaurant
and take-away facility.
SAN ART
The uKhahlamba Drakensberg region of KwaZulu-Natal is rich in rock art
left behind by the San people. These exquisite paintings tell stories
of yesteryear and teach us more about the mythology, ritual, and beliefs
of the San.
Paintings were made
using mostly black, white, red and orange pigments gathered from the
surrounding natural environment.
Long thought to
be merely pictorial journals of hunting trips and everyday life, researchers
have now uncovered some of the deeper meaning of the art. The most frequently
depicted animal is the eland, the largest antelope of the uKhahlamba
Drakensberg and vital to the well being of the San, providing meat,
fat and skins.
The eland became
an important symbol to the San and was viewed as an animal of power,
with supernatural potency and great religious significance. Some paintings
show mysterious figures with combined antelope and human features that
relate to the San spirit realm.
More
recent paintings depict friendly interaction between the San and African
and European migrant groups, as well as scenes of conflict. Today the
descendants of these artists live among and have integrated with local
African communities. Although they have changed their hunter-gatherer
lifestyle, they still strongly associate with the rock art of their
ancestors.
The densely painted
uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site, contains some 550
known sites amounting for over 40 000 recorded individual images.
The paintings in
KwaZulu-Natal are estimated to be between 120 and 3000 years old.
Some sites may be visited in the company of a custodian and interpretive
displays at some of the reserves provide unique multimedia insights
into the history and significance of the paintings and painters. They
serve as a monument to the ancient people who roamed freely between
the mountains and the coast of KwaZulu-Natal for thousands of years.
Pathways to the art sites take visitors on the same routes once taken
by the San up to their rock shelters. Visitors are asked to respect
this outstanding legacy by observing the well-known wilderness motto
- of taking only photographs and leaving only footprints. Touching the
pictures not only hastens their decay, but contaminates them, affecting
dating procedures and chemical analysis; even stirring up the dust around
them causes harm. Touching these paintings would also be regarded by
many, who revere them and the shelters for their spiritual significance,
as interfering with the inherent power or spirit they contain. Any damage
to these paintings should be reported immediately, as they are protected
by law.
KAMBERG
ROCK ART CENTRE AND GAME PASS SHELTER
The Game Pass Shelter is commonly referred to as the "Rosetta Stone"
of southern African rock art, for it was here that archaeologists first
uncovered a vital key to understanding the symbolism of San rock art.
This site is special for so many reasons. It was one of the first sites
ever to be seen by Europeans and appeared in the Scientific American
in 1915. It was the first South African rock art site to be known in
other parts of the world, and revealed the meaning of San rock art,
it, in a sense, "cracked the code". The trail to Game Pass
Shelter is a two-and-a-half, to three hour guided walk, via the spiritually
moving Waterfall Shelter. It is nothing short of a world-class experience
in Khoisan rock art and living Zulu and San culture. The walk is preceded
by a spectacular DVD presentation at the state-of-the-art Interpretive
Centre that caters for a maximum of ten people at a time.
Kamberg camp provides guests with the option of one six-bed, one five-bed
and five two-bed chalets. The self-catering Stillerus cottage accommodates
eight guests for those who require peace and solitude. The five two-bed
chalets have been extensively renovated and boast en-suite bathrooms
and kitchenettes. A communal lounge is also available for the convenience
of guests