During the residency in the Tankwa, I moved forward through the landscape, gathering mesquite and weaving it into a basket. Mesquite is considered an invasive species within human systems of classification, and its presence in the Tankwa speaks to a landscape that has been repeatedly altered by human settlement and agriculture. As I walked and wove, I encountered springbok bones scattered across the land. I learnt that millions of springbok once migrated through this landscape, fertilising the soil as they moved. The fencing and division of land into farms disrupted these migrations, and only traces of those vast herds remain. Through this process of walking and weaving, I began learning about the ǀXam people, who moved through the landscape in relation to the springbok and whose stories are deeply connected to animals, transformation and the land. Much of my understanding of the ǀXam comes from Claim to the Country: The Archive of Wilhelm Bleek and Lucy Lloyd. The Bushman used story telling to communicate their lessons and beliefs and I was particularly drawn to the first story of humans which is centered around Kaggen, a trickster shaman who transforms into a mantis and who is also believed to be the sun. The work culminated in a sunrise performance, marking the threshold where night becomes day and darkness moves into light. Wearing the woven basket, I walked through the landscape while telling the story of Kaggen, as others followed behind me. As I walked, I was reminded of the myths of Eurydice and Persephone, particularly the idea of moving between darkness and light and Eurydice’s inability to look back. The performance became an act of trust: continuing forward, carrying the traces and stories of the landscape and continuing forward walking and walking into the sunrise.
