The sacred mountain sang his majestic song of silence and silver green grasses danced in the warm desert wind like waves of an ancient ocean. Sweet fragrance of golden nectar rose to the starry Milky Way and far distant galaxies at night. Once again I was called to visit the White Lady in the volcanic rock valley of Brandberg - the mystic Mountain of Namibia. Some voices say the woman is a man. Woman or Man - the white Lady is a medicine person with a white flower in the right hand and a bow and arrow held down in the left. The message I received was that one must put the weapons down to walk the medicine path. Or is the message to find the balance between the warrior and the healer? There are crossroads in life where we have to choose. If we want to walk the beauty path of the healing heart, we must live our prayers and put our life into service. The white Lady is a peace bringer and a healer. Even though painted on a rock wall in the valley of Brandberg thousands of years ago, the spirit of the white medicine woman lives on in Daurebs ancient Garden of Eden. Daureb is the name for the Mountain of Fire in the language of the Damara People who originate from the San Bushman. The Damara speak in great reverence and respect for the sacred mountain and there are legends of a sacred snake with a bright light on her head that appears mysteriously to only but a few...
The magic mountain treasures many secrets and the one who finds the key in the depth of heart will be able to unlock the doors to its mystery. The White Medicine WoMan touched my heart with the white medicine flower and I found healing in my prayer filled silent moment with her... I came here to give thanks to the creator and all my relations and ancestors for having answered my prayers and helped me to complete the water well for the Himba in Kaokaland. It has been a long journey to fulfill my commitment towards this semi nomadic tribe of northern Namibia. 27 month earlier I had visited the Tjindunda Clan of the Himba west from Kaoka Otavi with a group of international travelers. It was during a time of extreme drought due to global weather changes. We witnessed a child dying from lack of clean water and wrongly diagnosed by the bush clinic. The western pharmaceutical Industries sponsor out of date medication to Africa’s bush clinics and field hospitals. We are talking about medication, which is banned in Europe! If the dehydration related diseases don’t kill the children, the toxic medication surely does, especially when wrongly diagnosed. This is not the noblest way of birth control and over population reduction. When we interviewed the Clan Chief Mateo Tjindunda he stressed that water was the most important element the Himba needed for the survival of their families, their cattle, goats and gardens. So my friends and I came together and prayed for rain and it started raining like it had not rained for years in Namibia. But prayers must be lived and manifested in order to bring real change. One of the travelers in my group had the gift of water divining. The experienced diviner found the indications for a strong underground water vein on the land of the Tjindunda. This good news inspired us to offer help by trying to gather financial resources and sponsorship to drill for water and establish a well with a hand pump for the community. 2 years of working very hard to gather financial resources and sponsorship followed.
I wrote articles for different magazines and newspapers in South Africa, Namibia, Germany and Sweden. Photo Art Exhibitions, slide shows presentations, talks and selling postcards of the Himba-tribe finally gathered the finances and inspired some private sponsors to invest into the drilling. The friends who had originally initiated the project together with me were not able to follow through due to other commitments. In February 2008 I returned to Namibia to investigate the current situation of the Tjindunda Clan. It took over a thousand miles and days of driving on loose gravel, dirt roads and through steep terrain with my experienced driver and translator David Tjivava to once again return to fulfill the promise of water on their land. Sudden thunderstorms and heavy rain caused major flooding turning dry riverbeds into raging rivers hard to cross even with our amazing Toyota Hi-Lux 4x4. When we overcame all obstacles and finally arrived, there was great joy and celebration. The land had transformed from a dry semi-desert into green fields with blossoming lilies and wild flowers. The birds sang praises and so did the Himba when they saw us again. The protocol of visiting the Himba always starts with gifts of cornmeal and tobacco. This time I had brought a special shell for the "priestess" of the clan. She was so happy to receive this precious gift the Himba woman wear close to their heart as part of their unique jewelry. Then some small talk -"palaver" starts about the weather and the cattle, the land and the people as an important custom of (re-)connecting. We sat up camp after the palaver and gathered firewood before dark. With the setting sun our fire was set up to bring warmth and light. Pumpkin and sweet potato soup with ginger and coconut cream was on the menu
and it never tastes better then when cooked on an open fire in the wilderness. After bringing their cattle back home into the central heart of the “Kraal” close to the sacred fireplace, the Himba came and sat down at our fire to eat with us and talk more about the realization of the well.
I shared about the process of getting the funding for the drilling, the permission and meetings with the Director of the Geo-hydrology Department in the Ministry of Water Affairs in Namibia who showed kind support and took off the financial load by 20% and the representatives of the Red Cross Society in Opuwo who offered to support the project by sponsoring and installing a hand pump. It was a long procedure of many phone calls, emails, talks and meetings to co-ordinate the time and availability of the drilling company Booysen and to finally contract them for the job for early April 2008.
Circle Of Life
12 mystic songs of love carried on soft and gentle wings of jazzy Inner World Music featuring the poet Grace amongst 26 artists from all around the globe on beautiful soundscapes of piano, cello, flutes, saxophones, vocals and groovy world beats.
Including the Songdance songs “Above & Below”, “Soluna and “Walk with Awareness” a.o. and a beautiful booklet with song texts and the photography of Kailash Kokopelli.
co-produced by Maneesh de Moor
(Miten & Deva Premal/Prem Joshua)
special guests: Praful, Lucinda Drayton (blissfulmusic), Sandhya Sanjana a.o.
Sound samples
1 Above and Below
2 Peace and Beauty
3 Walk With Awareness
4 Rainbow Warrior
5 Circle Of Life
But there was no other way – I had to cut a forked branch and walk the land again for tuning into the strongest water veins. I found three main points where the dowsing rod responded the strongest, right next to a tree, which had been recently struck by lightning. That was a good sign since lightning often hits trees above major water veins.
Still it was a nerve wrecking situation since the funding I had gathered in two years were only for one drilling and if there was no water or drinkable water – all the work would have been for nothing. There was more unexpected work ahead: I had to find a professional water diviner or geologist who would confirm the spot I had found or analyze the land for an alternative point. As soon as I was back in “civilization” I contacted a German geologist who was working together with the drilling-company Booysen. He was quite stressed due to many contracted jobs ahead and a bit reluctant but gave me hope that he could possibly come out early April to analyze the land. He wanted quite a lot of money but when he heard that it was a humanitarian project he came a bit down with the price. On further investigation I learned that the “predictions” and measurements of the geologists were only at a 50 % success rate.
So I decided to look for an alternative and I was lucky to stumble across a 70 year old South-West German Man called Rolf Hoppe who lived outside of Kamanjap.
He had received the gift of water divining from his Father who again had inherited it from his Grandfathers. According to his stories he had a quite high success rate in dowsing and predicting water points. I believed him. His humble presence was absolutely trustworthy. When I asked him about his payment for coming out to the land of the Tjindunda, he told me following story:
“ I once thought I am going to make big money now and I predicted several water points on the land of different farmers in the north of Namibia. I told them if I was right with my predictions, it would cost them a specific sum of money per water point. They started drilling and all my predictions were correct, but what happened was that the next day I lost the gift. I could not dowse or divine water anymore – the rods didn’t work anymore…
I did not understand what was happening and started to investigate and study reports of other diviners who warned to take money for the predictions because it was a gift of GOD in service of the people. I fell on my knees and asked GOD for forgiveness and the next day I was given the gift back and the rods worked again! Since then I understood that I am not allowed to charge for this service. – I am happy to help you and the Tjindunda for free!”
It was an honor to welcome the skilled diviner early April to the land where we were going to drill for water. Rolf made the 3-day journey to the outback land of the Tjindunda under risking his life due to a difficult health situation. He arrived in the afternoon and after setting up camp he went straight to work and walked the land with his dowsing rods. To my pleasant surprise he confirmed the point I had marked and said:
“This is exactly the right point. There are three veins above one another. The first one is down between 20 and 30 meters, the second is between 35 and 50 meters and the last one is between 55 and 80 meters. You want to get down to at least the middle one – this will have enough water for the people.”
One hour before sunset, guided by their GPS the drilling company arrived with 2 big trucks and some 4 wheel drives carrying all their equipment through heavy off road terrain and thank GOD shallow riverbeds.
Piet Booysen, the boss of the company greeted me and told me that the money transfer from the charity account for the drilling still had not gotten through yet. I was surprised for it had been several weeks since I had contacted the bank to place the money order. It was another miracle that Booysen went through at this stage with the drilling on total trust bases. We found out that he had heard my music and interview about the project on national Radio and it strengthened his trust to go ahead with the drilling.
As a bridge-maker between worlds I introduced the diviner Rolf to the drilling boss Piet who usually only works with expert geologists for choosing the drilling point for water.
Another challenge which Booysen accepted with both skepticism and curiosity.
I pointed out the place we had chosen by means of water divination before the company’s team sat up camp and made a plan for the drilling aimed for the following morning. With sunrise the high-pressure drill generators started to cut through the vast silence of the land.
The Himba Clan and I gathered to support the process of drilling with prayers, handclapping and songs. It was a very hot day and only a few trees offered shade.
It was a long day and the intense sound of the hammering drills stretched everybody’s nerves. It took hours to drill through the different layers of hard rock, clay, sand and stones. Dusty white rock powder covered the area.
It was hard work to keep the Himba concentrated with their prayers, songs and focus. Half the Clan retreated after noon to find some rest in the cool shadow of their adobe clay huts. Only the priestess, the wife of the chief and some children stayed with the process until the first wet earth was dug up. It was already a miracle – even though it took many more hours until finally the water came. The contract with Booysen and the financial resources only allowed drilling down to 35 meters, but there was not enough water yet. With a stern look Booysen ordered his men to continue drilling deeper on his own expenses.
The sun was starting to set and the clan had gathered again to witness the final miracle:
at a depth of 44 meters the main water vein was hit and a fountain of sweet water shot up into the air and spread its precious wet over the dry earth. What a celebration. The Himba could not believe their eyes and tears of gratitude and amazement washed over their dusty faces. The whole clan started to dance and sing praises.
Rolf Hoppe had predicted again the miracle. He had confirmed the right access point of a water of life vein in the depth of the earth to feed the people and their cattle.
Of course he received a donation and coverage of his travel expenses from me.
Booysen was impressed and showed his sincere interest to work with Hoppe in the future. A few days later the money should finally arrive in the account of the company.
I gave thanks to the creator and sang to the angel of water in the depth of the earth in deep joy and gratitude. The song echoed in harmonic resonance in the long tubes and casing of the drilling hole. On Saturday late afternoon the 5th of April 2008 I had fulfilled the commitment I had made 27month prior.
On a long string an empty water bottle with weights attached was let down 44 meters
to collect some of the fresh waters and the first zip revealed the most incredible taste of water I ever tasted. It was sweet like nectar. Analyzes confirmed it was very good drinking water at 700 liters an hour.
The whole clan of the Tjindunda gathered impatiently for everybody to get a taste of the precious wet before we had to seal the casing again to protect the well from contamination and possible rocks which could clog the access until the Red Cross Opuwo would come to install the concrete slap and Hand-pump which they had agreed to sponsor.
It was hard to understand for the Himba but it had to be done for their own benefit
to secure the access and to protect the well.
Unfortunately it took many more months for the Red Cross to finally make their way only a few hours south from Opuwo to establish the fundament and install the hand-pump.
End of August 2008 I received reports and confirmation of the completion and successful establishment of the hand-pump and with it access to pure and sweet drinking water for the Clan of the Tjindunda, their cattle and the neighboring Himba Clans.
This humanitarian gesture is of course only little more than water on a hot stone and Kailash Kokopelli hopes to receive more financial support both from private and NGO
sources in order to help the last indigenous people and initiate more water wells and other sustainable projects such as organic seed preservation, cultivation and organic seed banks for the coming generations.
Visit: www.kailash-kokopelli.com and www.sanctuary-retreat.org
Contact: kailash.kokopelli@gmail.com & sanctuary.circle@gmail.com
Kailash Kokopelli is hereby expressing his deepest gratitude also in the name of the Himba community for all help and support of any kind from anybody involved. Invaluable help and loyal support in driving and tireless translation came from David Tjivava of the Herero Nation.
Greg Christelis, Director of the Geo-hydrology Department in the Ministry of Water Affairs showed kind support and took off the financial load by 20%.
Rolf Hoppe from Kamanjap showed his greatness by his humble selfless service - traveling far to the location under risking his life due to a delicate health condition to offer his inherited skills of water divining, confirming the actual spot Kokopelli had dowsed and marked. All predictions by Mr. Hoppe were accurate and pure sweet flowing water (700 l / hr) was found in 44 meters depth.
Piet Booysen of the Booysen Drilling Company with his team went through with the drilling on total trust basis and great tolerance to the ceremonial approach of Kokopelli and the Himba singing and praying before and during the drilling.
Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Mutambo from Red Cross Opuwo showed their great support by sponsoring and installing a hand pump as well as education around its maintenance. Last but not least a big THANK YOU and gratitude to the main financial sponsors without whom it would not have been possible to realize the drilling and complete the water well for the Himba:
Martin Rieth, Tim & Nina Riordan, Leoni Santander, Autohaus Hohlwein & Friends as well as the many who supported the project by buying postcards and art prints on framed canvas of the Himba Photo Art by Kailash Kokopelli.
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Summery : Water is Life!
On Saturday afternoon the 5th of April 2008 prayers for the successful drilling of a water well for the Tjindunda Clan of the Himba Tribe were answered.
27 month prior, Kailash Kokopelli initiated together with a circle of friends the Water Well Project for the Ovahimba of northern Namibia. Other commitments pulled the friends away from the project and Mr. Kokopelli was left alone with the difficult task of raising financial funds for the realisation of the well. Articles in Newspapers and Magazines in South Africa, Namibia, Germany and Sweden as well as international Photo Art Exhibitions, Radio interviews and presentations during concerts of Kokopelli inspired private sponsors to support the project. It took 2 years to get the financial resources to pay for the drilling and work around the well.
The Namibian Ministry of Agriculture and Water Affairs supported the project with 20% and the Red Cross Society in Opuwo is sponsoring a hand pump which will be installed as soon as possible. New regulations around community water associations and programs for educating the people in maintenance of the installation is slowing the process a bit down but will hopefully in the long run preserve water access.
Kokopelli hereby is expressing his deepest gratitude also in the name of the Himba
community for all help and support of any kind from everybody involved.
Invaluable help and loyal support in driving and tireless translation came from David Tjivava of the Herero Nation. Greg Christelis, Director of the Geohydrology Department in the Ministry of Water Affairs showed kind support and took off the financial load by 20%. Rolf Hoppe from Kamanjap showed his greatness by his humble selfless service - travelling far to the location under risking his life due to a delicate health condition to offer his inherited skills of water divining, confirming the actual spot Kokopelli had dowsed and marked. All predictions by Mr. Hoppe were accurate and pure sweet flowing water (700 l / hr) was found in 44 meter depth.
Piet Booysen of the Booysen Drilling Company with his team went through with the drilling on total trust basis and great tolerance to the ceremonial approach of Kokopelli and the Himba singing and praying before and during the drilling.
Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Mutambo from Red Cross Opuwo showed their support by sponsoring and agreeing to install a hand pump as well as education around maintenance.
Last but not least a big THANK YOU and Gatitude to the main financial sponsors without whom it would not have been possible to realise the drilling and complete the water well for the Himba: Daniela Hutter, who generously sponsored the print of postcards and other advertisement, Martin Rieth, Tim & Nina Riordan, Leoni Santander, Autohaus Hohlwein & Friends amongst others.
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1st Himba Article
From the first moment I ever saw pictures of the Himba, I fell in love with these beautiful nomadic people of Namibia and knew that one day I had to meet them.
On my return from South Africa to Europe in January 2005 I had a 5-day stopover in Namibia and knew this was my chance. I landed on a Sunday Morning in Windhoek without any idea how to get from there close to the boarder of Angola where the Himba lived, over 1000 miles away. But I had to follow my calling.
I sat down to pray for guidance and it was not very long until some German girls arrived. They sat next to me and started to giggle, wondering what I was carrying in my 2 Meter long suitcase on wheels. I revealed the secret to them, explaining that I was a musician playing different indigenous instruments from tribes of almost every continent. The 1 meter 50 long most ancient wind instrument on the planet was not easy to carry around.
Only when travelling with the heavy and bulky load, I wondered why I had specialised not just in the Native American Flute but also in the Didgeridoo of the Australian Aboriginals.
As soon as I was playing it though, experiencing how the sacred sound was touching people in a healing way, all of that was forgotten and only gratitude remained.
The German Girls boyfriends arrived, who told me that they were about to rent two 4wds for a Safari through Namibia. They had arranged to be picked up by the car rental company and I decided to join them to see whether I could rent a 4Wd, too.
A 3rd generation German-Namibian met us with his big belly, dark ray bans and a raspy low voice hustling that it was no problem. While he was sorting out the German couples, I was looking through my papers but could neither find my drivers license nor credit card.
I thought to myself they'd never rent out a 4WD to me without papers so I told him: "Look, I forgot my credit card and license - I guess I have to leave…" He replied with his rough voice: "What is it you really want?" I said: "I want to meet the Himba but I only have 5 days.
I don't want to meet them as a regular tourist though.
I want to meet their elders and play my instruments for them."
He looked at me for a moment suspiciously but said then: "You know what, I don't like Windhoek – I like it up there in Kaokoland.
I will drive you!"
The next day early morning I was on my way to northern Namibia with Armin driving a Toyota Hi-Lux packed with food, corn meal and tobacco for the Himba. After an all day-long drive on dusty gravel and Mountain Zebras crossing our way, we set up camp at Hot springs that night. Nothing tastes better than a hot butternut soup cooked on open fire after such a day. Swallows displayed their acrobatics and weaverbirds their weaving skills while we bathed in the natural pools of warm water before continuing our journey closer to the land of the Himba. Armin's friend Ibrahim of the Herero joined us from the Warm water spring onwards to be our translator for the Himba. After many more hours through the ancient landscape we met our first Himba. He was walking gracefully along the road and was grateful when we stopped to offer him some tobacco and sniff, which I understood was much appreciated by the men and elder woman. His simple dignity had something royal and I felt that he was a good representative of the Himba Nation and our gatekeeper to the land of the Himba.
We travelled through the city Opuwo, which displayed a sad picture of the western world clashing with the ancient traditional ways of the Himba. The influence of white sugar and alcohol is poison for all indigenous people and so for the Himba as well. While the Himba women keep their dignity by wearing their traditional red ochre, metal jewellery and goat skin skirts, many of the Himba men start wearing western close and look like bums with torn dirty blazers and coca cola t-shirts. Some of the younger generations who have gone to school started wearing the Herero costumes with long colonial style skirts and creative triangular headdresses or cheap synthetic western clothes thrown together colourfully. Blinded by the material wealth and junk food of the western world they feel more "civilised" this way and don't realise that if they turn their backs to the traditional life-style of the Himba, it is only a question of time when this last authentic tribe of southern Africa is gone forever.
Even though there has been international attention and opposition
towards the planned construction of a hydroelectric dam at the Epupa falls, the power hungry officials of the Namibian Government are continuing to build tar roads leading up towards Epupa. The
consequence of the built dam will cut deeply into the traditional life
of the Himba, flooding not just their nomadic grazing grounds but also their sacred ancestral burial grounds, which are a very important part of their lives. If the Government continues building the dam, the last 7000 traditional Himba will most definitely vanish within the next 10 to 15 years or so.
We declare old ruins and buildings world heritage –
why not our last authentic tribal people of the earth?
Since there is already a huge dam being built in the Congo, with the
capacity to feed the whole continent of Africa with electricity, there
is no real need to build the dam at the Epupa falls. Most electricity
at this stage is fed into Namibia from South Africa with some energy
generated in the country itself.
On the way further north towards the boarder of Angola, Himba children would wave from the side of the road hoping for some sweets. Whenever we did stop there were eager hands stretched out for white sugar and sweets already displaying the addictive effect of toxic western junk food. After witnessing the damaging effect, I chose to only give fruits, nuts and honey besides cornmeal to the Himba . It was delightful to see how they enjoyed the honey I poured into their hands. Whenever I was asked for sweets or sugar I showed a picture of terribly rotten teeth I had printed out to re-educate the Himba.
Even though contact with any western world representative might influence the Himba, I understood that a respectful, interested and conscious tourism might be the only ally to help preserve their culture. The government does not seem to care much about the living treasure these people are.
The sun was nearly setting when we were guided to drive closer to a traditional Himba Kraal on the way to Epembe. When we arrived at the gates of the fenced off circular settlement hosting cob style clay huts, cattle and goats in the centre, the headmen of the Kraal arrived. After offering tobacco, sniff, cornmeal, and some respectful palaver, the chief offered us to set up camp not far from the entrance to his Kraal. The Himba live in family clans with up to 15 sometimes 20 or more relatives and children.
We set up camp and started the fire just before sunset while the full
moon rose into the starry night sky. Beetroot, sweet potatoes and
children and young Himba came to join us. We shared the food and after all bellies were full, we shared music. First I played the Didgeridoo and then the Native American Flute, which they absolutely loved. They wanted to hear it again and again. Then the Himba clapped their hands together in a special rhythm and sang their magical songs into the night for us.
It was incredibly amazing and beautiful. I took photos of the Himba at the fire which came out magically because there was magic between us and trust, respect and love.
I felt like Curtis at the turn of the last century taking pictures of
a vanishing race.
The Himba have a lot of the early Native American people. They share a similar beauty, dignity, friendliness and a mystic aura of people living in true harmony with nature.
In the daytime I visited the gardens of the Himba where they planted corn, beans and pumpkin – the "3 sisters" how many of the Native American tribes call them cause they grow in symbiosis. As a "Kokopelli" I brought organic seeds of different kinds of the "3
sisters" to them and the women working in the gardens were very happy and even more so when I played my flute to awaken the seeds. The simplicity and beauty in which the Himba lived touched my heart. The men herd the cattle while the woman work in the garden and care for the children. Once upon a time our ancestors must have lived in such harmony with one another and nature too.
The 2 days and 2 nights around the full moon with the Himba were
knew I had to come back soon. A full year had to pass before I
I was welcomed back as their "Cousin" as the eldest daughter of the chief called me when I asked for permission to set up camp again close to them.
"You are our cousin – you are always welcome here!" She said and held my hand lovingly. This time there was more sharing of food and music and timeless beauty with the Himba. It was a difficult time for the hard working Himba, though because the riverbeds and gardens were dry and nothing was growing. The global major changes caused by pollution, exploitation of the Rainforests and resources of the planet create worldwide imbalance in weather patterns and seasons, effecting the Land of the Himba , too. I interviewed the headmen and asked what was the most important thing for them and how could we help? By sunrise he took us to the sacred fire through which they communicate with the creator and the ancestors who walked the land before them. Then he told me that what they really needed was water. So we went to dowse for water and found water close to their Kraal 11 metres deep down in the earth.
We offered to gather financial resources from friends and
sponsors who want to contribute to the survival of the Himba through the building of wells for permanent water.
We also gathered in circle to pray for rain in Namibia and the land of
When we left, a Himba woman much like a priestess send us on our
journey with the words: "This land is sacred. Please be gentle with this land. Do not speak bad, do not argue. When you meet an obstacle, just take the challenge to overcome it with grace and dignity. You are walking in holy land!"
Kailash Kokopelli
eee, mala, šta to uradi ?!!! baš coooooooool ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteOdlicna je prica,a fotkeee....Ma covek je u direktnom kontaktu sa Dalaj Lamom....,pa rekoh ,mora da ce svi razumeti,a tek poruka na kraju.Ja sam bila odusevljena <3<3<3
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