Archaeologists From Namibia

"Namibia is one of the key Southern African country with an extensive wealth of archaeological heritage and the densest concentration has been recorded in the central region of Erongo with more than 400 archaeological sites harbouring over 65000 known ancient rock paintings and engravings."

"Studies have revealed a systematic outright destructive actions inflicted on this fragile heritage landscape as a result of mining, on the large and small scale, activities involving outright destruction of archaeological sites and disruption of its landscape, meanwhile the country’s situation has been exacerbated further by other anthropogenic activities emanating from increased tourism and uncontrolled access to archaeological sites in Erongo, the Society concluded."

"I think most people think that you’re almost born to be an archaeologist. I wasn’t that kid who played in a sandbox and dreamed of being a future archaeologist. My own experiences and interests were different."

"I would often sit around the soldiers guarding our camp and curiously and constantly question them about life outside the camp. I wanted to see it for myself and often contemplated an escape out the camp one day unnoticed to see what was out there but my fear of the forests stopped me."

"Many people may find archaeology to be incomprehensible and a tedious thing of the past, I am convinced that anyone who makes the effort to understand it will realise that it’s a rewarding experience, because these prehistoric remnants carry messages that are universal in the fullest sense of the word."

"In 1972 the Namib Palaeo Ecology Project became part of the programme of the Desert Ecological Research Unit (DERU). This magnificently equipped Research Institute had been established in 1963 at Gobabeb in the Namib Desert Park (now the Namib Naukluft Park). The results of the first phase of the archaeological project (Sandelowsky 1977a) presented a model suggesting the protection of the environment in the park and envisaged the cooperation of everyone interested in preserving the park. The following paper is based on the unpublished report about the work done during 1977/8. More evidence was sought on past climatic change and the prehistory of the Kuiseb River area."

"The information gained at the main site, Mirabib, was to be verified and elaborated on. The results have here been summarized under the following headings: Finds of Early and Middle Stone Age tool sites Sites relating to Mirabib and the Later Stone Age Stone structures indicating herding Settlement Sites - past and present Oral traditions Archaeo-botany at Mirabib."

"I have always been agitated by discrimination on the grounds of colour and women inequality in particular. I took up a position as a teacher decades ago at a primary school in Walvis Bay. During those years salary discrimination between male and female teachers was rife. I stood up against this sort of discrimination."

"At one time I was considered to be an agitator for the rights of the previously disadvantaged at the coast. I later found out that I was a marked person by the authorities at the time. However, I did not allow anyone to intimidate me up to this day."