The Living Musem of the Damara, Twyfelfontein
The Living Museum of the
Damara close to Twyfelfontein is the first traditional Damara project in Namibia
and the only one of its kind. The possibility to experience the traditional
Damara culture in this form exists nowhere else in Namibia or in the world.
The unique experience of historic Damara culture
Together with the Bushmen the Damara belong
to the oldest nations in Namibia. Their original culture was a mixture of an
archaic hunter-gatherer culture and herders of cattle, goats and sheep. Due
to their loose social structures the Damara were not able to defend themselves
against aggressors during the colonization of Namibia. This is one of the reasons
why their culture has to a great extent fallen into oblivion.
Within the framework of the Living Museum of the Damara an attempt was made
to reconstruct the ?lost culture? of the Damara. Here the visitors have the
unique opportunity to get to know the fascinating traditional culture of the
Damara, thus contributing to the preservation of the culture as well as to a
regular income for the Damara community that built the museum.
Click a picture to see a larger view.