In October !Khwa ttu started an exciting new project and began preparing the new !Khwa ttu museum site by clearing rocks and levelling the terrain.

The museum will help fulfil one of !Khwa ttu’s primary goals, namely to bring cultural restitution to the San. It has long been part of the comprehensive aspiration of !Khwa ttu to build a museum that will enable the San to tell their story in their own words.

Building on examples of indigenous museums and cultural centres found amongst other recent hunter-gatherer communities, the museum aims to draw out and relate what is special about the San.

!Khwa ttu museum will be a place to inform and inspire all visitors. The !Khwa ttu museum does not just tell the story of the San but introduces or re-introduces people to a particular way of living that links closely to environmental education and pressing global issues of sustainability.

It has long been part of the wider initiative of !Khwa ttu to build a museum that will enable the San to tell their story in their own words. Currently there are a handful of National museums, university museums and smaller private museums that include sections on the San. Notably, however, there are no museums that are specifically focussed on the San. Furthermore, of those museums that do include the San, few enable the San to tell their story in their own voice and on their terms.

The vision

!Khwa ttu museum aims to be a world class initiative. Building on examples of indigenous museums and cultural centres found amongst other recent hunter-gatherer communities, the museum aims to draw out and relate what is special about the San.  n a larger scale it goes further to locate the San and their experiences within that of regional history and the regional environment and more global colonial and post-colonial recent hunter-gatherer experiences.

!Khwa ttu museum will be a place to inform and inspire all manner of visitors, from the San themselves to school children, tourists, government and NGO workers to academics. Equally the museum development will go hand in hand with new education programmes and, just as importantly, a sensitive re-development and re-organisation of an already beautiful site. The !Khwa ttu museum will be a place to stop for some really fine quick food or coffee and a brief nosey about or a place to come and savour the menu and while away many hours, enjoying !Khwa ttu hospitality whilst the children play freely in an exciting new play area.

‘Traditional’ museums have long been about displaying artefacts inside museum buildings. In recent years trends have moved more towards interactive displays and, when appropriate, outside demonstrations or even ‘living museums’. One of the key challenges facing the !Khwa ttu museum project is how to represent people’s whose lives are not characterised by material possessions and for whom life is lived overwhelmingly outside. The !Khwa ttu concept will combine a rich account of San past, present and future that is presented in highly accessible and interactive, but nonetheless authoritative formats, inside new and specially adapted and constructed buildings. In addition to this, the museum is very much about being outside and learning something of the skills, knowledge and beliefs that have enabled the San to survive against extreme environmental and social odds. Outside trails, interactive exhibits and guided events will open up the life of the San. Even the play area will be teaching the children something new.

We believe at !Khwa ttu that the San have a particular relationship with the world that not only deserves recognition and respect but has much to offer contemporary society in terms of environmental knowledge, environmental care, self-reliance and social quality. The !Khwa ttu museum does not just tell the story of the San but introduces or re-introduces people to a particular way of living that links closely to environmental education and pressing global issues of sustainability.

Facilities available at !Khwa ttu in the West Coast:
• Accommodation  • Child Friendly  • Pet Friendly  • Bar  • Restaurant (Breakfast / Lunch)  • Fireplace • Wheelchair Accessibility (Restaurant)  • Trip Advisor  • Conference Facilities  • Wedding and Function Venue  • Shop  • Tractor Rides  • San Guided Experiences • Mountain Biking Trails • Mountain Bike & Helmet -hiring

Open 7 days a week | Free entry
R150/person for an 1,5hr San Guided Experience. (Group bookings essential)
Distance from Cape Town: 74km
Where: Grootwater Farm, R27
Coordinates: 33°21’44.55” S 18°16’14.12” E
Contact: (c) +27 (0)22 492 2998 | [email protected] | www.khwattu.org

West Coast Way is Your Route To Nature

West Coast Way is your ultimate gateway to experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Cape West Coast of South Africa. As a premium tourism brand, we offer six uniquely themed trip plans that promise an unforgettable journey: Cape, Culture, Foodie, Tractor, Berg, and Wild.

Discover over 101 incredible things to see and do with West Coast Way: Savour the delights of wine, craft beer, olives, and Rooibos tea tastings. Indulge in authentic Weskus cuisine and the traditional braaivleis (barbecue). Feel the thrill of swinging into Citrusdal on a zipline or challenge yourself with Cederberg bouldering. Rejuvenate in natural warm pools and embark on serene cruises across lagoons and rivers. Explore the diverse landscapes of nature reserves and a National Park, or embark on exciting game drives. Hone your skills in archery and angling, or amp up the excitement with sandboarding and quad-biking. Enjoy horse riding, immerse yourself in the unique San culture, and experience the vibrant Riel dancing. For water sports enthusiasts, kite- and windsurfing, surfing, and kayaking trips await. Go beach hopping, learn about bees and whales, and delight in birdwatching in a twitcher’s paradise – all within South Africa’s renowned wildflower reserve. For more information on the best places to visit on the West Coast, road tripping routes, hikes, tours, and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777.  Follow us on  on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn @WestCoastWaySA.

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