Nexus of Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival and Local People’s Livelihoods in a Dryland Ecosystem of Botswana -- Indigenous Methodologies, Research and Practices for Sustainable Development
Chapter
Overview
Identity
View All
Overview
Abstract
Cultural tourism is an essential socio-economic practice that sustains livelihoods of local communities in Botswana. Thus, the main purpose of this inquiry was to explore what local people’s perceptions were about the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival (KDCCF). Although Botswana has rich cultural tourism resources, little research has been conducted on its cultural events, particularly the KDCCF and its potential to sustain livelihoods within the local communities in the Kgalagadi desert. Since 2012, some of the experiences that participants can engage in include the San traditional dance, polka (boerewalf) dance, and quadbike riding. Prior research on the Kgalagadi desert focused on people’s engagement and relationship to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park; moreover, previous research was quantitative in nature. This chapter asks two primary questions: How do the local people perceive, understand and participate in the planning and implementation of the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival? And how do the local people contend the event has altered the communities’ livelihood? It is hoped that the insights garnered from this qualitative approach can contribute to understanding how cultural tourism shapes the socio-economic parameters of local communities who live in proximity to indigenous natural resources. Furthermore, this research seeks to contribute to empowering local people in fostering sustainable development through their local experiences. Qualitative methodology is employed through field work observations, documents, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The sustainable livelihoods approach is employed as the theoretical framework. The findings suggest that the cultural event has the potential to transform local people’s livelihoods. However, it can foster conflict embedded within social hierarchies as barriers to community involvement and participation.
