Waterstories: Noka ke Motswedi wa Rona (Nirox soil & water group Project)

The project aims to raise social awareness about the importance of water as a vital natural resource and a symbolic element deeply connected to our existence and survival, through the stories of those who have been impacted by it. This is done within the specific context of the Portion 26 community in and around the Nirox Foundation, located within the Cradle of Humankind, making the investigation particularly significant. It addresses critical issues in the local Kromdraai communities, such as the pollution of the Bloubankspruit, the region’s primary water source, which threatens local ecosystems and communities—including caves that hold early hominid fossils, groundwater, the Hartbeespoort Dam, and the health and livelihoods of the people residing in the area. The project involves working with local rural communities around the Nirox Foundation to explore the various roles water plays in their lives from an artistic perspective, and to show how they adapt and have risen above critical issues like water pollution and job insecurity through initiatives birthed in the community by passionate leaders and tended by young community champions. Together with community members, experts, and local leaders, the project explores the personal, scientific, cultural, and practical aspects of water and survival. Collaborative works, including artworks, performances, music, videos, talks, and workshops, will contribute to a water archive, highlighting the significance of water and its relationship to the community.