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Eastern Cape Provincial Article - South African Vacations

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Khoisan hunter-gatherer in the Kouga/Baviaanskloof area. The mummy is<br />

presently in storage at the museum.<br />

ART AND CRAFTS<br />

Dakwa Art and Craft Project: Voted one of the ten best craft cooperatives in<br />

the country, this Grahamstown-based community centre is modelled on its<br />

namesake, the Dakwa Art and Craft Centre in Tanzania. It trains and teaches<br />

local people high-quality weaving, textile printing and graphics techniques and<br />

helps them to sell their artwork and to obtain employment.<br />

Masithandane (“Let us love one another”) Project: The project started out as a<br />

community soup kitchen that provided food for the disadvantaged<br />

communities. Gradually, the local women were encouraged to learn new skills<br />

to support themselves and a powerful initiative was begun. Plastic bags were<br />

collected, thereby ridding the streets of litter and providing raw material for the<br />

making of hats, bags and mats. Traditional beadwork was combined with this<br />

enterprise and the endeavour has grown to such an extent that it is now a<br />

thriving tourism attraction.<br />

National Standard Bank Art Festival: Each July, the National Standard Bank<br />

Art Festival transforms Grahamstown into a Mecca of the arts. The festival<br />

provides opportunities for all the disciplines, including drama, dance, music,<br />

visual arts, cabarets and student drama. The book fair, film festival and openair<br />

craft markets also draw many visitors. The festival is widely regarded as<br />

one of the largest of its kind in the world and runs for about ten days.<br />

Accommodation is very scarce during this period and should be booked well in<br />

advance.<br />

Provost Prison: This former military prison, built in 1838, is now the venue for<br />

a lively arts and craft market.<br />

CULTURAL/COMMUNITY TOURISM<br />

International Library of <strong>African</strong> Music: The International Library of <strong>African</strong><br />

Music on the campus of Rhodes University is responsible for researching,<br />

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