Paul Weinberg South African, b. 1956
The city of Cape Town has a unique underground system of rivers that flow from Table
Mountain and the surrounding highlands through the city. It also has an integrated
seasonal wetland system. Perhaps not surprisingly, the original inhabitants of Cape Town
called it Camissa, a Khoi name meaning sweet waters. Various San and Khoi groups lived
harmoniously within this ecosystem in which they grazed their livestock, hunted the many
species of wildlife and harvested bushfood. Like other indigenous groups, the linkage
between the natural environment and the spirit world was axiomatic. When the first settlers
arrived, they were astounded by this paradise and the abundance of wildlife.