I seek not the laughter nor the stories under the kameel-doring trees, I am called by something else, something pulling at me gently, I cross over to the open patch of red Kalahari sand where I encounter Stella, who leads me on a journey that left me out a few degrees of reality for several months. Kom Kgara kom, hulle dans en ek soek vir jou…as I am ducking through the darkness and large white thorns like sabre teeth in the moonlight, I can hear it so sweet and so rhythmic. My heart pounds in my chest, my very being lights up as I head deeper barefoot, no torch, no idea where I am going yet I know for sure what is waiting ahead deep in the Kalahari Desert.

African Traditional Medicine – San Trans Healing Dance Lions Gate.

African Traditional Medicine – San Trans Healing Dance.

What a sight, what such a beautiful sight of a group of several different clans around the bonfire, deep in Trans. The shamans dance in the inner circle around the fire, stomping their skinny rattled adorned legs, chanting, deep in Trans. As they stomp, they follow the same two foot prints creating a distinctive groove and circle in the sand around the fire. It is magical, the red dust kicked up by the stomping mixing with the smoke of the fire while the shamans weave magic, the smoke and dust are pulled into a gentle vortex and rises into the deep inky black endless sky.

The women all sit feet first in a second circle around the fire and shamans. The clap and sing, a song so ancient it evokes a knowing. The song is tonal there are no words, no leader, they have beats which are way beyond me to hold. They huddle close to each other with love and support of old friends and family who have not seen each other for years…crinkly smiles and twinkle in their eyes they accept me.

Lions Gate Full Moon rises, shrouding the lead shamans head in a halo. I knew this was going to be an epic Trans Dance.