The Tracking the Kalahari 2026 expedition has just returned from an epic and inspirational expedition to visit the CyberTracker Kalahari Master Tracker Project. This was the 7th expedition in TTK's 10 years of building relationships there and our ties to our Ju/'Hoansi friends and colleagues only continues to deepen. Our 19 participants from across the globe reflected on what an inspirational and life-changing experience they had with our amazing hosts in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy. And while we all are returning with glowing inspiration, this year's trip was also very different with a hard story taking place in the community. Unbeknownst to them, the Ju/'Hoansi people's traditional right to hunting in the Conservancy has been stripped away and is under long-term threat.  Moreover, three of the most skilled trackers and traditional bowhunters left on the planet, one of whom is CyberTracker certified as a Master Tracker, the other two of whom are very close, were arrested for hunting illegally without knowing their right to hunt had been stripped, and are facing a court hearing soon. While there is much work to be done around this, and it can feel very heavy, we are taking the lead of our Ju/'Hoansi friends in this and leading with hope and hard work ahead. Please read on if you would like to pitch in to the urgent and targeted fundraiser to support this community in their legal battles ahead.

The Ask: We are aiming to raise $7,500 USD/£5,600 GBP to cover a variety of logistical and legal needs. This small amount of money from the west will go a tremendously long way to supporting this timely need. Any amount helps, large or small. If we can exceed our goal, we will gratefully pass on ALL proceeds to the community to tend to numerous other needs they have as they see fit in this struggle (and there are many). Please read on for more details.

The Crisis: Tradition Under Trial

For 60,000 years, the Ju/’Hoansi San Bushmen have hunted the Kalahari using traditional bows and poison arrows. They are the "First People," and their tracking skills are the root of our shared human history.

But right now, that history is under threat. Three trackers and bow hunters from the Nyae Nyae Conservancy—men who have dedicated their lives to preserving their heritage—are being prosecuted for a traditional hunt of a blue wildebeest. They were arrested and charged after their fundamental right to hunt with traditional methods was stripped from the constitution without their knowledge or consent.

Their trial is set for May 7th. We must act now to keep them out of jail and fight to restore their ancestral rights!

This fundraiser is dedicated to two urgent objectives:

1. The Legal Defense Fund (Immediate Need) We are raising funds to cover the legal fees for the three arrested trackers. They face prosecution for practicing the very skills that have sustained their people for millennia. We cannot allow these trackers, hunters and Master Tracker—pillars of their community—to be imprisoned for a "crime" they didn't know existed, on land that has always been theirs.

2. The Nyae Nyae Constitutional Delegation Restoring justice requires more than a single court victory; it requires a change in the law. We are funding a delegation from the Nyae Nyae Conservancy to travel to Windhoek to meet with government officials. Their mission is to fight for the reinstatement of traditional bowhunting rights in the Namibian Constitution, ensuring that future generations can live, hunt, and remain connected to their land without fear of arrest.

On May 7th, it isn't just three men standing trial—it is a 60,000-year-old way of life. By prosecuting these trackers for using the same bow-and-poison methods their ancestors used at the dawn of humanity, the legal system is effectively criminalizing the world’s oldest living culture. We are fighting to prove that tradition is not a crime; it is a human right.

Your donation provides the legal shield needed to protect the last master trackers and ensure that 60,000 years of history doesn't end in a courtroom.

While the Legal Defense keeps our trackers out of jail today, the Constitutional Delegation ensures they are never arrested again. We are fighting this battle on two fronts: defending the individuals in court and defending the culture in the Constitution.

Where Your Donation Goes

1. The Legal Defense Fund:  (70% of each dollar/pound)

• The Goal: Retain expert legal counsel for the three trackers before their May 7th trial.

• What it covers: Lawyer fees, court filing costs, and expert witness testimony to explain the cultural significance of the hunt.

• The Impact: Prevents the imprisonment of master trackers and sets a legal precedent that traditional knowledge is not a crime.

2. The Constitutional Delegation:  (30% of each dollar/pound)

• The Goal: Transport a delegation of elders and leaders from Nyae Nyae to Windhoek (the capital).

• What it covers: Fuel for the 1,600km round-trip journey, modest lodging in the city, and daily meals for the delegation while they meet with government officials.

• The Impact: Moves the fight from the courtroom to the halls of government to permanently restore bowhunting rights to the Constitution.

Thank you so much for your consideration in supporting this emergency financial appeal. This money will go a long way in providing critical support to a community in need, in addition to a lasting global legacy in preserving one of the oldest aspects of what makes us all human.

Thanks so much, 

The Staff at Tracking the Kalahari