Canadian freelance writer, broadcaster and singer-songwriter Laurie Sarkadi presents a heartfelt rock number in ode to the Kalahari Bushmen.

“Diamonds in the Kalahari” (follow title to download)

Words and Music by Laurie Sarkadi

Laurie explains how her travels in Botswana inspired her to write the song:

“In early 2004 I travelled overland with my husband and our three sons through South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. While in Botswana we ventured into the Central Kalahari Game Reserve largely by chance, having been unable to secure park permits for more fertile pans in the area over the busy Easter weekend. Using local maps and guide books (which we later discovered were outdated) we tried to drive to the San (Bushman) village of Xade. We never reached our destination because of time and vast distance. It wasn’t until we’d left Botswana and I was reading a South African newspaper that I learned of the forced relocations of the San by the Botswana government. Xade no longer existed.

“Upon returning to Canada I began comparing the way the same diamond companies that were exploring the Central Kalahari were operating in northern Canada. The result was a feature article in Canadian Diamonds magazine (PDF download, 9 pages, 2.2mb) and simultaneously, the song ‘Diamonds in the Kahalari’.”

The BBC’s hit series Tribe returns to the UK’s TV screens on Tuesday 21st August as presenter Bruce Parry visits the Matis tribe of the Brazilian Amazon.

Survival’s campaigner Fiona Watson has also visited the Matis. I asked her about her experiences on the trip and for an update on the situation the Matis face right now. You can watch her talking about her time with the Matis, together with some video taken on that trip, here:

If you want to help the Matis in their struggle against disease in the Javari Valley, please write to the Brazilian Health Minister. Survival has written a model letter for you.

The third series of Tribe will also see Parry visit the Nenet of Siberia, the Anuta of the Solomon Islands, the Akie of Tanzania, the Layap of Bhutan and the Penan of Sarawak, Malaysia.

Bruce Parry says, ‘We have so much to learn from tribal peoples and yet they themselves are frequently facing extreme difficulties or extinction. I hope that our series may have touched you in some way and I recommend your contacting Survival International to find out more about the global plight of indigenous peoples and how you may help.’

Jonathan Mazower, Research Co-ordinator at Survival, has just returned from Paraguay. Jonathan was finding out about the situation that uncontacted Ayoreo-Totobiegosode face in the country’s rapidly-disappearing Chaco forests.

Here he speaks to Katya Brooks about his trip and how Survival supporters can help the Ayoreo reclaim their traditional territory.

(use the player above or download the mp3 file)