Most who read this title will not understand it. To you, it may seem a creative arrangement of keyboard characters rather than a language. But for a marginalised few, the symbols and sounds carry the weight of survival, a language teetering on the brink of extinction – much like their own existence. The San live in a state of uncertainty. Caught between belonging and exile. The original inhabitants of this Land of the Brave, yet somehow still removed from it. They walk a tightrope between past and present, forgotten by many… but not by all. There are still those brave enough to fight for this land’s true inhabitants. It’s wild souls. Animal and human alike.
Marlice van Vuuren – Barefoot in the Land of the Brave
Growing up in the wilderness of Namibia, Marlice van Vuuren's childhood was anything but ordinary. Her playground was the vast, untamed expanse of the Namibian landscape, and her closest companions were wild animals – baboons, lions, and a Vervet monkey that rarely left her side. "I grew up with lions sleeping in my bed, sucking on my finger because they couldn't sleep," she recalls with a soft laugh, reflecting on the unique experiences that shaped her life. These early connections, woven deeply into the fabric of her being, ignited a lifelong devotion to conservation. For Marlice, wildlife is not just a passion; it’s her calling.
Born into a family of conservationists, Marlice's parents were trailblazers in their own right, founding Namibia’s first wildlife sanctuary. Her father, who had Honorary Recognition from the then Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and her mother were both relentless advocates for wildlife protection, fighting for laws and policies that would safeguard Namibia's fragile ecosystems. "My parents were my biggest influences, and now my husband, Rudie, and my children drive me forward," Marlice says, acknowledging the generations of dedication that have paved the way for her own work.
But the path of conservation is not always smooth. Marlice's journey has been fraught with challenges, many of which have tested her resilience. "The biggest challenge is fighting for the rights of animals, especially the ones that aren’t charismatic or don’t bring in tourism money," she says. "In Namibia, the right to life is not always the first option for animals." Whether it's a meerkat or an elephant, Marlice has had to face the reality that animals often lose their lives in conflicts with human interests, and this daily struggle has shaped her into a fierce advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.
One of the most heartbreaking moments in her career involved witnessing the devastating aftermath of poaching – a scene she still struggles to describe. "Standing next to a dead rhino, with its horn brutally hacked off, while its baby tries to nudge it awake – it destroys a part of your soul," she shares, her voice tinged with raw emotion. But even in these moments of despair, Marlice finds strength in the victories, small as they may be. "Every time we catch a poacher, it feels like justice, even if it's just for that moment."
For Marlice, conservation is about more than just protecting individual animals; it’s about preserving ecosystems and finding a delicate balance between wildlife and human communities. In Namibia, where droughts and human-wildlife conflict are intensifying due to climate change, this balance is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. She explains that we’re facing a serious crisis with water and food shortages, and animals are competing with humans for these resources. "The only way forward is to protect large areas of land and make sure animals have the right to survive alongside us."
Despite the challenges, Marlice is unwavering in her belief that conservation is the key to Namibia’s future. She sees tourism as a vital part of the solution, helping to create jobs and provide economic incentives for preserving the country’s wild spaces. "Conservation linked to tourism is the cornerstone of survival for both humans and animals in Namibia," she says, highlighting the potential for private reserves and large protected areas to benefit both people and wildlife.
On a more personal level, Marlice admits that the emotional toll of her work can be overwhelming. She often finds herself deeply connected to the animals she cares for, especially those she raises from infancy. "I’ve had to sit up all night with baby animals, feeding them, keeping them warm, and then losing them because they’re not ready for the wild," she shares, the pain of those losses evident in her voice. "It’s heartbreaking, but it also makes the successes all the more rewarding."
One such success is her work with Namibia’s wild dog population, a species that is particularly close to her heart. "My dream is to see Namibia's wild dogs thriving, with stable numbers and protected corridors where they can roam freely," she says. For Marlice, the ultimate goal is to create a network of safe spaces for wildlife, from Etosha National Park to the Caprivi Strip for example, where animals can live without fear of being hunted or displaced by human activity.
As she looks to the future, Marlice’s vision is both ambitious and grounded in her deep connection to Namibia’s land and people. She dreams of a Namibia where marginalised communities like the San people, alongside who she grew up and whose language she speaks fluently, are empowered to preserve their culture and indigenous knowledge, passing down their understanding of the land to future generations. "Education is the cornerstone of our survival," she says firmly. "If we don’t educate our people, there will be nothing left – no animals, no land, no future."
Her husband, Rudie, and their children are as much a part of her conservation journey as the animals she protects. "My life is my work, and my work is my life," she says simply. "I am so blessed to be able to live this dream, surrounded by the people I love, doing the work I was born to do."
In the end, Marlice van Vuuren’s legacy will not only be the animals she has saved or the land she has protected, but also the countless lives – human and animal alike – that she has touched along the way. Her story is one of relentless dedication, unwavering love, and an unbreakable bond with the wild places of Namibia. It’s a legacy that will inspire future generations of conservationists to continue the fight for a world where animals and humans can thrive together.
Through it all, Marlice remains deeply rooted in the soil of this land of endless horizons – this Land of the Brave. Like the young girl who once roamed wild through the Namibian wilderness alongside her animal companions, Marlice’s spirit remains untamed, barefoot, and bold. She is a champion of conservation – a paragon of strength, though at times a beautiful contradiction. One moment, she’s knee-deep in mud in her khakis, and the next, she’s confidently striding in designer heels – only to kick them off in the middle of a glamorous affair, returning to her barefoot roots once again. Always, she finds her way back to nature.
As seen in the November 2024 issue of Michelangelo
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