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A living cultural and craft manufacturing experience set in a remarkable heritage park.
This creative cluster has a far reaching vision for its development . The Talana museum, individual artists and groups and annual events will form part of the entire package. This will be a place where cultural products are consumed and experienced, as well as made.
The cluster will grow on diversity, change, uniqueness and authenticity.
Technical innovation, artistic creativity and business entrepreneurship will be welded together to make and distribute a new cultural product.
The project will evolve by getting better, not always bigger.
- A precious natural resource
Art, creativity and culture are important aspects of business. Traditional skills are rich sources of information. These resources are in people's minds, in their social practice, in their everyday language, in their dress codes. Our cultural heritage is a huge repository of meaning and is a valuable economic resource.
- Cultural diversity and creativity are one of South Africa's economic assets. In South Africa and particularly our region
- The manufacture of good quality crafts that are aiming at being classified as art, can be extremely important for the economy. A large number of people are already involved in this production.

- For successful production of crafts they need to be well made, unique and market related.
There is a strong relationship between arts and crafts and tourism. They might develop independently, but are interconnected. As tourism numbers into our area grows, so too does the demand for quality items to take away with them.
Aims of the project
To create a corporate identity with production of a range of craft items. To provide some co-ordination within the manufacture of crafts To create a central point for orders for crafts, sales, quality control and marketing To provide skills and business training appropriate to the project To assist with upgrade of existing skills of persons involved in the project To provide crafters with relevant information regarding sourcing of raw materials, design ideas and changes within the market.
Skills training
Skills that were prevalent in the area in previous generations, will be taught back to people within the local community. Therefore with a basis in traditional culture, economically viable items will be produced for sale within South Africa and abroad. The production of items from these traditional skills will be adapted to suit modern markets and consumers.
Visitor interaction
Visitors to the museum and this new complex will be able to interact with the producers and in certain areas, be able to choose colours and patterns and work with the producer, to make their own special product to take away with them.
A multi faceted approach
The whole project rests on the components of culture, economic development for a depressed area, skills and job creation in an area where unemployment is rife.
Although much of the production will be done within the creative cluster, after training, many of the people will return to their rural environment and will produce the items in their own homes or villages. Finished items will return to a central quality control point for sale.
Mass production or assembly lines are not an option in these enterprises – it is the human input that makes them what they are.
This new initiative and development will be a life giving force for our community and region.
Tourist guides will be trained to operate within the project and to conduct tours within the entire region.
In this project you will be able to experience 
Weaving, beading, glassblowing, pottery, sewing, traditional plants, Zulu culture and lifestyle. Traditional Zulu beading in a variety of fashions and in different applications African pottery and crafts to reflect African traditions and heritage. A wonderful opportunity for tourists, would be to see the pit kilns being opened and the fired products removed. Dundee has historical links with the production of glass and in this studio, visitors will see superb pieces of art glass being hand blown. Design and sewing of specialised items.
Knowledge of traditional plants and their uses in medicine and everyday life.
Traditional Zulu village depicting the lifestyle of rural Zulu's. Life as it was in the past and how it has evolved. A resident sangoma to explain traditions.
A herd of Nguni cattle and traditional cattle kraal.
Restaurant serving traditional style meals.
Gardens . Botanical "muti", boereraad, herbal and traditional Indian plants, grown in gardens that become an educational experience. A propagation nursery with plants for sale and end products produced from the plants e.g. soap, bath products, flavoured syrups and cordials, jams.
Guides/gardeners will conduct tours explaining the uses of various plants and their cultural practice within communities.
Horses trails over the battlefield and on to nearby destinations.
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