The audience of the 'Pearls of the Kalahari' jewellery show on 30 November 2007 could not have been more surprised when the Master of Ceremony's announcement of a dance referred to a passionate Rap performance by three young San men. Andre, Mukose and Steffaans lost all their usual shyness when they danced with much precision to the music they love most. The delighted spectators thanked them with well-deserved applause and cheers of joy. The enchantment continued when the San crafters from Botswana appeared in their traditional clothes and adornments, whose clapping accompanied Namaswa Kikonyane and Mikie Camme's performance of the hunting dance.

This unusual, but eye-catching synthesis of modernity and tradition continued to wind through the entire jewellery show. The spectators - an equally uncommon combination of professionals in the areas of jewellery, culture and fashion from as far a field as Austria and local community members - were captivated by what they experienced. Female and male lay models from !Khwa ttu's neighbouring villages Darling and Yzerfontein presented the new collection of the 'Pearls of the Kalahari' in style. Trained and draped by world-class jewellery designer Mickaël Kra himself in long pieces of flowing chiffon the models gracefully walked bare-foot over the catwalk which had been arranged in the historic building of !Khwa ttu's photo gallery. Even the infectious background music was an amalgamation of South African Jazz musician Pops Mohamed and Namibian !Xõó San singers.

The models' exceptional make-up, their hairstyle, and the carefully thought through succession of the jewellery's presentation bore Mickaël Kra's artistic signature. The show began with a young male San model elegantly presenting an ostrich egg - the central traditional raw material of the San's jewellery - to the audience. Subsequently the models appeared with remarkable jewellery made out of plain ostrich eggshell beads, followed by pieces of ostrich eggshell beads combined with leather, semi-precious stones on leather, ostrich eggshell beads embellished with semi-precious stones, followed by monochrome and colourful pieces produced with glass beads. At the end of the show the customary 'bride' entered the catwalk in a black chiffon veil and a black chiffon wrap-around. With one swift gesture she unveiled her dazzling jewellery consisting of white small feathers embroidered into the conglomerate of all the materials the San crafters had worked with during the preceding workshop. It was a remarkable and once again, an unanticipated sight.

The professionals, the community members, the !Khwa ttu team and the crafters themselves were truly amazed by what they witnessed during the show. Each piece of the exquisite jewellery and the equally stylish models earned ululations and rapturous applause. This, of course, reached its climax when Mickaël Kra and the San crafters came onto the catwalk.

Immediately after the show the air was filled with a multitude of compliments ranging from 'spectacular' to 'truly extraordinary', 'striking' and 'stunning'. Numerous guests could not believe that the San crafters and Mickaël Kra had designed and produced the new collection in only 12 days. Not a single person wanted to leave the celebratory atmosphere. While enjoying wine and snacks the visitors took the opportunity to learn more about the new 'Pearls of the Kalahari' collection from the San crafters, Mickaël Kra and the organisers. Some of the professionals even returned to the gallery to have another closer look at the details of this skilful and artistic jewellery collection. Everyone was keen to find out when the production of the new collection would begin so that orders of these unique jewellery pieces could be placed.

The remarkable fusion of tradition and modernity on various levels will be a lasting memory for all who experienced this event at !Khwa ttu.