The sight of makalani palms silhouetted against a ‘fireball’ African sunset is an evocative and indelible image. The palm trees add an exotic touch to the northern Namibian landscape, but they also have a practical value. The fruit have a sweet, juicy outer pulp that provides food for both people and animals. The sap, when tapped and fermented, becomes a popular – and highly intoxicating – liquor. Besides providing invaluable shade, the palms’ fronds are skillfully woven into distinctive basketware. Once made primarily for domestic use, baskets of all shapes and sizes are now sold at roadside stalls to appreciative tourists and are exported far beyond Namibia’s borders.

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