Our Origin Festival

Our Origin Festival is a three-day spiritual gathering at Kromdraai Impact Hub in the Cradle of Humankind, near Krugersdorp, South Africa. It brings together live music, ceremony, Indigenous wisdom, science, healing, creativity and regenerative action, and it is open to all ages, whether you are new to ceremonial gatherings or experienced in them. It is the South African anchor of ORIGIN, a global movement of Indigenous Elders, artists, scientists, healers, young people and families, and Zach Bush MD leads the Sunday morning programme.

What to Expect

The weekend runs from a Friday late afternoon to a Sunday early afternoon, and it has a clear arc.

Friday is for arriving. Weekend Pass holders and camping and glamping guests settle onto the land, and at sunset a Conscious Party Night opens the festival with music, movement and fireside connection. It is a chance to meet people and ground yourself before the main day.

Saturday is the main festival. The live music includes TRESOR, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Buhlebendalo, Tubatsi Mpho Moloi and Sibusile Xaba, alongside drumming circles, performance art, storytelling, ceremony, food, workshops and conversations. Indigenous Elders and knowledge holders share prayer, story and ancestral knowledge. Among them are Rre Pharologanyo Easter Tlatsana, a Batswana Elder and custodian; Ouma Katrina Esau, a South African language activist and cultural custodian who has worked to preserve and revitalise N|uu, one of Southern Africa's oldest Indigenous languages; and Paul Jrumpinjinbah McLeod, a Yuin Aboriginal Elder and healer. Through Seed the Dream, festival-goers plant into the landscape.

At 9:00 PM South Africa time, the gathering joins communities around the world for the Global Moment of Unity. It includes a Prayer for Mother Earth led by Indigenous Elders, followed by music.

Sunday is given to integration: a Morning of Applied Science, then closing and reflection on what to carry forward.

Two spaces run alongside the main programme. The Healing Village is a quieter place for practitioners offering restorative practices for body, mind, heart and spirit. The Kids' Village offers nature-based arts and crafts, storytelling, Indigenous games, music and movement, sensory play and environmental learning.

About Zach Bush MD

Zach Bush is a physician who trained in internal medicine and endocrinology. His work explores where health, environment and spirituality meet, and he is known for emphasising gut health and its effect on overall wellbeing. In his teaching he draws scientific knowledge and spiritual insight together. On Sunday he leads a morning on human health, soil, food systems, ecology and planetary wellbeing, asking how ancestral wisdom and contemporary science can be applied to the way we live, grow food and build communities.

The Setting

The festival takes place at Kromdraai Impact Hub in the Cradle of Humankind, a landscape associated with some of humanity's earliest ancestors. You can come for Saturday alone or stay for the whole weekend. Options include a Weekend Festival Pass without accommodation, bring-your-own camping, camping packages for two, glamping for two with shared premium bathrooms, and premium glamping for two with private bathroom facilities.

On-site parking is limited, so carpooling, drop-offs and ride-share are encouraged, and early arrival is advised for drivers. Lifestyle Tours & Safaris can help with shuttle and transport arrangements, at additional cost.

Before You Go

All ages are welcome, and children 12 and under enter free. The programme is in English, and the gathering is non-denominational, rooted in Indigenous traditions.

Festival food and drink are available for purchase. Accommodation, transport and some individual healing sessions are separate and may need their own booking or payment.

To keep the land and guests safe, the following are not permitted: your own alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons, fireworks, glass containers, open flames, braais and fire pits, unauthorised gas canisters, laser pointers, and drones without prior written approval.