People flocked in numbers to bid farewell to the Homo Naledi exhibition at the Farewell Concert in Cradle of Humankind on 18 October.
The Homo Naledi Farewell Concert line-up included the BET award-nominated a capella group called The Soil from Soweto, the platinum-selling Lira, SA’s award-winning musician and anthropologist, Johnny Clegg and club DJ G-Force.
The concert marked the end of the temporary exhibition of Homo Naledi at the Maropeng amphitheatre in Cradle of Humankind.
Directing the concert programme, popular DJ Sbu said the historic discovery of Homo Naledi brought together the SA musicians and the community.
According to Nicola Honey of Cathy Findley Public Relations, 18 October was the last day to see the world-famous Homo Naledi fossils at the Cradle of Humankind.
The Gauteng Tourism Authority and the National Department of Arts and Culture were the hosts of the farewell.
Concertgoers brought their own picnic baskets as it was also a fun-filled family day out with free entry to the Homo Naledi exhibition.
“Were you there?” was the theme of the day.
The discovery of the new human ancestor both excited and puzzled researchers and scientists when unveiled in September 2015.
Homo Naledi will now have a new home at the University of the Witwatersrand for further scientific study.
Maropeng board member Dr Trish Hannekom said since the exhibition started in September, more than 40 000 people visited the exhibit, sometimes more than 2 000 on busy days.
Professor Lee Berger, the Wits’s expedition leader said they were happy to see hundreds of people visiting Maropeng.
He believes that the risks they take discovering the fossils in dangerous underground conditions, are worth it.
Related articles
Homo Naledi – new species of human ancestor discovered
Groundbreaking fossil discovery to be unveiled at Maropeng
