Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Village Life: Mokoros
| | Okavango Delta | |
When the Bantu people migrated to the Okavango, they brought dug-out canoes, called mokoros, to travel along the waterways.
With the lack of deep water channels, and even less of solid ground, this canoe became recognized as the most efficient vehicle in the trackless marsh.
Mokoros leave no tracks, make no alteration in the environment, and provide access to the abundant fish.
In modern times, governments often debate the merits of dredging to preserve a water course. Waterways are dredged to allow access for large boats and to provide a continual flow of water to communities inland. However, given the changeable pattern of the Okavango, which version of the river's path should the citizens keep? The one the river takes today or the one it took a decade ago or the one it took during successive years of plentiful rainfall?
The rapidly changing water courses of the Okavango also means the dredging in one area might cause a drought in another area.
[Caption:]
Dense papyrus and other marsh reeds excludes all but the smallest boats.
Erected by Virginia Zoo.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology
this page online
Location. 36° 52.777′ N, 76° 16.678′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in Virginia Zoo. It can be reached from Viburnam Avenue west of Greenhouse Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3500 Granby St, Norfolk VA 23504, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Village Life: Survival Strategies (within shouting distance of this marker); Village of Xaxaba: Island of the Tall Trees (within shouting distance of this marker); African Village Garden (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tsodilo Hills (about 300 feet away); Stanley Crane (about 300 feet away); Oyster Restoration on the Lafayette River (approx. 0.2 miles away); Endangered Species Success Story (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Bottle Tree (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norfolk.
Additional keywords. Botswana, 🇧🇼
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 97 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
