|Nara is a leafless, thorny, melon-bearing bush that grows in the Namib Desert. The plant is an important component of the dune ecosystem, providing shelter and food to many different animals, and bringing moisture via its deep roots to the desert surface. |Nara is also a valuable resource for real Topnaar, a community of some 300 pastoralists and gatherers who live in the lower Kuiseb valley.