Tsamma, My Kalahari Love Poem by Ravi Kopra

"Tsamma or Kalahari desert Melon Citrulus lanatus
This relative or even perhaps progenitor of the cultivated Water-melon, is responsible for maintaining life in the deserts of Southern Africa, for both man and animals, during the long drought years.

Especially in the era before bore-holes had been drilled to access ground water, the tsamma, that can remain fresh and firm for more than two years, maintained animals and made travel in the inhospitable Kalahari desert possible. Animals eat it raw, and to use it as a source of water, one can either use it raw or cooked, which improves the taste of the resultant water.

However, the water obtained from an uncooked Tsamma ferments within a day and have to be replaced. The seeds of the Tsamma produces kalahari melon seed-oil, which is a sought after commodity."

-from web pages