San people

The San or Basarwa people live on the vast territory of Kalahari desert which is divided among 3 countries – South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Some San communities exist in Angola too.

San man

The San are often called Bushmen. The word "bushman" is rather pejorative. It comes from the Dutch word, "bossiesman", which means "bandit" or "outlaw". White people start calling the San that way some 200 years ago.

At the moment there are about 95,000 San people. But only 3,000 of them kept their traditional lifestyle of hunters and gatherers. It is believed that the San represents one of the oldest cultures on our planet. Their culture is more than 100,000 years old.

The San traditionally live in groups of about 20 people. Groups include family members and there is no chief or something like that. Decisions are made on consensus. Still certain knowledge like those of hunters is highly respected.

San men trying to start a fire

If bigger disagreements happen the group just splits and go their own separate ways. Few times a year different groups meet to exchange news and presents. Marriage arrangements are sometimes made too.

The San constantly move from area to area in search of food and water. They often follow migration routes of animals. They live in huts made of branches with some grass on top.

San man drinking

Men are hunters. They use traps, bows and poisoned arrows. Various poisons are used - snake venom, the poison from the caterpillar called "ka" or "ngwa", poison from for example euphorbia plant. The poison does not make the animal it kills dangerous for food. The hunter just cuts out the piece of animal flesh around the place where the arrow struck the body.

San men making poisoned arrows

Each hunter has a special a leather bag. In the bag he carries his some medicine, tools, arrows etc. He carries the bag on one of his shoulders. Women are gatherers of wild fruits and vegetables. Sometimes men help them too.

The San eat all kind of animals and plants. They eat different fish, insects, snakes but also zebras, antelopes etc. All parts of the animal is used. Nothing is wasted. Bones, for example, are crushed for the marrow.

Considering the fact that they live in part of the World where there is not much water the San people often use the water get by scraping and squeezing of different roots. They find some water by digging holes in sand too. They keep the water collected in ostrich eggshells.

The San people speak many groups of languages like for example !Kung, Khomani, Vasekela, Mbarakwena etc . When speaking they create characteristic "click" sounds.

The San people make paintings on rocks. As a paint they use different things - Manganese oxide charcoal, bird droppings, kaolin etc. The motives on these paintings are people and animals (very often the Eland antelope). There are scientific opinions that most of these rock art was made by shamans in a state of trance.

Eland antelope

The San have an interesting belief concerning the death. If someone in group dies the group will leave and never make a camp on this place again.

They try to avoid places where someone is buried. But if they arrive on such a place they will throw some pebbles on the grave and say few words to the spirits very quietly to ensure good luck. They never step on the grave as they believe that spirits are still active in the area above the grave.