San peoples

The San peoples, also called Bushmen, are the members of indigenous hunter-gatherer cultures in southern Africa. They are considered the oldest surviving cultures of the region. Some scientists believe that San people may have been separate from other humans for as long as 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.

Their ancestral lands stretch across several countries, including Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa. The San speak languages from the Khoe, Tuu, and Kxʼa language families.

In 2017, Botswana had the largest number of San people, with about 63,500, making up 2.8% of the country's population. In 2023, Namibia had around 71,201 San people, which is about 2.4% of its population. The term San was originally used by other groups and later adopted by researchers, but in 2003, San representatives asked to be called by the names of their own nations instead.

Definition

The San, also known as Bushmen, are people from southern Africa who traditionally lived by hunting and gathering. They speak special languages that include click sounds, which sets them apart from other groups in the area. Their ancestral lands stretch from the Okavango River in Botswana to Etosha National Park in Namibia, and further into Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Kalahari region. They are among the oldest surviving cultures in southern Africa.

Main article: hunter-gatherer
Main articles: click consonants · Twa · Kwisi · Cimba · Kwadi · Damara

Names

The San people, also known as Bushmen, do not have a single word to describe themselves as a group. The word "San" comes from a term used by the Khoekhoe people to describe foragers without cattle. "Bushmen" is an older term that some still use, but many consider it offensive today.

The San prefer to use their own group names, such as ǃkung, ǀxam, and Nǁnǂe, instead of the general term "San." In Botswana, they are called Basarwa. Different cultures have their own names for the San, like "Batwa" used by Xhosa and Sotho people.

History

Origins

The San peoples are thought to be the oldest cultures in southern and eastern Africa. Some believe they split from other humans between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago. Their ancestors lived across areas now known as Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, and down to Cape Agulhas. They are considered some of the oldest cultures on Earth.

During the first millennium BCE, two main San groups lived in southern Africa. The Tshua San lived in areas now called Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The Khwe San lived further west in Botswana, Namibia, Angola, and Zambia. These groups interacted with other communities moving south, including groups that later became known as the Khoekhoe and others during a time called the Bantu expansion. The San were known for their spiritual leaders, called shamans, who connected with the spirit world.

Pre-colonial times

Because they hunted and gathered food, the San could move easily to find resources like water, animals, and plants. They did not have permanent homes but moved within certain areas. They made decisions together, with elders helping to guide the group. The San left behind beautiful cave paintings showing their daily life and stories.

Displacement, marginalisation and genocide during European colonisation

When Dutch settlers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, there were between 30,000 and 50,000 San people. As farmers moved into San lands, they took over water sources and hunting grounds. This led to conflicts between the San and the new settlers. Over time, many San people were killed or forced to work for the settlers. By the time British rulers took over, the San way of life was severely threatened.

San communities in decolonised African states

In the mid-20th century, many San groups changed to farming due to government programs. They have contributed greatly to understanding human history and genetics. However, many San people still feel left out of government decisions and face unfair treatment in some countries.

Society

Further information: San healing practices, San rock art, and San religion

The San people have a special way of naming and family ties that show their history as small, moving groups. They name children after grandparents or other relatives, but never after their parents. Children spend a lot of time playing, and fun is important for everyone. Women can lead their own family groups and help make big decisions. They gather food and sometimes join in hunting.

Water is very important to the San. In dry times, they make special wells using a hollow grass stem to get water into an ostrich egg. The San are a community where everyone has a say, and women are treated equally in making decisions. They share things by giving gifts to each other instead of buying or selling.

The San have lived in southern Africa for a very long time. Tools very similar to theirs, from 42,000 years ago, were found in a place called Border Cave. Some believe the San have the oldest living culture today, with rituals that go back thousands of years. Many San were pushed to live in the Kalahari Desert by other groups, where they faced hard times and lost much of their land.

Genetics

Studies of certain parts of the San people's DNA show they have some of the oldest and most unique genetic groups found in humans. This means their ancestors were among the first groups to split off from other early humans.

Scientists have found that the San have very high genetic diversity, suggesting they have been around for a very long time. Research shows that the ancestors of the San began to separate from other human groups in Africa around 200,000 years ago and were fully separated by about 100,000 years ago.

Ancestral land conflict in Botswana

Main article: Ancestral land conflict in Botswana

When Europeans first came to Southern Africa in 1652, there were around 300,000 San people and 600,000 Khoekhoe people living there. During the time when Europeans were taking over, many San and Khoekhoe people sadly lost their lives because of unfair treatment and diseases.

In Botswana, much of the land that belonged to the San people was taken over during the time when the country was being ruled by others. Even after Botswana became independent, the San people continued to lose their land. Government actions in the 1970s moved a lot of San land to other groups of people. These actions made life very hard for the San, especially when they were asked to leave the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The government said the moving was not forced, but many people felt it was. This situation also made it easier for companies to search for diamonds in the area.

Hoodia traditional knowledge agreement

The San people have used a plant called Hoodia gordonii for many years. In 1998, a group in South Africa called the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) got a patent for this plant, thinking it could help people eat less. Later, a company named Phytopharm got a license to work on a part of the plant that might be used in medicines for dieting.

When the San learned about this patent, they worked with some groups to make an agreement with the CSIR in 2003. This agreement was supposed to give the San royalties, or money, for sharing their traditional knowledge. This was one of the first times such an agreement was made for traditional knowledge used in drugs. However, the San have not yet received any money because the drug has not been made and sold. The agreement has been discussed because it might not follow some international rules about sharing benefits from plants and genes, as mentioned in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Representation in mass media

The San people of the Kalahari first became known to the world in the 1950s thanks to South African author Laurens van der Post. In 1955, he traveled to the Kalahari desert with a film crew for the BBC, creating a popular television documentary. Van der Post later wrote books about his experiences, helping many people learn about indigenous African cultures for the first time.

Documentaries have also shown the lives of San communities. For example, filmmaker John Marshall spent over 50 years recording the lives of San in Namibia. His films show how their lives changed when they were moved to smaller areas. Other documentaries explore San history, culture, and struggles for land rights.

Films and music sometimes feature the San as well. For instance, the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy showed a San group's reaction to a modern object, though it took some creative license. Some songs and stories also draw inspiration from San culture and traditions.

Early representations

Films and music

Memoirs

Novels

Notable individuals

ǃkung

• Nǃxau ǂToma
• Royal ǀUiǀoǀoo

Gǁana

• Roy Sesana

ǀxam

• ǁkabbo
• ǃkweiten-ta-ǁKen

ǂKhomani or Nǁnǂe

• Dawid Kruiper (Khoekhoe-speaking)
• Elsie Vaalbooi (Nǁng-speaking)
• Katrina Esau (Nǁng-speaking)

Naro

• Cgʼose Ntcoxʼo
• Coexʼae Qgam