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Tribe Snapshots San |
| Location: |
Botswana,
northern South
Africa |
| Population: |
not available |
| Language: |
Khoisan languages |
| Neighboring Peoples: |
Tswana, Zulu, Swazi |
| Types of Art: |
San rock paintings are among the oldest forms
of art found on the African continent. |
| History: |
The term San is commonly used by scholars to
refer to a diverse group of foragers living in
southern Africa who share historical and linguistic
connections. This same group of people was formerly
referred to as "Bushmen," but this term has since
been abandoned because it is considered racist
and sexist. However, unless properly defined,
the term San may elicit the same responses. It
is believed that San have lived in the area of
the Kalahari desert for thousands of years and
may be the first humans to have occupied this
region. There are numerous subgroups of San who
live in small groups among their sedentary Bantu
neighbors. They speak numerous dialects of a group
of languages known for the characteristic "clicks"
that can be heard in their pronunciation. |
| Economy: |
San are generally defined as a hunter and gatherer
society or as foragers. As such, they live in
small family groups and move about the land in
search of food sources. In recent years, many
San have begun to settle into larger groups around
water sources, and many have also settled into
the communities of their neighbors. In a hunting
and gathering society, the women are usually responsible
for procuring most of the food. They collect nuts
and berries and dig for roots. They also capture
small animals, which provide most of the protein
for the family. Men usually hunt in small groups,
but the food they provide is minimal. Surviving
for thousands of years in the Kalahari, San peoples
have had to develop a keen awareness of their
surroundings and have learned to benefit from
a seemingly harsh environment. |
| Political Systems: |
Leadership among the San is reserved for those
who have lived within that group for a considerable
time, who have achieved a respectable age, and
who have desirable personal qualities. San are
largely egalitarian, sharing such things as meat
and tobacco. Land is usually owned by a group,
and rights to land are usually inherited bilaterally.
Kinship bonds provide the basic framework for
political models. Membership in a group is determined
by residency. As long as a person lives on the
land of his group he maintains his membership.
It is possible to hunt on lands not owned by the
group, but permission must first be obtained by
the owners. |
| Religion: |
San religions generally observe the supremacy
of one powerful god, while at the same time recognizing
the presence of lesser gods along with their wives
and children. Respect is also paid to the spirits
of the dead. Among some San it is believed that
tilling the soil is contrary to the world order
established by the god. Some groups also reserve
reverence for the moon. San peoples have extensive
oral traditions, and many of their tales incorporate
stories about the gods that serve to educate listeners
about what is considered moral San behavior. Of
prime importance in all San groups is a ritual
dance that serves to heal the community. The dance
is a communal enterprise that transforms spiritual
power and energy into medicine for all those who
dance. The power is harnessed in the stomachs
of both men and women, many of whom go into trance.
This power can be used to heal both physical and
psychological illnesses. |
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