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ancestral people
The San People of Southern Africa
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Source: Sufi Path of Love
The San people, also called Bushmen, are the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa and belong to the oldest cultures on the planet. They are the ancestors of the peoples of East Asia, especially present-day China, see previous article below.
The term San should be understood as a collective term for several ethnic groups in southern Africa. These groups include, for example, the Kung, Gui, Ju/'hoasi or the Naro tribe.The San lived in the vast expanse of the Kalahari Desert, between present-day Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Living conditions are difficult. The domestication of animals, as the Khoi do, or agriculture, is not an option in this sandy region, which has made the Kalahari Desert a natural border for people who depend on livestock and crops. Following European colonization, the San tribes were forced into the northern depths of the desert in their fight against the Europeans armed with firearms. During this period, the number of San was greatly reduced and captured San were forced into slavery.
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Source: web Kalahari desert
In essence, the San people are nomadic and do not stay long in one place. They travel in small family groups, including up to 25 men, women and children, carrying their shelter with them. They can also resort to caves found for protection.The diet of the San people includes meat, eggs, wild berries, roots, nuts and other plants.
Among gatherers and hunters, roles are shared. San women are responsible for gathering and San men for hunting. Vegetables harvested by women account for about 75% of their consumption. They rely on their in-depth knowledge of edible, medicinal and poisonous plants. This Indigenous knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. The fact that San women provide three times more food than San men is one of the reasons why women are treated as equals. San men are excellent hunters and use a wide variety of methods. Depending on the animal being tracked, the hunt can last from a few hours to several days – a physically demanding challenge. When laying traps, the San people use, among other things, pit traps. They dig a hole, for example, at a waterhole frequently used by hunted species, and cover it with branches. If an animal accidentally falls into the trap, it cannot escape and becomes easy prey. To catch smaller species, such as hares, a death trap, which tightens when an animal enters in, is formed from plant fibers.
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Credit: Photograph: Michele Westmorland - a San hunter
The San people have a rich traditional culture – especially in the creation of eggshell jewelry, drawings, music, spirituality and wisdom. Using stones of different colors, the San People made cave paintings and sculptures of past things. The cave paintings show non-human beings, humans and hybrid creatures that are half-human, half-animal. They illustrate, for example, the speed of a hunt with a galloping movement or the common dances around the fire. Later, San rock art illustrated contact with European settlers by depicting sailing ships, European-style clothing, rifles, and cannons.
Another central element of San culture is music and dance. The particularly notable dance is a nocturnal and long-lasting trance, which is considered a vital healing remedy. During this trance experience, supernatural power is awakened, which cures diseases and benefits the group. In addition, medicinal plants known to the San are used to treat diseases.
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San rock art
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San jewelry
TURKANA PEOPLE
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Photo Credit @ericlaforg
The Turkana people are found in the Northern part of Kenya. Turkana tribe is part of the Nilotic tribes and constitutes the second largest pastoralist community after the Maasai
Like the Maasai, the Turkana have maintained a traditional lifestyle.
The community is clustered in over 20 clans. The two dominant are the Ngirisai referring to the Leopard and Ngimor referring to the Stones. In this system, successive generation of males alternate between being part of the Ngirisai or the Ngimor groups.
Wives of the Ngimor put on a Black wedding ring around their neck whilst the wives from the Ngirisai clan put on a silver ring around their neck. It is the official symbol of marriage. A middle finger ring is also worn. Women automatically belong to the age set of their fathers until they marry and then take their husbands grouping. The quantity of the Jewellery around a woman’s neck determine her social status.
The turkana males do not practise male circumcision.
A Turkana boy looks after young goats. At the age of 11, he starts looking after mature goats and as he grows, he is entrusted with cows, camels and sheep. Between 16 to 20 years old, he is allowed to attend the night dance with his friends and look out for a suitable girl to start a family.
The woman remains the pillar in Turkana family. She’s responsible for building the house, tendering to the animals and provide food for her husband.
The bride price is very high in Turkana society. When a man is ready to marry, his parents visit the bride’s parents with gifts such as sheep, sugar and tobacco. Once the marriage is consented, the number of animals to be brought is agreed upon. Bride price could amount from 10 to 30 cows if the man is wealthy. Goats could amount up to 100 heads or more. A bull is later slaughtered to seal the marriage.
Polygamy is acceptable in Turkana culture and a man can marry as many wives as long as he can afford to pay the bride’s price and sustain them. The more the livestock, the more cumbersome it is for one wife to tend them so the husband has to look for another or other wives to delegate duties. The first wife is consulted and has to approve.
The youngest wife will be looked after by the husband’s eldest son. She cannot leave the homestead because she may be exploited for her wealth. It is the duty of the eldest wife to instruct her firstborn son to marry the younges wife.
Divorce doesn’t exist in Turkana’s vocabulary as it is considered a curse. It is forbidden because no family will trust a divorcee with their daughter. Divorce is only allowed if the woman is proved to be adulterous or has bad manners that dispute the norms of the community.
Men flirting with other men’s wives will also suffer the full wrath of the Council of Elders. For instance, his animals can be confiscated or he can be fined by the Council of Elders. A bull will be slaughtered as a cleansing ritual. One may be asked to repay the dowry price.
Once a married woman becomes a widow, she shaves her hair and removes all of her jewellery. This signifies that she burries her husband’s tradition to be allowed to remarry.
Source : KTN News Kenya
Les Jarawas ne sont plus qu'au nombre de 400 !!
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LA CAMPAGNE POUR LES JARAWAS - Signez la pétition
Les Jarawa sont les victimes de safaris humain le long d'une route traverse leur forêt. Ils sont menacés par le braconnage. Signez la pétition pour les protéger
