The San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari

The San (Bushmen) are the oldest surviving culture in the world. They have been hunting and gathering in sub-Saharan Africa for over 100,000 years. The remaining San (around 95,000 people) live in and around the Kalahari Desert which stretches across South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

Many people know the traditional lifestyle of the San from the popular movie The Gods Must Be Crazy. In reality many San have been forced to live in permanent settlements since the land they hunted and gathered on has come under private ownership. Many San try and eke out a living as farm laborers but they are often mistreated since their neighbors see them as socially inferior, hence the somewhat derogatory term 'bushman'.

Some cultural tours are available and offer the San a means to earn a living by doing what they know best, hunting and gathering. Tours include hunting and tracking animals with the San as well as gathering tubers and herbs used by traditional healers. See my article about the Kalahari San for more information about the San as well as sample tours.