THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIIA

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHEAOLOGICAL
STUDIES

NAME : REGINA CHANDA

COMPUTER : 18053192

LECTURER : NAMWANYI NALUMINO

COURSE CODE: HIS 9310

ASSIGN : ONE

DUE DATE : 11/03/22

QUESTION : CRITICALLY EXAMINE THE STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES OF SAN WAYS

OF LIFE BEFORE 1652.

ADDRESS : STATE LODGE SECONDARY CHOOOL

P.O.BOX. 50498 –LUSAKA

CELL: 0979652500
The san are the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa, where they are believed to have lived 20,
000 years. They are also known as Bushmen and the descendants of the early stone ancestors.
They are short yellowish skinned kink hair. They were nomads and never kept domestic
animals except dogs that were used for hunting. This academic paper points out the strength and
weaknesses of the san before 1652.1

The strength of the San is traced from the social organization, as it was strong and united. They
were hunter gatherers and this led nomadic way of life. They hunted different species of animals,
and used bows and arrows for hunting. They depended on hunting and fruit gathering for their
survival. They moved from one place to another in search of wild animals. They lived in
temporary shelters that were made of branches and sometimes in caves. Such kind of shelters
gave them strength moving from one place to another because shelters were not permanent.
Hunting was for men while fruit gathering was for women. Fruits, Roots and meat was the staple
food and this in times when animals scarce they moved to another place. They enjoyed this kind
of life before the coming of Europeans in 1652 at the cape. They were good hunters and
sometimes they made brush wood and leave path for animals to be passing. They dug pits on
those paths and cover with grass. In times when they found animals, they chased to the direction.
In that way animals were falling in the pit and it was very easy to kill the animal.2

They also dug pitfalls near large rivers where the wild animals came to drink water. The pits
were large and deep and were covered with grass which resulted the animal falling into the pit.
They were intelligent trackers as they tested the direction of the wind by throwing a handful of
dust into the air. This enabled them on how to track the animals. In other times they used to burn
grass in winter. When fresh pasture sprouted, it attracted wild animals which the San easily could
shot at the animals with their poisoned arrows. Sometimes they used to put on animals’ skins and
craw when seeing the wild animals until at the closer range. The meat was dried in strips and
stored for future consumption. Fish was also part of their diet as they practiced fishing which
was sometimes done in communal. They kept on hunting and fruit gathering as their way of life.3

Additionally, the san ate anything that was available both animal and vegetables. This ranged
from various wild animals and sometimes insects and snakes. Animals hide were used as cloth
1
A, Atmore, Economy and society in pre- industrial southern Africa, (London: Longman, 1985), 56
2
Atmore, Economy and society in pre- industrial southern Africa, 58.
3
A, Barnard Hunters and Herders of southern Africa, (New York: Cambridge university press,1992), 105.
and turned for blankets and bones where cracked to get marrows. This forced them in the dry
season they collected their moisture scrapping and squeezing roots. They kept water in ostrich
egg shell then when on a hunting trip. This was the owned property and the feathers of ostrich
were used for barter system of trade for tobacco. The San people left many rock art paintings
which have been found in many parties of southern African countries.4

They have rich oral history stories done from one generation to other generation. Rock paintings
have found in many parts of South Africa. For example, Rock Art paintings at Linton farm in
South Africa. This has given strength of life the san that has left many paintings. They have left a
lot of paintings for example the one at Nachikufu cave in Mpika. Such paintings have left UN
erasable history the strengths of the san. Today we understand the way of life before 1652,
because of paintings and this has benefited present generations to understand the strength of the
san.5

The peaceful way of life brought outstanding unit and lived in bands of 30-50. They were headed
by the group leader and came together in times of conflict to resolve the problems. They had
beliefs one powerful god and presence of user spirits the paid homage to the spirits of the
deceased and performed rituals. They cerebrated for the marriages and those who got married
stayed with in laws until the birth of first child. Marriage was taking place at an early age for
instance at the age of 12-14 for girls. The boys got married at the age of 15. They practiced
polygamy and the husband was the head of the family. Children had their own shelters boys and
girls.6

Furthermore, regarding to marriage there were some rules that were observed. It was forbidden
to speak, to meet and look at a mother in law and avoid looking at the face of father in laws.
Whenever twins were born they killed as are the deformed infants. They were regarded as
dangerous because they believed that man is made up of two bodies. They buried the dead body
which was positioned in a fetal position which was covered with the and with few objects are
destroyed and left on the grave. They believed in life after death.7

4
Barnard, Hunters and Herders of southern Africa, 107
5
M, Jochim, Hunter – Gatherers in subsistence and settlements, (London: Academic press, 1976), 97
6
Jochim, Hunter – Gatherers in subsistence and settlements, 99.
7
A, McKenna, the history of southern Africa, (New York: Britannica education publishing, 2011), 117.
The san people were well organized despite lacking defined leader. They had no Chiefs but
group leaders. In situations of Conflicts, they came together and resolve the conflict through
discussions until they reach at the solution. Elders checked the conflicts. They were
organized and the youth were very important as they provided security because they had no
prominent army. Leadership was for those who have lived within the group that has been
there for long time with respectable age and character. These leaders rose and they were
strong able to take difficult decisions, without losing an element of softness and humanity.
They were dedicated to their duties rather than to the immediate families and clan.8

The san people had many weaknesses. The first is nomadic way of life. Being hunters and
fruit gathering. They failed to have prominent defined land to be called for their people. This
affected their sustainability in some times of famine, if they had not killed wild animals they
killed their choir to eat. This was a result of depending on hunting and fruit gathering. The
lacking of prominent land they lost their dignity as they kept on moving from one place to
another. They never practice agriculture which affected them of life and lacking defined leaders.
They lived in bands of 25-70. The dependence on hunting and fruit gathering did not sustain
them in times of hunger or famine. They became servants of Khoikhoi, who looked after cattle.
This weakened their way of life and dispersed them into various regions in South Africa.9

Furthermore, the political organization of the san people wasn’t strong enough because they had
no defined leaders. They had silly clan leaders who solved minor problems. The conflicts were
resolved through elders until they reached at the agreeable decision. This kind of leadership, they
failed to preserve their land for future generations. The nomadic way of life, their population
scattered in many parts of the southern Africa. The roaming around they failed to have definite
place before the coming of the Europeans at the cape in 1652. This improvised the san as they
were denied the rights to land.10

In conclusion, the sans are the oldest in habitant of the southern Africa. They were hunter
gatherers. Hunting was for men who used bow and arrows and hunted different animals,
sometimes pitfall was used after making brush wood. Animal’s skins were used for hunting and
crowing towards wild animals until at close range. Only dogs were kept as domestic animals
8
McKenna, The history of southern Africa, 119
9
J.S. Omer- Cooper History of southern Africa second edition. (London: James Currey,1989), 234.
10
Omer-Cooper, History of southern Africa second edition, 235.
used for hunting. The meat was dried in strips for future use. They were nomads without
permanent shelter made of branches and sometimes slept in caves. Such places they have been
left rock paintings in most parts of southern Africa. They lived peacefully in the bands of 25-70
headed by clan leaders. They married within the clan and stay with the in-laws until birth of first
child. They respected traditional ceremonies that were performed at the new and full moon.11

They lacked defined chiefs and conflicts were resolved through conscious decision. The youths
were the army who provided security. They ate anything that was available from meat to
vegetables and animal skins were turned into cloths and blankets. Water was stored in ostrich
egg shells and feathers bartered for tobacco and leisure time they did rock paintings found in
many parts of southern Africa. There weaknesses the first one they were nomads and this they
had sometimes for sustainability. In times of famine without to kill their child could be killed to
eat. They populated many parts of southern without defined leaders and places which has
improvised the san people. Overall the san way of life had the strength and weaknesses before
the coming of Europeans at the cape in 1652.12

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atmore. A. Economy and society in pre- industrial southern Africa. London: Longman, 1985.
11
W, Thompson, A history of south Africa to 1870, (London: David Philip, 1982), 49.
12
, Thompson, A history of south Africa to 1870, 51.
Barnard. A. Hunters and Herders of southern Africa. New York: Cambridge university
press,1992.

Jochim, M.A. Hunter – Gatherers in subsistence and settlements. London: Academic press,
1976.

McKenna A. The history of southern Africa. New York: Britannica education publishing, 2011.

Omer- Cooper, J.S. History of southern Africa second edition. London: James Currey,1989.

Thompson, W. A history of south Africa to 1870. London: David Philip, 1982.