by
Black Girl With Long Hair
The Khoisan people are an indigenous hunter-gatherer people of Southern Africa whose roots are literally ancient. Khoisan are one of the 14 people groups from which all humanity descended and Khoisan tools have been found dating back to 44,000 BC. They are spread across Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
One broad study of African genetic diversity completed in 2009 found that the San were among the five populations with the highest measured levels of genetic diversity among the 121 distinct African populations sampled. The San are one of 14 known extant “ancestral population clusters” from which all known modern humans descend.
Despite this, the Khoisan have faced a challenging modern existence, fielding attacks from both European settles and fellow Africans.
They are second-class citizens in the lands of their birth, and suffer daily discrimination at the hands of other ethnic groups. Not so long ago, Tswana tribespeople referred to their San servants as “bulls” and “heifers.” One Motswana, seeing a group of San children playing, said, “If only they went to school they would be people.”…
The San’s history is not unique. Virtually all southern African peoples have experienced wrenching cultural change, war, dispossession, and ethnocide. But the San’s plight was compounded by their status as social outcasts, not only in the eyes of European settlers, but by their fellow Africans as well. As described in the important comprehensive five-volume study, Regional Assessment of the Status of the San in Southern Africa, edited by James Suzman (2001), surviving San were the subjects of special statutes in every country they lived in. Their nomadic ways, essential to their survival, were treated as vagrancy and suppressed. In certain areas repression and violence continue to the present.
It is a tribute to San resilience and cultural strength that they have overcome many obstacles to retain their language, culture, and religious beliefs, even if circumstances have forced them to give up foraging. Coming to political consciousness, some San have recreated themselves as First Peoples, and, with the assistance of sympathetic outsiders, have fought successfully for land and civil rights. While discrimination remains, governments in the region have begun to recognize the San’s uniqueness and to institute at least some policies in support of San development aspirations.
The Khoisan have a fully egalitarian society;
Children have no social duties besides playing, and leisure is very important to San of all ages. Large amounts of time are spent in conversation, joking, music, and sacred dances. Women have a high status in San society, are greatly respected, and may be leaders of their own family groups. They make important family and group decisions and claim ownership of water holes and foraging areas. Women are mainly involved in the gathering of food, but may also take part in hunting…
Traditionally, the San were an egalitarian society. Although they had hereditary chiefs, their authority was limited. The San made decisions among themselves by consensus, with women treated as relative equals.
They also have a wealth of cultural and geographical knowledge about how to survive in nature;
The San are intelligent trackers and know the habits of their prey. On discovering where a herd has gathered, they immediately test the direction and force of the wind by throwing a handful of dust into the air… The San make use of over 100 edible species of plant. While the men hunt, the women, who are experts in foraging for edible mushrooms, bulbs, berries and melons, gather food for the family.
Here are 10 beautiful images of these incredible people;
You can read more on the Khoisan’s genetic ancestry here, here and here.
Incredible! Ladies, what are your thoughts?
58 Responses
hello! Is it possible to borrow this picture to the Swedish Khoisan Tea account on Instagram?
Spencer Wells, refer to the Khoisan people, as his family.
The journal of Man, I love the story, it give you chills to see these people my people, as he presented them.
Dear Dumb People on this thread: Dr. Spencer Wells did a PBS documentary on this, highlighting how the Khoisan people are where all humans descended from. You need to watch it.
Some of you may have already seen these, but there’s a great video on this from PBS called, “Journey of Man” “The Story of the Human Species”. Hosted by Dr. SPencer Wells. There’s also a book called, “The Journey of Man”, “A Genetic Odyssey” by Spencer Wells.
So beautiful and no they are not mixed, pure blood africans with slanted eyes and high cheekbones with varying skin tones
Unfortunately they are now mixed up due to European settlers. Slanted eyes did originate in Africa, but now their skin is progressively lighter.
No they are not. The cape coloureds are product of where white people wanted to breed out the kalahari people but it didnt work, Cape coloured are mixed not Khosian,Zulu or xhosa.Stop it
The Khoisan peoples were light-brown skinned to begin with. They once inhabited the savannah in all of Southern Africa, but were largely replaced or assimilated by darker-skinned Bantu peoples spreading from the north, and later by Northern Europeans from the Cape. There are still isolated tribes surviving in desert environments of the Kalahari.
Than how did they get Neanderthal genes?
Dumela mma
I am a white South African and I must be honest. The Khoi San/Bush Men people always intrigued me a lot (since I watched “The Gods must be crazy) . Brilliant culture and a interesting people. They are quite intelligent as well. This YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxkvY2FZRQg, shows exactly how they find water in the desert.
Why would you think that they were not intelligent?
I think he’s saying it as intelligent in a modern point of view. I’m black and I literally get what he’s saying.
Is Nelson Mandela one these people he looks very much like tthem .
The San are one of 14 known extant “ancestral population clusters” from which all known modern humans descend. He might be closely related but we all come from them.
You are right. Most people from South of Africa :Botswana, Namibian and South Africa are mixed. So I am positive that a lot of us have over the years of marrying San women (Only women were married into other tribes) ended up inheriting the San looks. A man once asked me which South African country do I come from. I ASKED him how did he know that I was from there, and he said to me ‘it’s the Bushman blood in you..you people are unique ‘. I am from Botswana and never though that I was that different , least of all thought of myself as having “Bushman ” blood.
Its true that we Tswana people have significant San blood, at least I can tell from my skin tone, features as well as hair texture. In London I can easily spot Southern Africans from other Africans. I have also been asked the same by a Danish couple who lived in Southern Africa which of the Southern countries I come from. Even expats can tell the difference. Our look is very distinct. I find the San a very beautiful people indeed and feel privileged to come from such an ancient tribe :))
colours/shades is a matter of semantics
but if you really want to get color technical about it; colours is closer than shade as a shades are derivitive of a single color by adding white or black. This is not the case as the varying skin tones of black people can range from warm reds and yellows to cool the cooler tonality of the darkest complexions.
The correct term would be Hue-if you are trying to be hyper correct in your vocab otherwise we all know what we mean when we say “colour” “shade” “complexion”
also I think what curly meant by “American Blood” is European ancestry/mixing with someone who is white
Lovely article. Thanks for the incite and the pictures are amazing.
These photos are amazing! They really capture their personalities
Very cool. Thank you for the article.
You are right, i also find it hilarious when people say things like you dont look African or you dont look so and so, I mean we Africans are the blueprint of the human race, how on earth do you think we wont have all the skin tones and features available? We are not limited to just a particular set. One time I ordered stuff over the phone and when i went to pick it up, the lady was so surprised at my skin tone, i’m a bit fairer than beyonce and she just couldn’t believe i’m a Nigerian Igbo girl with unmixed ancestry lmao, because you know Africans look a certain way *smh* especially with my Naija accent haha, heck, my father is lighter than me and my great granddad was lighter than him in turn. Also when people say certain Africans, say our beautiful Ghanaian and Cameroonian sisters and brothers for eg cant look like our east african bros and sisters I just laugh because I have friends back home who look like them and are just pure yoruba, tiv, igbo, calabar, there’s also no diff between them and our hausa/fulani bros and sis. In my family alone, i have people with the deepest, creamiest, beautiful dark skin to the sweetest, brightest light skin, and this is the same all over my country. When people say “oh, so and so Africans dont have straight noses” I say come and see my aunties and uncles then, come and see my pure igbo neighbor back home with rich dark skin and green-grey eyes, we lovingly call her anya agu, which means the one with the lion’s eyes. My Africa is hella diverse, people need to understand that, my sweet country alone is just filled with ppl of diff shades and features who are still one. People need to educate themselves. Love my Naija to death man, I go deh represent una wella anywhere wey I go, Africa una too much jare, Naija I deh hail till I kpayin. Extremely proud of my people and our culture, grateful I know my strong roots.
beautiful black people it’s true we can create other colors without being mixed with american blood wonderful to know.
We create different complexions not colours and what is American blood?
We come in many shades not colours and what is American Blood?
These people are amazing ! I can’t stop looking at the pics…
I can see a lot of “people” in them.
That’s why a lot of black people can look “Asian” and not be mixed. I came across this tribe years ago online and was blown away. Black people literally can make any time of look, that’s amazing.
Oh my goodness! I am just intrigued by their beauty and they seem like grounded people. Love them.
To be honest ‘race’ is a man made thing. Its societal and political. Thats why I like to see everyone as human before anything else and every culture has unique wisdom to learn from. Im a romani woman who loves everyone 🙂
I wish everyone shared your sentiment Jennifer. However, I don’t believe that every culture has unique wisdom to learn from since there has been so much that has been appropriated, adapted and abused from Africa, we should be looking to Africa if we want real wisdom. I remember many years ago watching a documentary on the Khoisans and marvelling at their close connection with nature. Europeans didn’t really have that and couldn’t and still don’t understand the spiritual relationships non Europeans have with nature. This is why you see them digging up the precious earth for minerals and the like, sawing down trees which are vital to forestation and concreting over green areas. They deliberately cover up real knowledge and history in order to make everyone believe that they are the superior human group(race) and that people of African descent are savages, unintelligent, ugly and have nothing to offer anyone. Yes we all make up the human race but we should be respected for our differences as we are not all the same.
Are you 100% sure about that@Mara…
Am I 100% sure about what exactly, everything I have mentioned in my post or is there something specific you are asking me about?
I absolutely agree with you. People from other cultures are ignorant of how to live in the desert and kill their own food and search for their own drink. Most cultures have become spoilt. The Khoisan, !San, and the Edzabi are amongst the first proper human beings on earth. We have found some more who are older in America. All human being are related to one another and have evolved to look different in different climate and because the Africans are the most diverse people in the world, you can get every type right there. We all evolve from them and they are the oldest and the wisest. Why do I think that? Because in their own untarnished culture they do not have war. There is no need for it. They live a hard life at peace. Why can we not learn from them?
Race is a white mans concept. We are different, but how this is defined currently rather than by homeland alone, family/tribe is a concept created by a european the 3/7 races of men…look it up. All each of us can do to change things is to be a better person, but we need to know history and see it as clearly as possible to move forward.
That way of thinking only works when the socio-economic power is equally distributed amongst all ethnic groups/ethnicities. If you have more (or less), you become “othered”, hence why Romani people like yourself is referred to as “Gypsy” almost everywhere in Europe, and not only that, you’re not exactly being treated with any respect either, unfortunately.
I’ve been learning about my history more and more each day besides on here. Every time I dig deeper, I find myself attracted. It warms my heart up to know I am special. There’s so much to learn and be proud of.
We have special in us.
I am the originator. I am a legend.
Wow!,what Beautiful skin they have got
They all have a very similar appearance. It’s so cute. If you met someone from their tribe you would know it! Their beautiful eyes and cheek bones are a beautiful common characteristic among them.
African genetics are fascinating!
I enjoyed this article so much – wonderful, enlightening and ultimately uplifting – there is so much history we have been deprived off and starving for.
Absolutely beautiful! I am from Botswana and have been priviledged to meet the San people years ago when I went to the central kalahari game reserve. My grandmother though was what we call coloured people in Southern Africa. Her family was considered to be a lower class of coloured people in South Africa during apartheid because they were half European and half San
I enjoyed this article but I was wondering why you all refer to them as the San people instead of Khoisan?? Just curious..
You are right Twinkle. Khoisan is the correct term. We’re fixing it now.
Actually, the Khoi and the San are two different ethnic groups. Khoisan only became used when our tribal lines became blurred, when immigrants came to southern Africa.
(I’m South African)
Thank you Jessica. I corrected it because I believe some of the images above are of Khoi and some are San.
also the word san originally meant thief, and was used by other tribes to describe the Khoi who would “steal” their livestock.
Also the term “bushman” can be seen as derogatory
Hi Twinkle, are you Motswana? And I know this is weird but is your mum Onkemetse?
Why would anyone want to hurt them?…I see something of all human groups in them.
Same here. This is deeply fascinating, I can’t wait to study more about them and the other 13 groups we all descended from. Much thanks for this post BGLH, really appreciate the sharing of knowledge and history on this site.
they are not so much actively hurt nowadays as they are left out of modern society, No one quite knows what to do with them, should they be allowed to keep their old way of life, or be made to join us in this modern way.
The biggst threat to their way of life in Botswana at least, is the diamond mining industry that wants to open huge mines in the land where they have lived and hunted for centuries. One mine is already up and running and several first people were displaced. It’s a sad frustrating case.
Thanks@eljjai…for the knowledge…..it is sad and frustrating.
So what I’m finding most fascinating is the commonality in eye shape. Looking at them solely as descendants of our earliest ancestors, could this be part of where the “Asian eye shape” comes from? even some of my Nigerian friends have that very distinct appearance. and I’m literally just throwing out theories here. but it’s fascinating! thanks for the knowledge bglh!
My question as well.
This is exactly where that trait, the epicanthic fold, originates. All human traits originate in Africa. This one in particular is evolutionary trait based on the climate there, it’s very good for windy environments that are dry!
This is why I personally laugh at most people nowadays who say that different races “own” certain traits. All of these traits are in our dna, the fact that human beings have spread so far apart [and starting mingling with different groups] has either re-introduced old traits, or developed new ones [since we no longer noticeably ‘evolve’ based on climate].
Being human is amazing, being Black and knowing all this information just makes life a little more beautiful everyday for me personally <3 <3
I always wondered that myself – I know lots of black people with the single fold and always wondered if it was simply more than just Asian ancestry in all cases. The genetic diversity in African peoples are so wonderful – sooo much more than the history we are taught! :/ Because as always “Africa” isn’t a country.
Khoisan are part of one of the oldest linage of mankind.
Some scientist believe that a group of ancient Khoisans traveled up East Africa and eventually left Africa through the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula then into Asia.
Due to environmental conditions they retained many of their features once arriving in Asia.
This is noticeable in some ethnic groups in countries like Cambodia. Many of the khmer people still have strong African like features (curly hair and darker skin). Today the majority of Asians have some degree of African features:
Shorter nose with wide nostrils, high cheekbones, and full lips.