Fascinating Facts About The Khoisan


The Khoisan are a group of people that can be found in the Southern parts of Africa, mainly in the country of South Africa. It is believed that they once lived in Botswana and then later migrated from there into South Africa where they lived and where they still live up to date. Originally, this group of people was called Bushmen and are the earliest inhabitants of the Kalahari desert. One of the most known characteristics that differentiate them from all the other tribes is the type of language that they speak, characterized by the use of click sounds to pass information from one person to another. The Khoisan have many fascinating facts that make them a heritage not only for their country but also for the entire continent of Africa, and hence they are a major tourist attraction. 

Khoisan Tribesman
Khoisan Tribesman

The Khoisan once was the largest ever existing group of people that were found on earth, known for their hunting and gathering skills. However, this was discarded over time since some of the tribes split and went to live in different places causing their number to significantly decline over time. The Khoisan have special and fascinating ways of living in the land and were the first ever group to establish settlements in the Kalahari region. 

The total population of the Khoisan that is still in existence up to date is approximately 200,000 people in total, living in the Western and central coast provinces of South Africa. They are also believed to be part of the Bantu family due to the intermarriages between some of the Bantus and the San of South Africa. This, therefore, tells you that the Khoisan are a wonderful group of people that one can venture to visit and enjoy their rich cultural adversity.

  1. They Were Once The Largest Group Of Human Beings On Earth

Known for being the earliest inhabitants of the Kalahari region, the Khoisan were once one of the largest ever-existing groups of people in the world. The total population of the Khoisan about 20,000 years ago was significantly high but compared to the current population that is still in existence the Khoisan population is gradually declining over time. This is due to some reasons such as the effect brought about by modernization that made many of the people shift to reside in the urban areas. In addition, the people especially those living in the Kalahari desert claim that the government does not take heed to their concerns, and hence some end up migrating to other parts. 

The Khoisan can easily be traced in the Kalahari desert, but in very small numbers, where they use different kinds of survival methods in their daily life. Each day the number living specifically in the Kalahari desert keeps on declining because of the reasons mentioned earlier on. Climate changes have also contributed to the low population distribution of the Khoisan.

  1. They Have Incredible Ingenious Ways Of Living Off The Land
Khoisan Tribesman With Children
Khoisan Tribesman With Children

The Khoisan were originally known for being hunters and gatherers and can mainly be found in the Kalahari desert. Their place of living is a desert, they have different modes of survival that they use to keep them moving from one day to another. A desert is simply a bare area of land that is covered mostly by sand soil and that which has adverse harsh climatic conditions. 

Some of the methods they use for their survival include hunting animals and gathering food. They live a nomadic way of life, they move from one place to another looking for enough food and pastures for their livestock. This, therefore, means that at specific times of the year and during specific seasons they migrate to other lands where they can find enough food for both themselves and their large herds of cattle.

  1. They Were The First Known Group To Venture Into the Kalahari

In ancient times, the biggest proportion of the entire population of the Khoisan used to live in the Kalahari desert and hence they ended up becoming the first group of people to live in the Kalahari and establish settlements there, living in several villages consisting of a certain number of people. With time they had to adapt to the environment and hence they created several tactics for them to survive in the desert. 

The population of the Khoisan living in the Kalahari region gradually reduced over time following the change in climatic conditions in the region. Some moved to more complex regions with enough pastures and a favorable climate while others ended up being left in the Kalahari desert and some can also be found there up to date.

  1. They Have Vast Knowledge Of The African Savannah

In the early 18th century, the Khoisan lived in an area close to the Dutch settlers. This was after they migrated from their ancestral land due to conflicts with the nation of Botswana, where it was claimed that they were supposed to leave their activity of hunting and gathering and leave the land for the establishment of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve that was in the Kalahari region.

Their mode of migration to many parts made them get a vast knowledge of many parts of the Savanna regions of Africa. The main reason that contributed to this migration is the different changes in climatic zones and the process of looking for pastures and water for their livestock and also for their survival. After migration from countries such as Botswana and Namibia, they ended up settling mostly in South Africa, where the biggest population is found.

  1. Their Language Incorporates Clicking Sounds

The Khoisan are one of the most linguistic groups in Africa, with a characteristic language that is characterized by the use of click sounds for communication between one person and another. This language is also ranked as the least used language since it’s only spoken by a small number of people, specifically among the Khoisan in South Africa. 

With the introduction of formal education and formal languages, some of the African languages among different tribes keep on fading from one day to another. The click sound language among the Khoisan is slowly declining and dying as time goes by due to a reduction in the number of people who widely use this language for their daily communication with one another.

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