Africans with colored eyes | The Bushmen people: A deep-rooted history and authentic African identity

Prepared by: Dr. Alia Amer

Demographic expert and representative of North African countries to the African Union for Population Studies

The study of early primitive societies represents an essential entry point for understanding the historical picture and biological evolution of the human race.

In this context, the people of (BushmenNot as an ethnic minority resisting extinction in the depths of the Kalahari Desert, but as the oldest living anthropological document on Earth, where we do not observe a primitive way of life, but rather aim to deconstruct the dynamic survival strategies that enabled this people to endure biologically, linguistically, and environmentally for more than twenty thousand years, achieving an amazing existential balance between the scarcity of natural resources and the depth of symbolic and artistic production.

Where do the Bushmen people live?

The Bushmen currently inhabit the Kalahari Desert, which stretches between Botswana, Namibia, Angola, and South Africa.

They are distinguished by unique characteristics that are suited to the dry desert environment, as they are short to medium in height, have a brownish-yellowish complexion to protect them from the sun’s rays, and they also have prominent cheekbones, narrow almond-shaped eyes, and curly hair of similar structure.

The Bushmen differ from the Black people in their yellowish-brown skin, short stature, prominent foreheads, and narrow eyes.

The language of clicks

The Bushmen people speak a very special language called “Taqtaqat”, which is a unique language family based on “taqtaqa sounds”.

These complex phonetic sounds are used as silent, independent letters to accurately convey messages.

The Bushmen people live in a large semi-camp with a special plan and layout, built from flexible tree branches and covered with dry grass to suit their constant movement.

They are circular huts with a diameter of 70 or 80 meters.

The most important element in the life of the Bushmen is the search for food. It is the main concern of the clan, and they do not cultivate or raise livestock; rather, they take what they need directly from nature, as their economy depends entirely on hunting and gathering fruits in a sustainable way of life.

Beliefs and myths

The Bushmen, as a people, have beliefs and myths connected to celestial bodies that control or are related to some natural phenomena, most importantly the creatures that influence rainfall. They also practice a “healing dance” to connect with their ancestors and ward off diseases and negative energy.

The Bushmen are also famous for the ancient rock paintings scattered throughout the caves of South Africa, where their rock paintings, colored with natural materials, reflect hunting rituals, sacred animals, and their daily lives with astonishing expressive accuracy.

In line with the above, the Bushmen people stand out as a unique anthropological icon that proves that human development is not measured solely by technological progress, but by the extent to which man can achieve absolute harmony with his environment without destroying it.