Main Idea

Farming inSouthern

Africa

Khoisan people werenomads living in South

Africa

See below how thisimpacted on the

environment

First Farmers in Southern Africa

History ofFarming Tame and breed

animals, cattle,sheep, goats

Planting seeds of wild plants

Farming in South Africa

First farmers +/-10 000 yrs ago

Settled in one place

Did not have to walk far for food

Transport

Work - pulling ploughs

Food - meat and milk

Shelter and clothing - animal skins

Black farmers moved from:Northern, Eastern and central parts of Africa

Started +/- 2 000 yrs ago

Changes as a result

of farming

PeopleEnvironment Society

People stayed in one place for a long time

Impacted on/disturbed the environment

Less traveling, permanent homes

Natural resources used up for shelter/food

Bigger families Chiefdoms formed in villages

More conflict andpolitical interaction

Before FarmingNomadic LifestylePeople gathered plants -

seasonal, therefore had to move often

Animals were hunted and moved around

People moved fromplace to place

People had no or littleimpact on the

environment

Main IdeaEarly AfricanFarmers

First Farmers in Southern Africa

Living arrangements

ChiefdomsConsisted of more than one village

Ruled by a CHIEF

Homesteads

Few huts with thatched roofs, walls of mud andcow dung

Built around a central cattle 'kraal'

Fence from thorn tree branchessurrounded the area

Villages

Consisted of many homesteads

CHIEF lived in largest homestead

Huts arranged according to social hierarchy

Agriculture

Benefits

Livestock

Crops

Planted fruit trees

Built 'kraals' for livestock andput up high fences

Planted vegetables

Gathered fruit andvegetables

Not enough food to gather

Too many people to feed

millet

sorghum

pumpkin

melons

Hunted for foodToo many people to feed

Started keeping own cattle

To protect cattle and sheep fromwild animals

Manure of cattle - used tofertilise the soil

Milk, meat, vegetables - healthy diet

Stored grains and seedsfor winter months

Cattle

Uses

Wealthiest & mostpowerful = most cattle

Only men owned cattle

Belonged to individuals

Sacrificed for dead ancestors

meat

milk

skin & horns - clothing, shields, weapons

cow dung -fuel and huts were

plastered with dung

traded for other goods

used as payment for 'lobola'

Lobola is the payment thehusband makes to his

bride's family when theyget married.

Social, Political& Economical

Structures

Social hierarchy

Social classes:rich/poorpowerful/powerless

Elders & Chief -political power based on

cattle ownedRespresented wealth, status & power

Chief

Political authority- made decision (consulted other wealthy men)

Wealthiest, biggest homestead

Role:

Feed people - famine

Care for women if husband died

Care for less fortunate

Lend cattle to poor men

welcome visitors

Political organisation

Not all highly organised chiefdoms

All had a government, responsiblefor solving problems

Men, womenand children

Men

Women

Older men - decisions, kept law & order

Men - carving, smelting iron

Young men - warriors, guarding village

Weaving, sewing, cooking, storedfood in clay & straw pots

Young girls - helped mothers - collected water, ground crops, cleaning

ChildrenEconomically active from young age

Teens - responsibilities of adults

Economicalstructures Skills

Metalworking

Encouraged trade

Specialised crafts

First Farmers in Southern Africa

A hierarchical society isa society that is divided

into different socialclasses and where

everyone is not equal.

C

Started to plant cropsSettled permanently in an areaTook ownership of the land(began to think that they ownedthe land)Land belonged to community -chief and elders decided how todivide it upChanged the environment,wanted fertile soil and goodgrazingLived in homesteads in villagesLived in huts with thatch roofsand mud and cattle dung walls,around cattle 'kraal'Chief's homestead was in middle,social hierarchy determinedwhere your homestead wasChief had political authority

Early Khoikhoi were nomadsGathered food - berries, rootsAdapted to the land andenvironment, did not change itpermanentlyLived in clans - everyoneworked togetherDid not take ownership of landHuts built with pole frames andgrass matting in a circleCattle in the middle of camp toprotect themChief and elders madedecisions

Comparing Early Farmers in South Africa to the Khoisan

Khoisan

Early Farmers

Hunted for foodOwned livestocklike cattle andgoatsStarted to settleon land (notmoving around asmuch)

Similarities

Archaeologists found evidence thatthey lived together peacefully:

Khoisan artefacts found on farmingsitesFarmers adopted 'click' sound fromKhoisan language - isiXhosa andisiZuluRock paintings of Khoisan showfarmers' cattle and tools

What proof do wehave that Khoisanand farmers livedin cooperation?

Farmers traded iron tools, weapons for meatand animal hidesKhoisan shared rainmaking skillsKhoisan married farmersBoth told stories for entertainment andsharingFarmers hired Khoisan to work as hunters orherdersFarmers introduced argriculture and metalworking technology

How did they livetogether in peace?

Can you think of reasons whythey sometimes disagreed with

each other?