In the world of the Bushmen of Botswana, children from a very early age begin their veld training, adding to the pot by collecting and snaring, and the boys by shooting small game. At present this is where the link between the generations is being broken and nowhere in the history of our species has the generation gap been so momentous.
Almost all the children of the Bushmen now go to school and in doing so they lose the ancient knowledge of the veld, the hunt and the campfire. It will not take many generations before that sacred bond between humans, animals and their spirits will be lost.
Every shaman has a divining kit including five disks of dried skin, one each for earth, fire, water, sun and the hyena. When thrown, if the hyena lands upside down it portends that death will follow. The disks have been thrown for the Bushmen and the hyena has landed on its back. It signals the death of the hunter-gatherer way of life, which brings a deep sadness — for the passing of a culture that has endured for 100,000 years and probably longer and because the history of the Bushmen is so much part of our own history.
Bushmen at Haina Kalahari Lodge in Central Kalahari, Botswana, will invite you to their fire and demonstrate their various story-telling dances that show an amazingly adept imitation of animal movement and behaviour: there is almost always a humorous aspect to the dance.
One dance that remains at the core of Bushman culture is the rain dance, rain being so vital to life in this waterless expanse. You could not survive out here for more than a day or two -- if you are not eaten by wild animals you will succumb to the heat and dryness. They know this, and will take great pleasure in showing you up, with no malicious intent. That is the Bushman way and long may it last.
Stay at Evolve Back Gham Dhao Lodge to experience Bushmen culture and hospitality.
By David Bristow
