Day 46
8/18/09
We made our way to Ghanzi for a stop to visit the Bushman of Africa. If you’ve ever seen The Gods Must be Crazy, this is the people we are seeing. Bushman speak using clicks as some of their consonants. The bushman as a culture are some of the earliest inhabitants of Africa dating back at least 22,000 years. There are only a few thousand of them left and it appears they are going extinct. Bushman are nomadic hunter gatherers and move based on the need for food and water. As a culture they are hated by most Africans and are there is a high degree of prejudice against them. People don’t want them on their land and they are often treated like vermin. While the Botswana constitution provides protection, even the government pushes them around forcibly.
At first sight they are all short, no more than 5 ft with one being a little taller. Their skin while black has a distinct color difference. I’m not quite sure how to describe it as I’d say they are black but it has some sort of tint I’m sure it’s not true but my guess is maybe Polynesian, Asian, or Latin mix would create the look. The ladies are quite attractive with smooth complexions.
With a translator in tow they take us on a walk through the dry arid thorny bush. All the plants look pretty much the same to me and it’s amazing they can pick out the difference. They spend an hour or two digging up different plants explaining what they use the roots for from each plant. Listening to them speak with clicks inserted here and there the language sounds sensual. The roots of one plant are used for fertility and the roots of another are used as a contraceptive which stops a woman’s menstruation. There is another plant to alleviate sore muscles, one to treat urinary problems, another for headaches, another for the flu, and even one to stop nightmares. Depending on the condition they either chew the roots, boil them in water to make a tea, or grind it up into a powder and snort it. Information is passed on through elders as the children grow to maintain the knowledge.
They hand each of a small seed which looks similar to a sunflower seed and instruct us to place it under our tongues. After sitting in saliva for several seconds it creates a surprise pop forcing my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Its a tool they use to teach their children how to make the clicking sounds as it forces the tongue in a direction necessary to produce the appropriate sound.
In the evening the bushman entertain us for a couple hours with local songs and dance around the campfire. Another memorable night I’ll find hard to forget. How blessed I am to experience such a beautiful people up close and personal.
Next we are on our way to Namibia.
