San

San, ethnic group living mainly in the Kalahari of Botswana and Namibia, thought to be descended from the original inhabitants of Zimbabwe. In the past, the San have been called Bushmen by southern African whites; they are now often known as the Khoi-San to reflect their cultural affinities. The San speak Khoisan languages, which are characterized by click sounds. Linguistic groups include the Auen, Gwi, Heikum, !Kung, and Naron. See African Languages.

The San number approximately 50,000; about half of these live as hunter-gatherers organized in small groups, or bands, of about ten nuclear families. Each group has exclusive rights to an area of about 775 sq km (about 300 sq mi) and usually moves around its rather desolate territory as a unit, moving their homes about once a month as the food supply is exhausted. Women gather wild plants and fruit, which provide most of the nourishment. Men supplement the diet by hunting animals with light bows and poison-tipped arrows. During the winter, when the overall food supply is reduced, the group's households live apart.

Each band of San is led by a hereditary headman with limited power. Groups are not politically linked, but individuals are linked by an intricate kinship web. The San sometimes live in caves or thatched shelters and wear short aprons and sandals made of skins. They are skilled in painting and engraving pictures on the walls of their caves, and their religion is complex.

The San have lived in southern Africa for thousands of years. Their territory, once extensive, was constricted by white settlers after the early 1700s. In the 20th century many San took up a settled existence, mostly as farm labourers, and, as a result, their cultural heritage has been altered.