Population and Settlement
Settlement:
The first settlers in South Africa were the San people who settled in the early first millennium B.C.E. They were hunter-gatherers. Around 300 B.C.E., the Khoikhoi tribe moved in. They were sheep and cattle farmers.
According to historians, the Khoikhoi people originated in Northeastern Africa and moved south, as no livestock is known to have originated in Southern Africa. This supports the Guns, Germs, and Steele theory. The theory is that agriculture was centered in Eurasia and spread out from there. This would make sense because Northern Africa was near the Fertile Crescent, which had a lot of livestock.
The Khoikhoi people brought their knowledge of herding and were very successful, as South Africa has a lot of empty land for their animals to graze. The Khoikhoi, herders, combined with the San, pastoralists, and became Khoisan. Because of their ability to combine their knowledge as hunter-gatherers and herders, their population greatly expanded. Their large communities split into smaller groups and continued to spread further and further south, as far as the cape.
They moved seasonally to find places for their animals to graze. The animas made this easier, as they were used to transport their belongings. Because they moved around so often, their houses, pots, and buckets were made out of light materials, such as wood.
The Khoisan’s knowledge of herding not only provided food and clothing, but also boosted the economy. It created a social order. Animals were a sign of wealth and were extremely valuable. Therefore, they only ate animals that were already dead, and only killed their animals on special occasions, such as weddings. The more livestock a family had, the wealthier they were. This was the social drive.
Sources:
Beck, R. (2000). The Khoikhoi. The History of South Africa (). Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
Huigen, S. (2009). Knowledge and Colonialism: Eighteenth-century travelers in South Africa. Netherlands: Hotei Publishers.
Rasmussen, K. (2010). Southern Africa's Khoikhoi and Kwadi Adopt pastoralism. Agriculture in History (). Pasadena, California: Salem Press.
The first settlers in South Africa were the San people who settled in the early first millennium B.C.E. They were hunter-gatherers. Around 300 B.C.E., the Khoikhoi tribe moved in. They were sheep and cattle farmers.
According to historians, the Khoikhoi people originated in Northeastern Africa and moved south, as no livestock is known to have originated in Southern Africa. This supports the Guns, Germs, and Steele theory. The theory is that agriculture was centered in Eurasia and spread out from there. This would make sense because Northern Africa was near the Fertile Crescent, which had a lot of livestock.
The Khoikhoi people brought their knowledge of herding and were very successful, as South Africa has a lot of empty land for their animals to graze. The Khoikhoi, herders, combined with the San, pastoralists, and became Khoisan. Because of their ability to combine their knowledge as hunter-gatherers and herders, their population greatly expanded. Their large communities split into smaller groups and continued to spread further and further south, as far as the cape.
They moved seasonally to find places for their animals to graze. The animas made this easier, as they were used to transport their belongings. Because they moved around so often, their houses, pots, and buckets were made out of light materials, such as wood.
The Khoisan’s knowledge of herding not only provided food and clothing, but also boosted the economy. It created a social order. Animals were a sign of wealth and were extremely valuable. Therefore, they only ate animals that were already dead, and only killed their animals on special occasions, such as weddings. The more livestock a family had, the wealthier they were. This was the social drive.
Sources:
Beck, R. (2000). The Khoikhoi. The History of South Africa (). Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
Huigen, S. (2009). Knowledge and Colonialism: Eighteenth-century travelers in South Africa. Netherlands: Hotei Publishers.
Rasmussen, K. (2010). Southern Africa's Khoikhoi and Kwadi Adopt pastoralism. Agriculture in History (). Pasadena, California: Salem Press.
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/6/0/18608246/686970.jpg?413)
There are different theories as to which rout the Khoikhoi people took from Northern to Southern Africa. This map shows three possible routs. The first rout is based off of radiocarbon dates taken from sites along the rout. The second rout is based off the amount of pastures and water on the route. The third route, though not as supported, is based off of the language of the decedents on the route.
Citation:
The Arrival of the Khoikhoi. (2014, January 1). Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/arrival-khoikhoi
Citation:
The Arrival of the Khoikhoi. (2014, January 1). Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/arrival-khoikhoi
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/6/0/18608246/3254322.png?422)
This map shows where the different groups of people live in Africa. The Khoisan people, labeled green, and are spread out over the Southwest. This map shows how far they spread out. It also shows how the people moved along the ocean, so that they had water for their crops as well as access to fish.
Citation:
Map of the Distribution of African Language Families and some Major African Languages. (2014, January 1). Retrieved January 11, 2014, from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/african-language-map.htm
Citation:
Map of the Distribution of African Language Families and some Major African Languages. (2014, January 1). Retrieved January 11, 2014, from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/african-language-map.htm
Population Pyramids
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/6/0/18608246/8823402.jpg?417)
There was a very low life expectancy rate in 1980. Approximately 8% of the population was between the ages of 0-4. As the ages increase, the population percentage quickly and evenly decreases. The majority of the people died very young. Therefore, the bulk of the population resided in childhood and young adulthood.
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/6/0/18608246/717735.jpg?413)
In 2010, 5% of the population was between the ages of 0-4. The population slightly decreased to 4.8% between the ages of 10-14, and then went back up to 5% between 25-29 years old. The pyramid is more of a pear shape, meaning that the average person lived longer than they did in 1980.
Suggestion for Additional Information
This website provides a brief summary of the early settlers in South Africa, as well as their agricultural lifestyle. http://www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/mafikeng/settlement_history.html
This website shows a timeline of major events starting from the time of early settlement to present-day. The timeline shows the change in division of the country, change in rulers, and change of resources.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094918
This is a short video going through the major events in South Africa’s early history.
http://youtu.be/jwTP-pmOzBU
This website shows a timeline of major events starting from the time of early settlement to present-day. The timeline shows the change in division of the country, change in rulers, and change of resources.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094918
This is a short video going through the major events in South Africa’s early history.
http://youtu.be/jwTP-pmOzBU