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The San and Khoikhoi People Facts & Worksheets

he San and Khoikhoi People from South Africa and are considered to be one of the oldest cultures in the world

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The term Khoisan refers to indigenous peoples of Southern Africa who do not speak any Bantu language. It’s a compound term that encompasses the Khoikhoi people and the San people. These populations share similar languages and cultures, but live separately. The term has been in use since the early-to-mid 20th century.

See the fact file below for more information on The San and Khoikhoi People or alternatively, you can download our 26-page The San and Khoikhoi People worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGINS

  • Before the South African regions were occupied by the first settlers, hunter-gatherers inhabited the land.
  • These hunter-gatherers are the San people, who had been living in Southern Africa for around two thousand years.
  • San means “’people different from ourselves.”
  • They are one of the oldest cultures in the world.
  • Once their population spread throughout the western half of South Africa, a group of pastoralists emerged.
  • The Khoikhoi were the first pastoralists of southwestern Africa. 
  • The term Khoikhoi means “the real people,” “men of men,” or “people with domestic animals.”
  • The Khoikhoi chose this name for themselves to represent their background and their aim to usher in new ways of life in contrast to the San culture in South Africa.
  • Consequently, this caused a divide among the two groups.
  • Their similarities lie in being nomadic and speaking the same language, which include implosive consonants or click sounds.

HISTORY OF THE KHOIKHOI

  • In the mid-17th century, Dutch settlers encountered the Khoikhoi population and began their domination over their land.
  • They dubbed the Khoikhoi as the “Hottentots” which is now widely regarded as a derogatory or offensive term to use.
  • Not only did the Dutch invaders take their property and exploit their resources, they also enslaved and persecuted a significant number of Khoikhoi people causing their numbers to decrease.
  • Following the European settlements, Khoikhoi groups settled in various regions: the Nama people (largest group of Khoikhoi) occupied modern-day Central Namibia and northeastern Cape; the Gonaqua people in Eastern Cape; the nomadic Korana people settled along the Orange River initially called the Gariep River.
  • Most of the Khoikhoi population found home in southwestern Cape and became the first African population to face the pressures of European settlement. 

KHOIKHOI CULTURE

  • The Khoikhoi were the first livestock farmers in South Africa, which caused them to look down on hunter-gatherers.
  • The Khoikhoi raised livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep.
  • They were nomadic and had to move according to the animals’ grazing patterns.
  • Depending on the season, they only settled in one place for several weeks before they had to move again.
  • They would load their “houses” and belongings onto the backs of the animals until they found an area with sufficient pasture.
  • Their houses were composed of narrow poles covered with reed mats, which were light enough to take apart and put together.
  • For the Khoikhoi, animals, particularly cattle, are a symbol of wealth as they were used as clothing, transport, and food.
  • Khoikhoi who were richer may share their milk and resources with the poorer class but are still distinctively higher in status.
  • In terms of religion, the Khoikhoi believe in life after death. They would bury dead people together with their possessions.
  • Following the Apartheid, the Khoisan groups represented the “first nations” of South Africa compared to the Bantu groups.

SAN HISTORY

  • The European settlers called the San “bushmen” which like “Hottentots” is now a derogatory word.
  • Their ancestors are nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers who have settled in Africa since the Stone Age. 
  • The San population dwindled in number after fighting with the Khoikhoi people, other African tribes, and European settlers.
  • Like the Khoikhoi people, the San population was dramatically affected by the smallpox epidemic brought over by the Europeans in the early 18th century.
  • The San occupied Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
  • The San were semi-nomadic. They moved only seasonally in favor of ample water and food.
  • The 20th century saw the San populations transitioning to farming and agriculture, backed by government-mandated modernization programs.
  • Some San groups stuck to their nomadic traditions.
  • As of 2017, Botswana is the country with the highest population of San people.

SAN CULTURE

  • The early history of San people can be found in the rock art they created thousands of years ago. 
  • As excellent hunters, they used bows and poisoned arrows, snares, sticks and spears to hunt wild antelopes.
  • The houses of rural San groups are made up of tree branches bound by twigs and had grass roofs.
  • Their clothes, bags, and weapons were made of wood, reeds, stone, and animal skin.
  • The San diet is theoretically composed of game, nuts, and wild fruits and vegetables.
  • Like the Khoikhoi, San people are also religious. 
  • They believe that there are two supernatural beings: the creator of the world and the other is an authority over sickness and death.
  • Ancestor worship is not part of these religions.

The San and Khoikhoi People Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about The San and Khoikhoi People across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about The San and Khoikhoi People from South Africa and are considered to be one of the oldest cultures in the world.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • The San and Khoikhoi People Facts
  • Build Your Vocabulary
  • Picture The Past
  • The Khoikhoi Timeline
  • The San Timeline
  • Which Group?
  • Truth Transformation
  • San Settlement Map
  • Hunting Tools Collage
  • Slogan Design
  • A Khoisan Recital

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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