In South Africa, the descendants of the Khoï and San peoples in search of recognition

Audio 19:30

A Bushman from Botswana.

AFP

By: Claire Bargelès Follow

21 mins

In South Africa, they are called the “first nations”, the “Khoisans”, or even the “Bushmen” and more pejoratively the “Hottentots”: they are the oldest peoples of the country, already settled in the southern region, well before the Bantu populations.

This group is in fact made up of two very distinct tribes: the San hunter-gatherers, already present in the country more than 20,000 years ago, and the Khoi Khoi herders who appeared much later.  

Publicity

Today, after having been decimated during colonization, then oppressed under apartheid, the number of South African descendants of these indigenous populations is uncertain, and they find themselves drowned in the category of "mixed race", that is to say approximately 9% of the population.  

But some continue to fight, to revive their traditions, and to have their rights respected ... 

"In South Africa, the descendants of the Khoï and San peoples in search of recognition", a large report by Claire Bargelès.

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  • South Africa