The San and WIMSA

How do the San live now?

• An estimated 100,000 San live in southern Africa: around 7,000 in Angola, 7,000 in South Africa, 1,000 in Zambia, 1,000 in Zimbabwe, 33,000 in Namibia and 46,000 in Botswana

• The San are not ‘nomads’, moving from place to place. They have always possessed ‘n!ores’ – their territorial lands. Nowadays, most still live on or around their ancestral lands, but only 2,000 retain control of the land - with accompanying hunting rights. Some San live within urban areas, but many are based within extremely remote areas

• The San’s economic base is virtually non-existent. The majority are unemployed, live as squatters and often have to rely on the state pensions of elders. San who are in employment tend to be farm labourers, domestic workers or involved in craft production and piece-work.

• San are frequently bullied, harassed and discriminated against by other ethnic groups. Many people still view the San as socially and intellectually inferior, or as servants.

• At least 60% are non-literate. Illiteracy rates amongst adults are even as high as 90% in areas such as Omaheke, Namibia. There is a high dropout rate amongst San school children due to poverty, bullying, discrimination, travelling distances and a culturally inappropriate curriculum where mother-tongues are not taught

• The San speak various distinct languages such as Ju|’hoansi, !Xun, !Kung, Khwedam, Naro, G|ui, G||ana, !Xõó and N|u. San languages are characterised by a series of ‘clicks’ which are written as ‘!’, ‘|’, ‘‡’ and ‘||’

• In some communities there is a generation gap and a lack of understanding between youth and elders, although in other areas, relations between the generations are improving due to initiatives like WIMSA’s capacity building and cultural development projects. However, the abuse of alcohol and violence remains a key problem in most communities

• Women are not as obviously involved in decision making as they were in the past and older women tend to participate less, as they are not as exposed to the outside world as the men are.