Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
December 2011
were more than likely made by Homo habilis 11 . The Wonderwerk Cave discoveries are close
in age to the very earliest known stone tools and similar to date to the bottom levels at
Olduvia Gorge, Tanzania.
Homo erectus 12 existed in the Northern Cape approximately 800 000 to a million years ago.
These hunter‐gatherers mainly survived on wild plants and scavenged on kills made by other
predators (Kostka, 2002). Furthermore, the Acheulian stone age culture affiliated with Home
erectus dates between 1 million and 500 000 years in the Vaal basin and artefacts range
from large stone handaxes and cleavers, and a number of very large flakes.
Later Stone Age (the last 20 000 years) remnants associated with hunter‐gatherers who, in
the subsequent historical record, are referred to as Bushman, tend to be preserved mostly in
the foothills and rocky outcrops. Late Stone Age deposits in the Northern Cape are often
found in conjunction with rock art. The significance of archaeological remains can be variable
depending on the context of the deposits and the degree of preservation. In areas that have
been extensively farmed over the centuries, the context of archaeological remains is mostly
destroyed.
C.5.2 KHOISAN HISTORY
For thousands of years the land was inhabited by the Bushman 13 . Small groups of San
hunter‐gatherers travelled through the landscape, collecting plants and catching birds and
animals. They found shelter in caves and rock formations and constructed windbreaks and
waterproof skerms in more open areas. The rock art presents a record of their presence.
Early archaeological evidence tells that the San inhabited the Richtersveld area thousands of
years ago. Arrowheads made of stone and plant resin have been found around
Eksteenfontein.
Researchers claim that some of the rock paintings probably depict shaman of the San calling
for rain, attracting herds of antelope or revealing enemies. In this ecstatic state, they
believed that they are transformed into another being, probably an eland antelope (which
was considered a holy animal) or the mysterious rainmaker animal. When shamans painted
an eland, they didn’t just pay homage to a sacred animal, they also harnessed its essence.
They put paint to rock and opened portals to the spirit world.
Today the two largest San groups in South Africa are immigrants from Angola and Botswana.
These are the !Xû and the Khwe currently living at Schmidtsdrift, 80 km outside Kimberley.
There are 3 500 !Xû and 1 100 Khwe. Both groups claim an indigenous identity on the basis
of their languages and cultures. The next largest group is the San population of the southern
Kalahari a group which refers to themselves as the !Khomani San. This group lives in the
11
The name means ‘handy man’ and were the first humans to use tools. Part of the species of the genus,
Homo, they lived approximately 2.3 to 1.4 million years ago.
12
Homo erectus (meaning ‘upright man) lived for 1.5 million years from approximately 1.9 million years to
400 000 years ago. They were very adaptable, had fire and made stone tools that are part of the
Acheulian stone tool culture.
13
The historic terms of ‘Bushmen’ and ‘Hottentot’ are considered to be derogatory. The terms
Khoekhoe/Khoikhoi and San are preferred. Collectively, the indigenous people who lived in and around
the Northern Cape are referred to as Khoisan.
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
40
Dennis Moss Partnership