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Farming in Southern Africa
Transcript of Farming in Southern Africa
Main Idea
Farming inSouthern
Africa
Khoisan people werenomads living in South
Africa
See below how thisimpacted on the
environment
First Farmers in Southern Africa
History ofFarming Tame and breed
animals, cattle,sheep, goats
Planting seeds of wild plants
Farming in South Africa
First farmers +/-10 000 yrs ago
Settled in one place
Did not have to walk far for food
Transport
Work - pulling ploughs
Food - meat and milk
Shelter and clothing - animal skins
Black farmers moved from:Northern, Eastern and central parts of Africa
Started +/- 2 000 yrs ago
Changes as a result
of farming
PeopleEnvironment Society
People stayed in one place for a long time
Impacted on/disturbed the environment
Less traveling, permanent homes
Natural resources used up for shelter/food
Bigger families Chiefdoms formed in villages
More conflict andpolitical interaction
Before FarmingNomadic LifestylePeople gathered plants -
seasonal, therefore had to move often
Animals were hunted and moved around
People moved fromplace to place
People had no or littleimpact on the
environment
Main IdeaEarly AfricanFarmers
First Farmers in Southern Africa
Living arrangements
ChiefdomsConsisted of more than one village
Ruled by a CHIEF
Homesteads
Few huts with thatched roofs, walls of mud andcow dung
Built around a central cattle 'kraal'
Fence from thorn tree branchessurrounded the area
Villages
Consisted of many homesteads
CHIEF lived in largest homestead
Huts arranged according to social hierarchy
Agriculture
Benefits
Livestock
Crops
Planted fruit trees
Built 'kraals' for livestock andput up high fences
Planted vegetables
Gathered fruit andvegetables
Not enough food to gather
Too many people to feed
millet
sorghum
pumpkin
melons
Hunted for foodToo many people to feed
Started keeping own cattle
To protect cattle and sheep fromwild animals
Manure of cattle - used tofertilise the soil
Milk, meat, vegetables - healthy diet
Stored grains and seedsfor winter months
Cattle
Uses
Wealthiest & mostpowerful = most cattle
Only men owned cattle
Belonged to individuals
Sacrificed for dead ancestors
meat
milk
skin & horns - clothing, shields, weapons
cow dung -fuel and huts were
plastered with dung
traded for other goods
used as payment for 'lobola'
Lobola is the payment thehusband makes to his
bride's family when theyget married.
Social, Political& Economical
Structures
Social hierarchy
Social classes:rich/poorpowerful/powerless
Elders & Chief -political power based on
cattle ownedRespresented wealth, status & power
Chief
Political authority- made decision (consulted other wealthy men)
Wealthiest, biggest homestead
Role:
Feed people - famine
Care for women if husband died
Care for less fortunate
Lend cattle to poor men
welcome visitors
Political organisation
Not all highly organised chiefdoms
All had a government, responsiblefor solving problems
Men, womenand children
Men
Women
Older men - decisions, kept law & order
Men - carving, smelting iron
Young men - warriors, guarding village
Weaving, sewing, cooking, storedfood in clay & straw pots
Young girls - helped mothers - collected water, ground crops, cleaning
ChildrenEconomically active from young age
Teens - responsibilities of adults
Economicalstructures Skills
Metalworking
Encouraged trade
Specialised crafts
First Farmers in Southern Africa
A hierarchical society isa society that is divided
into different socialclasses and where
everyone is not equal.
C
Started to plant cropsSettled permanently in an areaTook ownership of the land(began to think that they ownedthe land)Land belonged to community -chief and elders decided how todivide it upChanged the environment,wanted fertile soil and goodgrazingLived in homesteads in villagesLived in huts with thatch roofsand mud and cattle dung walls,around cattle 'kraal'Chief's homestead was in middle,social hierarchy determinedwhere your homestead wasChief had political authority
Early Khoikhoi were nomadsGathered food - berries, rootsAdapted to the land andenvironment, did not change itpermanentlyLived in clans - everyoneworked togetherDid not take ownership of landHuts built with pole frames andgrass matting in a circleCattle in the middle of camp toprotect themChief and elders madedecisions
Comparing Early Farmers in South Africa to the Khoisan
Khoisan
Early Farmers
Hunted for foodOwned livestocklike cattle andgoatsStarted to settleon land (notmoving around asmuch)
Similarities
Archaeologists found evidence thatthey lived together peacefully:
Khoisan artefacts found on farmingsitesFarmers adopted 'click' sound fromKhoisan language - isiXhosa andisiZuluRock paintings of Khoisan showfarmers' cattle and tools
What proof do wehave that Khoisanand farmers livedin cooperation?
Farmers traded iron tools, weapons for meatand animal hidesKhoisan shared rainmaking skillsKhoisan married farmersBoth told stories for entertainment andsharingFarmers hired Khoisan to work as hunters orherdersFarmers introduced argriculture and metalworking technology
How did they livetogether in peace?
Can you think of reasons whythey sometimes disagreed with
each other?