Pre-colonial economies of the semi-arid societies
Pre-colonial economies of the dry interior: herders and hunter-gatherers, exchange, copper and rain. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.
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Who and what
| Group or item | Importance |
|---|---|
| The ǀXam San (Karoo) | Left many rock engravings |
| The Nama (Namaqualand) | Mined and worked copper |
| Specularite (sibilo) | A shiny mineral to decorate the body |
| Ostrich-eggshell beads | Widely traded; shells were also buried to store water |
Copper and iron were traded for cattle, beads and skins. A wealthy person in a herding society owned many animals, but drought or raids could quickly destroy a herd. Rainmaking mattered, because rain decided whether people and herds survived.
Living together
- Herders and hunter-gatherers swapped food, skins, skills and work; friction arose when herds ate the grass that wild game needed.
- They governed through family heads and chiefs, by discussion. Knowledge was passed on by speaking, so there are few written records; archaeologists use bones, pottery, beads and stone tools. Pottery suggests new ways to cook and store food.
Remember this and test yourself
- Semi-arid: dry, with low and unreliable rain; crops were hard. People hunted and gathered, or herded.
- Sheep and goats (later cattle) suited dry country best. Transhumance: moving herds with the seasons.
- Herders spread their animals over several places to lower the risk; lending cattle built a lasting bond between families.
- Hxaro: San gift-giving that builds lasting partnerships, so partners far away could help in a drought.
- The Cape settlement badly damaged these economies: settlers took the best grazing and water.
Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.
In a dry land friends are your insurance: share today, get help in the drought.
Important words
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Match column A to column B
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Now the real quiz!
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Take the quiz: Pre-colonial economies of the semi-arid societies- Read one part together and ask your child to tell it back in their own words.
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Follows CAPS for Grade 7 Social Sciences (History). Always check your teacher’s notes and textbook too.