Having traveled long
distances, this
stranger might have
valuable survival
skills to share.2
His spears could
indicate that he is a
good hunter or that
his group may be
hostile invaders—
or both.3
The hunter-gatherer
community is small
and tightly knit. There
is, however, room to
accommodate
newcomers.1
How can newcomers
change a community?
The year is 100 B.C., and you’ve spent most of the day
gathering berries. The hunters have brought back some
small game to add to the simmering pot. Just then you see
something out of the ordinary. A stranger is approaching.
He is carrying a spear and leading cows—a type of animal
that none of you has ever seen. Your first reaction is fear.
But you are also curious. Who is he? What does he want?
Where has he come from? The communal elders have
similar concerns, yet they cautiously go forward to greet him.EXAMININGtheISSUES
• How might both native people and newcomers benefit from
their interaction?
• How would such interaction change everyone involved?
Discuss these questions as a class. In your discussion, remember
what you’ve learned about other peoples who dealt with foreigners,
such as the Indo-European invaders of Asia and India. As you read
about the early African civilizations in this chapter, notice how
African peoples interacted with each other.212 Chapter 8