Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

20 Before Agriculture

Table 1.2

The Bushman annual round

Season

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Summer Rains

Autumn

Dry

Winter Dry

Spring Dry

First Rains

Availability of water

Temporary summer pools everywhere

Large summer pools

Permanent waterholes only

Summer pools

developing

Group moves

Widely dispersed at

summer pools

At large summer pools

All population restricted to

permanent waterholes

Moving out to summer pools

Men’s subsistence activities

1. Hunting with bow, arrows and dogs (Year-round) 2.

Running down immatures

Trapping small game in

snares

Running down newborn animals

3.

Some gathering (Year-round)

Women’s subsistence activities

1.

Gathering of mongongo nuts (Year-round)

2.

Fruits, berries, melons

Roots, bulbs, resins

Roots, leafy, greens

Ritual activities

Dancing, trance performances and ritual curing

(Year-round)

Boys’ initiation

a

b

Relative subsistence hardship

Water-food distance minimal

Increasing distance from water to food

Water-food distance

minimal

a Held once every five years; none in 1963–64.b New Year’s: Bushmen join the celebrations of their missionized Bantu neighbours.