khoi khoi people of south africa

Political organization.

They lived in large groups which were made up of a number of camps.
Each camp had people of the same clan. A number of camps made a settlement with its own chiefs.

The chiefs usually settled disputes between members of same clan in the camps .However their powers were limited to a certain degree.
Conflicts between different clans were settled by the chiefs with the help of the council of elders.
The Khoikhoi were friendly to outsiders unless attacked. They welcomed visitors if the latter were friendly.
The Khoikhoi held a political meeting in public and all adult males were free to attend. These meetings were well organized than those of the San.

Their huts were made up of reed mates and were carried from place to place by oxen whenever they moved.
They were always on the move in search for food, water and pasture. Because of this they never had permanent settlements/homes
Boys underwent initiation ceremonies where their hunting skills were tested and prepared for manhood.
Like the San, the family formed the basic social unit. Group of families formed a lineage.
The Khoikhoi celebrated important stages in life. For example at birth, puberty, marriage and death.
During such celebrations, sacrifices were offered to their gods.
Tsuiguad or Twisgoab was worshipped as their God. He was believed to be the giver of good health, rain and prosperity. He was called “the father of our fathers”.

The Khoikhoi feared and consulted the dead. Ghosts were feared to cause harm.
Marriage was done after initiation and the husband was supposed to stay with the girls parents till the birth of the first child.
Marriage in the same clan was not allowed. In other words boys were not allowed to marry girls of the same clan. I.e. their marriages were exogamous.
Their families were patrilineal. A father was the head of the family.
Polygamy was common among the Khoikhoi but they produced few children as many would be a burden to their nomadic way of life.
Traditional dancing especially at new and full moon. They also danced at initiation ceremonies
Sheep was presented to the parents of the girl before the bride could be taken .The bride would go away with her presents from parents which remained her property in a new home.

The Khoikhoi were nomadic and grew no crops for food. They moved from place to place in search for water and pasture for their animals.
The Khoikhoi were mainly pastoralists. They kept cattle, fat tailed sheep and goats.
It was rare for the Khoikhoi to slaughter their cattle for meat. Animals were slaughtered only on important days such at initiation days.
They were hunters and gatherers. They hunted wild game and collected the roots and honey to supplement their diet.
The Khoikhoi carried out barter trade with the Bantu and later with the Europeans .they exchanged cattle and related products for European goods.
The Khoikhoi had a lot of material wealth compared to the san.

Iron working and pottery were practiced among the Khoikhoi. They made iron implements.
They trained oxen and used them for transport.