How did the San people traditionally survive in Namibia?

Traditionally, the San people in Namibia and the broader region survived as nomadic hunter-gatherers, relying on a deep knowledge of their environment to sustain themselves in arid landscapes.12

Their survival strategy was based on several key practices:

• Dietary Sources: Subsistence relied heavily on gathering wild plants, including fruits, nuts, and vegetables, which formed the primary part of their diet. This was supplemented by hunting game such as antelopes, tortoises, and other reptiles, as well as collecting bird eggs and insects.13
• Water Management: In extremely dry areas like the Namib, they often depended on the bitter juices of the tsama melon for hydration.4
• Hunting Techniques: Men hunted using light bows equipped with poisoned arrows, as well as snares, throwing sticks, and spears. Because their bows had a limited range, they required exceptional skill to stalk prey closely.13
• Mobility and Shelter: San groups lived in small, autonomous bands that moved periodically to follow food sources. They constructed lightweight, portable shelters—ranging from simple windbreaks to domed, grass-thatched structures—using materials like branches and twigs.13