Since the beginning of human memory, the San have travened throughout
southern Africa, 'eating the land'. I Evidence of their continued use and
occupation ofGomghae (the Kalahari) is found in place names such as Ghanzi
in western Botswana,2 rock art and paintings,3 their intimate knowledge of
indigenous flora and fauna4 and their enduring myths and legends which
speak of the unique features of life in the Kalahari and their strong relationship
with the land . .5 Archaeological estimates of their occupation range from
1 500 to 30 000 years. 6
Approximately seven to eight hundred years ago, the future of the San of
Gomghae was radically altered by the immigration of Bantu-speaking people
into adjacent territory.7 It is commonly believed that these Bantu-speaking
people (the Tswana) crossed the Zambezi River from either present-day
Zambia or Zimbabwe. Once they had crossed the Zambezi River, the Tswana
broke up into several independent groups: Tawana, Ngwato, Kwena,
Ngwaketse, Lete, ](gatla, Roiong, nokwa and nhaping.8 Partially as a result
of the dispersed San population and the lack of pennanent settlements in the
area, several Tswana groups were relatively unrestricted in their migration into
territory located east of the Kalahari. Although migration continued for several
years, each group eventually established a tribal territory complete with a
tribal capital.9
Continued migration south ultimately brought the Tswana into contact with
Boer settlers from the Cape of Good Hope Colony. The Boers utterly rejected
any suggestion that there could be equality between 'good Christian men' and
people like the Bantu. 10 This attitude, combined with the Boers' compulsion
for land, inevitably resulted in violent clashes between the Boers and members
of the southern Tswana tribes. Fearing a continued escalation in violence, the
Tswana chiefs jointly appealed to the British Crown for protection.