!Xam Khomani Heartland
Encyclopedia
The ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland tentative World Heritage Site
, consists of regions located to the south and north of Upington, respectively, in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa
. The ǀXam and ǂKhomani (more correctly Nǁnǂe) people were linguistically related groups of San (Bushman
) people, their respective languages (ǀXam and ǂKhomani
) being part of the !Kwi language
group. Descendants of both the ǀXam and Nǁnǂe include Afrikaans-speaking ‘Coloured
’ people on farms or in towns in the region amongst whom the precolonial languages are either entirely extinct (in the case of ǀXam) or can be spoken by but a very few people (in the case of Nǀu).
(to the south) and the Southern Kalahari (to the north). Both areas are rich in archaeological traces inter alia of the Later Stone Age, while rocky hills and outcrops in the southern area (which has been referred to as ǀXam-ka !xau, meaning home of the ǀXam) have a wealth of rock art
sites, preponderantly in the form of rock engravings. In the ǂKhomani area to the north (where the sandy desert topography precludes rock art) a cultural mapping
project contributes to a revival of interest in cultural traditions in the younger generation.
World Heritage Tentative List on May 15, 2004 in the Cultural category.
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, consists of regions located to the south and north of Upington, respectively, in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The ǀXam and ǂKhomani (more correctly Nǁnǂe) people were linguistically related groups of San (Bushman
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
) people, their respective languages (ǀXam and ǂKhomani
N/u language
' or , commonly known by its primary dialect ', is a moribund Tuu language once spoken in South Africa. It is no longer spoken often on a daily basis, as the speakers live in different villages...
) being part of the !Kwi language
Khoisan languages
The Khoisan languages are the click languages of Africa which do not belong to other language families. They include languages indigenous to southern and eastern Africa, though some, such as the Khoi languages, appear to have moved to their current locations not long before the Bantu expansion...
group. Descendants of both the ǀXam and Nǁnǂe include Afrikaans-speaking ‘Coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
’ people on farms or in towns in the region amongst whom the precolonial languages are either entirely extinct (in the case of ǀXam) or can be spoken by but a very few people (in the case of Nǀu).
Site description
The two areas remain to be precisely defined. They consist of semi-arid to arid tracts of the Upper KarooKaroo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
(to the south) and the Southern Kalahari (to the north). Both areas are rich in archaeological traces inter alia of the Later Stone Age, while rocky hills and outcrops in the southern area (which has been referred to as ǀXam-ka !xau, meaning home of the ǀXam) have a wealth of rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
sites, preponderantly in the form of rock engravings. In the ǂKhomani area to the north (where the sandy desert topography precludes rock art) a cultural mapping
Cultural mapping
"Cultural mapping" is the label organisations and peoples concerned about safeguarding cultural diversity give to a wide range of research techniques and tools used to "map" distinct peoples' tangible and intangible cultural assets within local landscapes around the world In its Universal...
project contributes to a revival of interest in cultural traditions in the younger generation.
World Heritage Status
The ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on May 15, 2004 in the Cultural category.