Book

The !Kung of Nyae Nyae

Harvard University Press • Cambridge, Mass. • Published In 1976 • Pages:

By: Marshall, Lorna.

Abstract

This source provides a basic ethnographic description of the Nyae Nyae !Kung. Chapters are organized around the topics of environment and settlement, plant foods and gathering, animal foods and hunting, family and band, kin relationships and terminology, marriage, relief of social tensions, play and games, and music. Each of the bands in the Nyae Nyae area has been studied in detail and is represented in exhaustive kinship charts. Also included are summaries of the click (Khoisan) languages, racial affinities and characteristics of the San, and the prehistory of the San peoples. The source concludes with a list of !Kung artifacts made from vegetal and animal products. Marshall has been very thorough in her description of the topics chosen for discussion. Especially notable is the identification of many individuals, and kinship charts showing the relationships among individuals and bands. There are 66 artful photographs illustrating the text. Unfortunately, Nyae Nyae !Kung religion is not discussed at all, and ritual is mentioned only in passing. Most of the ethnography is based on fieldwork conducted prior to 1961, although some information from Richard Lee's later work is included.

HRAF PubDate

2005

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Southern Africa

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Christopher Latham

Field Date

1950-1961

Coverage Date

1950-1961

Coverage Place

Nyae Nyae region, Namibia and Botswana

Notes

Lorna J. Marshall

Includes bibliographical references and index

LCCN

76019152

LCSH

San (African people)