San, also referred to as Bushmen, are part of the foraging community that resides in Southwest Africa. The San culture is a foraging society and base their kinship from the work that each person contributes. Foraging is the act of looking and searching for food or supplies necessary to survive. Groups of San are usually small in numbers and members relocate frequently to collect food, follow animal migration patterns, and replenish water resources. Since foragers have to move multiple times a year they have a significant lack of material goods, thereby helping promote a non-materialistic culture, fostering a level of contentment with what they have.
The women cherish their kinship by sharing time collecting and gathering food for themselves and most importantly their family. The women have a great bond together because they spend so much time together daily. The time that they spend together also makes the long search for food and supplies seem to be a little easier and less miserable on them. They seem happy to be doing what they do and enjoy providing for their families. The men in this culture spend two to three days away hunting. They hunt to provide food for their family. They hunt for enough food to last awhile. This hunting time provides the younger adults with a special kinship with their fathers and/or elders that they will never forget.
The San people do not desire a lot of material items. They are happy and content having great supplies of food and water to survive. The people of the San have low needs. They cherish all their time spent with their family. They want what just makes them happy, such as survival, food, water, and the tools to accomplish their needs. Their shelters are temporary and made of branches and grass.
Our society is totally different in our needs to a certain extent. I myself strive at work to provide for my family but in a very different way. I work Monday-Friday indoors to make money. They money I make provides food, clothing, shelter, etc. for my family and myself. I do not have to go forage for food; I can go to the store down the street and get everything I need. I, however, have many other “needs” that they would not have such as getting my nails done every two weeks. I depend on my phone constantly to stay connected with friends and familys. I depend on my computer and the internet to earn an education. In a world where technology is everywhere there are still people that have no idea the impact that technology has had on our society.