PITLOCHRY PRIMARY HistoryTerm 2 Vacation Task Grade 5

PITLOCHRY PRIMARY History-Term 2 Vacation Task –Grade 5 Topic : Religion, medicine, healing and hunting Task 8 Instructions: • Refer to your textbook or any other relevant sources of information • Use exam pad • Write your name and your grade • Write neatly

INTRODUCTION Last week we explained the term trade and we discussed how trade took place in the African farming society, we mentioned that villages traded things like jewellery, iron and copper goods, cattle and crops. We also said that African farmers traded tools with the San people in exchange for animal furs and hides and they traded metal goods with the Khoikhoi in exchange for cattle. This week we will take a closer look on the religion, medicine, healing and hunting.

Religion, medicine and healing First African farmers had a belief that when a person died, only the body died but the soul lived on. They believed that the soul connected the spirit world as an ancestor who protected and watched over humans. This made older people to be treated with great respect because they would soon be ancestors, this was because during this time, death was most commonly to elders then to the youth unlike nowadays. Older people would know what the ancestors wanted better than the younger people. Early farming societies had a great knowledge about plants and how they could be used for healing. They had traditional healers and diviners called “sangomas”. Healers were special people that were chosen by the ancestors and received a spiritual calling, they had a long and careful training from experienced e sangomas, they healed illnesses and made medicines from plants. Healers were sometimes called “Herbalists”. Herbalists had a deep knowledge of healing plants, they used variety of roots, bark, herbs, flowers as well as animal products to mix their medicines. They were also consulted when rituals were performed or to help find lost cattle. They were highly respected in the community, even nowadays, sangomas still exist and they still have same practices and traditions as long ago.

Let us look at the picture on this slide Sangomas dressed in a traditional way and usually had braids and beads on their heads. They used incense and candles to connect with the ancestors.

Hunting African farmers got food from their cattle and fields but they also hunted wild animals. Hunting provided not only meat, but also provided furs, skins and ivory for trade. The chief claimed spoils for himself and decided who would get the spoils from the hunt. African farmers hunted for themselves most of the time, but sometimes they hired San people to hunt for them. Hunting was a communal activity, but sometimes young men would hunt on their own using traps and snares. To catch the bucks others would drive them towards the bush where others where hiding. Mostly, farmers hunted for their own use but later on elephant ivory became a great demand, farmers traded ivory with other farming communities. Ivory was a symbol of power and could be worn only by the chiefly families, it was then made into pendants and armbands. Animal skins and beautiful furs were worn by important families, for example, a leopard fur was a symbol of power and was worn by important men and chiefs only. This practice is still valid even today, mostly in African cultures.

New words Definition Healer A person who finds out what the illness is and help the sick to get better Herbalist A person who uses plant medicine to cure illness Spoils A share of the things taken by force in a war or hunt Pendant A piece of jewellery that hangs around the neck

Learners’ activity Refer to the above given information, read through the textbook page 126127 or use any other relevant information to complete the following task. 1. What is an ancestor? 2. What is a Sangoma? 3. Differentiate between a Healer and a Herbalist. 4. What were skins and furs used for? 5. Why was the elephant ivory in demand in the African society? 6. Why was hunting important to the African farmers?