ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland

Lore & Background

The southern area, referred to as ǀXam-ka ǃxau (home of the ǀXam), contains semi-arid tracts of the Upper Karoo with rocky hills and outcrops rich in rock art sites, predominantly rock engravings. The northern area, in the Southern Kalahari, has sandy desert topography that precludes rock art; there, a cultural mapping project contributes to a revival of interest in cultural traditions among the younger generation.

With the official proclamation of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in 1931, the majority of the Khomani, as well as the Mier people who lived in that area, were forced to move to other areas. Both areas are rich in archaeological traces, inter alia of the Later Stone Age.

Reader's Guide

The ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland represents a significant cultural landscape that preserves the heritage of San peoples whose languages are now nearly extinct. The southern region's wealth of rock engravings provides a tangible link to the ǀXam people's past, while the northern region's cultural mapping project actively engages younger generations in reviving traditions. The site's inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2004 and the subsequent inscription of the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape in 2017 underscore its global cultural value. The forced relocation of the Khomani and Mier people in 1931 highlights a disruptive historical event that shaped the current demographic landscape. Today, descendants live as Afrikaans-speaking ‘Coloured’ people on farms or in towns, with the precolonial languages either extinct or spoken by very few. The site thus serves as a testament to both the rich cultural heritage and the challenges of language and cultural survival.

Did You Know?

• The ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland consists of regions south and north of Upington in the Northern Cape Province.
• The southern area is called ǀXam-ka ǃxau, meaning 'home of the ǀXam'.
• The northern component, the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape, was inscribed on the World Heritage list on July 8, 2017.
• With the proclamation of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in 1931, most Khomani and Mier people were forced to move.