Paper short abstract:

Even though past images of Bushmen are often thought to be detrimental to their wellbeing, the Khomani Bushmen of South Africa have chosen to continue to exploit them for tourism. This paper will explore the reasons for this, examining what impact this action may have in the future.

Paper long abstract:

Although the Bushmen of Southern Africa were regarded as 'brutal savages' in the 19th century, they were later 'upgraded' to 'harmless people'. These labels contributed to the Bushmen's later 'primitive people' image, which still persists today, especially in tourist brochures. As such tourists expect to see Bushmen in this guise. Accordingly, between the 1980s and 1990s, the Khomani Bushmen of South Africa undertook employment requiring them to perform for tourists, further promoting their image as a 'primitive people'.

In 1999, however, following a land claim, the Khomani Bushmen were awarded land in the Northern Cape along with monetary compensation. It was thought that this would allow them to create new employment opportunities, freeing them from the need to perform for tourists, resulting in a move away from the Bushman image of the past. However in reality, many of the Khomani Bushmen and associated personnel continue to promote the past image of the Bushmen to attract tourists and project funding. Although this strategy may be working at present, it may in the long term, stifle creativity and new development initiatives.

This paper will seek to understand why labels such as the above were bestowed on the Bushmen and by whom. It will address whether or not the successful land claim could have allowed the Khomani Bushmen to leave their past image behind, and if indeed they had anything to benefit from such an action. Lastly it will consider whether retaining the past image serves any beneficial purpose today and what future repercussions might result.