Blog Post #2

Topic/Question: What do you think of Nissa's account as a description of what paleolithic peoples might have been like?


   Nisa, A woman who lives in the Kalahari Desert on the border of Botswana and South Africa, compares her life to those living in the paleolithic era. The people who lived in the paleolithic era were Nomads which consisted of men and women being hunters and gatherers ( Men usually the hunter and women being the gatherer).  They lived solely off of the resources of the land which eventually would run out, causing them to keep finding sufficient land.

   Nisa spent most of her life in a community who fully participated in the same ways of life as the paleolithic era. In 1971, An American anthropologist observed and interviewed Nisa, who shares her life experiences living her life "in the bush.'' She talks about her childhood memories, Marriage and death of her husbands,  and medicines used in her community. As she describes her early life, she says she has absolutely nothing and her family owns no possessions. She talks about marriages and having four husbands as well as having affairs. One thing she said that really caught my attention was "When you are a woman, you don't just sit still - you have lovers. You don't just sit with one man, One man can give you only so little, but when you have lovers, one brings you one thing and another brings you something else.'' She also talks about an herbal medicine used by people in her community called ''n/um." This was a common medicine to use whenever one felt ill.

  I believe that living life with no possessions and only living off of resources from the land is definitely a good imitation of those who lived in paleolithic era, but whether we like it or not, evolution occurs and the paleolithic era was over two and a half million years ago. Evolution has occured since then Our bodies function in way more complex manners than primitive humans. Nisa talks about having love affairs with multiple husbands and how some men can bring her food and another with money. I am certain that two and a half million years ago, the primitive woman were not focused on having one man give her money and another give her food. These are characteristics of woman who are born into eras where currency exists. My point is, Nisa and her community may live inspired by the paleolithic era but it is impossible to consider them paleolithic people, evolution wont allow it.