Cultural Diversity among Twentieth-Century Foragers : An African Perspective

This book examines variability within broadly defined African forager societies, such as the Basarwa, Pygmies, Hadza and others. Foragers have been seen as culturally similar in that they all pursue a subsistence strategy that emphasizes hunting and gathering. However, research suggests there may be more diversity among groups than has previously been acknowledged. It is important to understand why diversity occurs within foraging societies and how this diversity compares with various societies. Here, leading scholars in the field compare and contrast various groups within more broadly defined forager societies. The chapters, which range in orientation from symbolic to ecological and behavioural, are based on rich ethnographic detail and the volume provides invaluable data on hunter-gatherer life that will interest anyone concerned with past or present foragers.