Old San woman’s life carved by time and resilience

In Tsumkwe and surrounding villages, time seems to dance with the winds, and the land tells tales etched into the sand.In the small village of /Ao #Ao, there resides a woman named Tjiqgo Gcao.At the age of 79, she stands as a testament to a life lived in harmony with the rhythm of the bush, where survival is both a challenge and a triumph.Gcao, a member of the San people, has called the vast expanse of the bush her home throughout her life.With no formal education, her knowledge of the world derives from the bush – this is where she learned which wild fruits to pick, which roots to dig up and which plants are useful for treating ailments.Cycle of lifeShe never dreamt of a career, for according to her, in the world of the San people, life unfolds as a cycle: one is born, lives and returns to the embrace of the earth.This is what will happen to her too, eventually, she narrates.She has no child to carry on her name as her life took an unexpected turn when a miscarriage at a young age rendered her unable to bear children – a pain that cut deep into her very essence. She explains that her first husband – a terrible man – caused her miscarriage when he beat her.In the absence of the pitter-patter of little feet, Gcao has found solace in the rustling of leaves, the laughter of hyenas, and the endless canvas of stars that adorn the night sky.Eventually, she remarried – a second husband, whom she describes as a good man who has treated her well throughout the years.Snapshot of a lifeLiving with her husband and extended family, Gcao has built her hut a few metres away from the huts of the younger people.Here she tends to her own fire with her husband and sustains herself and the family with a meagre government pension of N$1 200, using it to acquire essentials that supplement her foraging lifestyle.She receives her pension from government officials, who drive from village to village, distributing the money.As she waits for the monthly pension, she continues to navigate the challenges of spending every day in the bush, which carries more than tales of survival – it whispers the story of another pain Gcao carries with her. Ancient curesThe weight of her years manifests in the form of bone pain, an uninvited companion that accompanies her every step. Undeterred, Gcao has developed her own ritual of relief, involving a blade and ointments.With the knife&#039;s sharp edge, she makes incisions on her skin and, with practiced hands, applies homemade ointments to the cuts, a tradition passed down from her elders.She has tried to teach her nieces about this ritual. However, with modernisation, she is not sure whether this ancient tradition of easing pain will be adopted by the younger generation.Gcao’s story reflects not only the struggles of her own journey but also the resilience that characterises the San people.–limba@namibiansun.com

Old San woman’s life carved by time and resilience

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-07

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Old San woman’s life carved by time and resilience

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-07

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