The recent xenophobia attacks in South Africa have not only led to soul searching in that country but also to the question of human genesis. This is especially raised by the ad for tasty chicken and chips below:
In the ad, after everyone leaves South Africa, the only person left is the Khoisan, believed to be the traditional inhabitant of the area. However, if it is true that human beings began somewhere in East Africa and not in South Africa, and if historians are correct that most people believed to be indigenous to southern Africa today actually came from the area around Cameroon, then not even the Khoisan is indigenous to South Africa. In other words, the Khoisan did not originate there; they migrated to the area.
However, most human societies have myths of origins, myths that claim that God/Spirit/spirits created them at a particular place and gave them particular skills and/or piece of land. Among the Vengo of Cameroon, where yours truly originate, it is believed that God created them right there in Vengoland. God sprang them as full-bodied people from a waterfall that can still be seen in the village. But the history of the Vengo tells a different story. It tells the story of people coming from different surrounding villages and converging in Vengoland. However, the Vengo are sticking to their story, just as Israel is sticking to its story about Palestine. Many South Africans, like most people around the world, do not even know, let alone remember the history of their migration. That is why xenophobia everywhere is in part a product of ignorance. Perhaps the history of migrations ought to be taught at primary schools so that professional historians should not be the only ones familiar with it.
However, most human societies have myths of origins, myths that claim that God/Spirit/spirits created them at a particular place and gave them particular skills and/or piece of land. Among the Vengo of Cameroon, where yours truly originate, it is believed that God created them right there in Vengoland. God sprang them as full-bodied people from a waterfall that can still be seen in the village. But the history of the Vengo tells a different story. It tells the story of people coming from different surrounding villages and converging in Vengoland. However, the Vengo are sticking to their story, just as Israel is sticking to its story about Palestine. Many South Africans, like most people around the world, do not even know, let alone remember the history of their migration. That is why xenophobia everywhere is in part a product of ignorance. Perhaps the history of migrations ought to be taught at primary schools so that professional historians should not be the only ones familiar with it.
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