Strandloper+peoples

Strandloper People are people that are descendants of San people, and get food from beaches. The term “Strandloper” is Afrikaans for “Beach Walker.” They are native to a span of beaches from Cape Town, South Africa to The Skeleton Coast on the shores of Namibia. Strandloper people eat things they can hunt, fish for, or collect - like mussels, seals, and penguins. They also collected fruit, wild plants, and seaweed.

The Strandloper people didn't wear clothes, as they didn’t see it necessary, because of the warmer climate in their area. Instead, they wore beads and other items as self-expression and identity. They didn't think of this as naked, because they hadn't been exposed to people telling them otherwise. The only time they felt “naked” was without their beads. This practice went on until 1652, when Europeans came to the area.

As time went on, Strandloper people began to disappear. This was due to the fact that they were choosing a newer more modern life, compared to the traditional way of life. There is only one known tribe of Strandloper people left in the world, these are the Topnaar people of the Namib Desert. In 2005, there were twelve settlements totaling to about 500 people.

The Strandloper people affected South Africa by their style of “fishing.” Areas in bays can be adapted to become a natural fish catcher. This method is still used by various restaurants and fishermen along the western portion of South Africa up north through Namibia.