There is so much to be learned about and from nomadic, indigenous peoples.  To begin with, they are the first known humans.  Homo sapiens were all originally hunter-gatherers, using simple stone, wood and bone tools to organize themselves in small tribal families.  According to an article published in The Independent, the San people are most likely the oldest human population group to inhabit Earth. The claim is based on an extensive analysis of African DNA in a study published in the journal Science.

“The San people live in southern Africa and are also known as bushmen. They have been hunter-gatherers for thousands of years. According to the scientists who published the study, the San are direct descendants of the first population of early human ancestors. These are the ancestors of all Africans and, by extension, all modern humans, as it is believed that early human migration from Africa is what populated the other continents.”  Reference*

Before modern civilization, families were closely-knit cohesive groups that shared in the tasks of daily living.  They worked together finding food by hunting and gathering vegetation.  They made up and played games together and everyone was essential in the running of the family.  

Temporary homes were built using the materials that were around them.  They knew about the live game and their habits in order to craft the traps that would provide the food they ate and made weapons to shoot other animals.  They gathered the berries and other things that grew around them, knowing which ones were not to be eaten.  When it was necessary, they moved on, carrying only that which was essential.  In other words, they were totally self-sufficient.

Belief in God, sacred places, spirits and a moral code were essential parts of their tradition. Their communities “maintained a deeply interconnected relationship of respect and balance with nature, animals and human life. Maintaining a positive relationship between these components was integral to their traditional world view.” (https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub)

The lessons to be learned from these people are numerous.  Cooperation, learning valuable survival skills, playing with each other, living without “stuff,” and sharing everything is the makeup of living a good life.  To me, this is the essence of wisdom.  Their history has much to teach us in today’s world.