The San or Kwengo, as they are known locally, are assumed to have been the earliest modern residents of this area. The San people are the first people of Africa; descendants of the original Homo sapiens, they are the region’s earliest inhabitants and it’s estimated that they’ve been living here for the last 30.000 plus years. Their nomadic way of life has left little evidence of their passing, apart from their rock art that decorates thousands of sites throughout Zimbabwe most noticebly at Matopos, near Bulawayo.
Photo: Füsun Kavrakoğlu, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 2024.
About 2000 tears ago Bantu speaking people arrived in this area bringing with them the ability to smelt and forge iron for agricultural implements and weapons. Their presence in the Zambezi Valley has been dated back to about 1,600 years ago. Finds include iron tools, storage structures and broken pottery that have been identified from various sites, mainly on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River.
Photo: Füsun Kavrakoğlu, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 2024.
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