Hunting

Historical Background

African hunters have discovered hunting to be a meaningful way to contribute to the human food supply even in areas where agriculture and the domestication of animals have long held sway. Clearly the supplemental protein brought into the society by hunters assisted the people in creating meaningful responses to their environment because of their strength and stamina.

Among the earliest hunting tools in Africa were spears, bow and arrows, and knives. Kings in ancient Africa were known as great hunters as well as great warriors. Depicted on the walls of the temples in the Nile Valley, in Egypt and Sudan, are royal hunters of lions and other animals. Indeed, the use of the chariot by Thutmoses III and Ramses II in hunting scenes suggests that the kings were able to use the war chariot as a vehicle for hunting.

The earliest scenes of hunting in Africa might be the rock paintings that are found in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, and other countries, which are dated to 40,000 years ago. They show hunting scenes painted in black, red, white, brown, and yellow colors; animals are depicted, often with men chasing the animals to kill them. The Khoi-san people believed in the great God Tsui'goab who brought them rain, food, and hunting success.

Hunting in Africa is associated with virility, in the sense that the hunter must be fit, energetic, alert, and physically capable of sustaining long journeys. The hunter must have the ability to gauge the weather, determine the seasons, navigate the terrain, and pursue animals over vast stretches of territory. Hunting is also associated with taboos that produce hunting restrictions in sacred forests where various spirits assemble. There are some areas of Africa where the hunter is restricted from access to certain holy temple or shrine sites.

The God of the Forest

The Mbuti, an ethnic group of small people who live in the Congo, are among the best hunters in Africa. They relate their hunting skills and resources to their religious ideas. They believe in the Creator Deity called Tore who is the lord of rainstorms, the master of the sky, the creator of rainbows, and the giver of all life. Before the hunters leave on a hunt, they must first invoke the name of Tore to grant them food. Thus, in this instance, the Almighty Tore is not far removed from the Mbuti hunters. Unlike many African expressions of the Supreme Deity, he not only creates but involves himself in the lives of the ordinary people.

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