A beacon of home: Struthio camelus and the parameters of humanity in southern African hunter-gatherer lifeways

Abstract

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggshell (OES) beads are well documented as a medium of delayed exchange and social networking between hunter-gatherer societies in southern Africa. For thousands of years, OES objects played a role in glossing social difference and establishing networks of reciprocal obligation. However, there is less clarity on the reasons for use of OES as the base material. While some sources consider the birds' spiritual power to be key, this contribution considers a complimentary perspective from within southern African |Xam idiom: that the normative associations of ostriches and ostrich eggs are significantly referenced through this material choice. In |Xam archival ethnography, ostriches appear as highly socialised resources, drought-resistant and responsive to careful population management, making it possible to call upon the species as a fallback resource in difficult times. Accordingly, just as humans call upon the birds in vulnerable moments, OES encodes notions of trust, care and interdependence into objects made from it.