See also: Nama

The Namaquas (which means people of Nama) train people of pastors who live in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana; is one of the principal branches Khoïkhoï. Their traditional language is the nama, but the majority speak the Afrikaans now.

During thousands of years, they preserved a pastoral life, keeping herds of goats and sheep, gathering wood for fire and collecting honey.

Following the discovery of Diamond S with the mouth of the river Orange in the Years 1920, of the prospectors settled in the area, building cities like: Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth, process which accelerated with the appropriation of the traditional grounds which had started at the beginning of the colonial era. Under the mode of apartheid, the last pastors were encouraged to fix itself in villages.

Namaquas are considered by certain, like downward truths of Khoïkhoïs, they have much in common with the Bochimans (San), dividing the same roots and linguistic characteristics. Therefore one gathers them under the name of Khoisan.

Namaquas lived on the Orange river in the South of Namibia and the North of South Africa. The first colonists called them Hottentots.

See too

• Namaland