Chatting in the Bush

How do bushmen chat? Well, bushmen, also called the San peoples, are among the oldest cultures on Earth. I read about the Khoisan languages — a group of African languages.

The most unique thing about these languages is the use of click consonants. You keep hearing little clicks while the person speaks. It has been speculated that these sounds were the natural vocal adaptations to the environment.

Over the last few centuries, both the bushmen and their languages have been stifled and virtually lost under the scourge of urbanisation and development.

The image — a female pied bush chat — was taken in Munnar, far, far away from the gradually disappearing bushmen and their culture.

PS: here’s an example of a bushman speaking the click language.