The Kung people,

The Kung people, also known as the ǃXun or Ju, are an indigenous group of the San peoples, residing primarily on the western edge of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Their traditional territories span across northern Namibia, southern Angola, and Botswana. The ǃKung have a long history of hunting and gathering as their primary means of subsistence, a practice that persisted until the 1970s. However, in recent decades, many ǃKung people have shifted to living in villages alongside Bantu pastoralists and European settlers.

The Kung people are known for their rich cultural traditions, especially their spiritual beliefs and practices. They worship a Supreme Being, Xu, who is regarded as the Creator and Sustainer of life. Like many African cultures, the ǃKung believe that the deity can influence the world through natural forces, such as weather. The Otjimpolo-ǃKung subgroup refers to this deity as Erob, who is said to possess all knowledge.

Their spiritual beliefs also include animistic and animatistic elements, where both personal spirits and impersonal forces are acknowledged. One notable figure in ǃKung mythology is Prishiboro, a culture hero whose wife was an elephant. After his brother tricked him into killing her, the elephant herd sought revenge. This myth is just one example of how the ǃKung incorporate animals and nature into their storytelling and belief systems.

The Kung also have a strong belief in the existence of llgauwasi, spirits of the dead who live in the sky. These spirits are thought to interact with the living, and the ǃKung both fear and revere them. To communicate with the spirit world, the Kung practice shamanism, with healers entering trance states to cure illnesses and seek guidance from the spirits.

Overall, the Kung are a people deeply connected to their environment and spirituality, with a culture shaped by centuries of traditions and beliefs.