The San people, more commonly known as Bushmen, are believed to be the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa. They have lived for 80,000 years as hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari Desert, and are well-known for their expert survival skills in a harsh environment. Their unique clicking languages and their astonishing method of healing through trance dancing have made them a source of worldwide fascination.

But these peaceful people have long faced pressures from dominant tribes and European settlers. Recently, cattle ranches, diamond mines, and other projects have confined the San to a small portion of the land they once freely roamed. Forcibly evicted from their last remaining homeland and relocated into settlements, they must depend on governmental and outside aid.

In spite of these challenges, the Bushmen have now begun to stand up for their heritage, their land, and their dignity. They recognize that they can benefit economically from their distinctive knowledge and cultural traditions by organizing cultural safaris and selling their indigenous arts and crafts, while waging a legal battle to recover a small portion of their native homeland. The film takes a unique look at the fascinating history, brutal struggles and the daunting challenges the Bushmen face in the 21st century.

"This model of an educational anthropological film discusses and portrays the traditional culture and contemporary circumstances of the San or !Kung people, explicitly warning the viewers to avoid tendency to romanticize or exoticize native peoples."
‒Jack David Eller, Anthropological Review Database

African Studies Association, 2006