The Khoi Pot
Cohesion and cultural sustenance
The Khoi pot, a significant cultural symbol for the Khoi and San people of South Africa, has a rich history dating back approximately 2,000 years. Its unique conical shape served various purposes, including cooking, transporting water and food, and was an indispensable item for migrant herding clans. Due to its cultural importance, the Khoi pot was chosen as the emblem for the 2001 Khoi-San Consultative Conference, representing the unity of First Nations clans and structures.
We believe that the Creator grants humanity access to live off Mother Earth, but that we must do it gratefully. When going out for nutrition like berries, bulbs and field fruits, we offered thanksgiving prayers and sang devotional songs. When an antelope had been hunted down, God was first praised and then we thanked the animal that had sacrificed his or her life. The khoi pot is therefore a symbol of gratitude, but also responsibility. There was never more taken from nature than necessary for the pot, that is, the clan. Finally, the clay pot draws us to its warmth that is symbolic of God’s warmth.”
Dr Willa Boezak
Text from Struggle of an Ancient Faith: the Khoi-San of South Africa
Cape Town: Bidvest Data, 2017.
