Hunting gestures in Tjwao

Abstract

Hunting gestures, i.e., gestures used to avoid scaring away prey or raising the attention of predators, are a central part of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of many foragers. These gestures have been documented for several groups in Southern Africa. This article is dedicated to such gestures, specifically those used by the speakers of a moribund East Kalahari Khoe language – Tjwao. It documents the hunting gestures collected in the villages of Sanqinyana and Sifulasengwe in Western Zimbabwe and analyzes them by adopting a formal descriptive approach. The focus is on the phonology and semantics of the gestures. Regarding phonology, handshape, palm orientation, location of the gesture, movement, handedness, and any participation of other parts of the body in the production of a gesture are discussed. Concerning semantics, we examine the referents of the hunting gestures and the type and extent of iconic relationship each gesture entertains with its real-world referent. In light of the analysis, we conclude that the hunting gesture code used by Tjwao speakers largely complies with the profile exhibited by the other hunting gesture codes found across the area, although certain dissimilarities can also be observed. This provides further evidence supporting the existence of the Kalahari Basin Area Sprachbund.