Name Essays (316 words) - Hexapoda, Africa, San People,

Name Course Tutor Date Africa (Bushman): Mantis For this response exercise on the mantis, the Bushmen of Kalahari view it not as a god but as a super being (Para. 2). They are not the only tribe who have this mythology since it is a well-known fact that the Greek believed the mantis to have magical and divine powers. Given this context, for the Greeks, the word mantis means soothsayer or divine. It is, therefore, imperative we see the culture of the Bushmen in Kalahari as a diverse culture that spans to other cultures. The Bushmen also pay a lot of respect to the insect because they see it as a dream bushman. In this context, they personify the mantis (Para. 3). When we consider the fact that the Mantis taught the Bushmen how to find food (Para. 4), this can be linked to the aspect that the mantis gave the Bushmen fire. Fire acts as a source of warmth and food. It is with a fire that civilization is thought to have thrived. Without fire, man would not have survived. This fact proves that the mantis holds a special place i n the hearts and minds of the Bushmen. Before they were given fire, it can be assumed that the Bushmen ate food in a raw state, which was no different to the other predators living in the desert. Without fire, they were surrounded by darkness at night. Fire acted as a motivation for them to hunt. In respect to the creation of the moon, the Bushmen believe this to be the creation of the mantis. We can only argue that the mantis placed it to act as a source of light to guide the Bushmen during darkness. The mantis to the Bushmen serves as a source of light and direction. Perhaps this may work as the single most paramount deed that makes the Bushmen respect the mantis.