We had a lecturer (and distinguished professor) talk to us about Bushman art. (Some fine Bushman objectionable, but not all love the alternative "San",, so we will stick with Bushman).
The Bushman have been inhabiting the Southern African region for perhaps 70,000 years. Their language uses "clicks" and perhaps even predates humans having a voice box. There are many dialects of Bushman, and they are not mutually intelligible, because the dialects are so ancient.
The Bushman both painted and chiseled beautiful art. We were in the region where carved their art; the painted art is in caves in other regions. It is as lovely (or the South Africans might well say lovelier) than the art in the French cave of Lascaux.
The art represented the trance-like stages the Kalahari men and women could reach as they danced. It represents them in an altered state of consciousness, and the animal they would use as a guide.
Alas, the Bushman will soon be part of our past, despite their ancient heritage. They are an extremely egalitarian people, and strongly tied to place. They are being eradicated. Much of their communal knowlege has been lost.
One ancient Bushma, 104 years old, is being videotaped. Our visiting professor went to visit him, but he was gone, having walked to visit his girlfriend 40 miles away.