As such, they live in small family groups and move about the land in search of food sources. In recent years, many San have begun to settle into larger groups around water sources, and many have also settled into the communities of their neighbors. In a hunting and gathering society, the women are usually responsible for procuring most of the food. They collect nuts and berries and dig for roots. They also capture small animals, which provide most of the protein for the family.
Men usually hunt in small groups, but the food they provide is minimal.
Surviving for thousands of years in the Kalahari, San peoples have had to develop a keen awareness of their surroundings and have learned to benefit from a seemingly harsh environment. Leadership among the San is reserved for those who have lived within that group for a considerable time, who have achieved a respectable age, and who have desirable personal qualities. San are largely egalitarian, sharing such things as meat and tobacco. Land is usually owned by a group, and rights to land are usually inherited bilaterally. Kinship bonds provide the basic framework for political models.