Ratel10mm said:
Yes, Bushmen is the slang term. They prefer to be called their own name, San.
Its not quite that easy
San is not their own name but is instead the term originally used by the Khoekhoen people when referring to other people who spoke the various 'click' languages of the kalahrai area, the name San itself is also considered derogatory by many of these peoples.
there are many blanket names for these people: Khoesaan, Khoekhoen, Khwe, Basarwa, Masarwa, tengyanateng, Kwankhala, Khoikhoi, Kwena, Bushman, Hottentots, San, Soaqua.
all of which are names given to them by other cultural groups, and none of which are actually used by the people they refer to. some are offensive and others are simply deemed to be incorrect.
the people we commonly refer to as 'Bushmen' (a name given by the dutch "Bossiesman") are actually many separate groups with different traditions, customs and languages. they share no common name for themselves and reject being placed under any one label along with other people, who, as far as they are concerned are totally different and dont even speak the same language!
It would be the same as someone grouping all the people of Europe and North America under one name ignoring cultural and linguistic differences because we look similar.
Grouping peoples under one name because we are not able to tell the difference between the languages they speak and they "all look the same to me" is naturally considered offensive.
It might be more correct to group them by the language they use, such as:
!Kung, Naro, Khwedam, Ju|hoansi, N|u, ||Anikhwedam, !Xun, Khoekhoegowab!, Hai//om, etc, etc
However, even if you could pronounce the name of the language (the /,!, ||, //) symbols are different 'Click' sounds) its unlikely that many people in the west other than bearded anthropologists would know who or what you were talking about!
Whilst I was in Botswana volunteering for an NGO staffed in the main by Naro. I witnessed an American tourist who had come into the office to ask for information correct one of the staff members she was conversing with they used the term 'Bushmen', saying "you must not call them Bushmen, its very offensive to them"
Since they were dressed in modern clothing and speaking English, the American was seemingly unaware that she was talking to the very people whom she was warning not to offend!
I prefer to use the term 'Bushmen' when writing or talking about these people here in the UK, it is the term I have most frequently heard used by the groups I have had contact with when referring to themselves to English speaking foreigners, and a term that I would personally take as a compliment if it were used by someone to describe my character.
My recommendation if you spend time with 'bushmen' is to simply ask them their name, if you can pronounce it then use that, if not, do your best impression of it!
