Khairi is a Bantu man living with his family and many other Bantu peoples in central

Natal. The year is 1008, 8 years after they first arrived in central Natal. Khairi remembers
migrating from west central Africa, but his children are ages 10, 7, and 4 and they do not
remember or were not even born when they moved. Their new home is also known as subSaharan Africa. Khairis family owns pygmies, which helped them travel across so much land.
Some of their friends and neighbors drive bushmen instead of pygmies.
Khairi works in agriculture. This occupation has become easier with the help of iron
tools, some of which were made by Khairis brother, Raimi. When he is not busy working in the
fields, Khairi helps with herding cattle. Sometimes Khairi thinks it would be interesting to work
as a miner, collecting iron, copper, or gold. There are many other crafts within the Bantu village
such as spinning, weaving, pottery, and carpentry, but Khairi is the best in agriculture and is
happy doing that each day because he knows his skill is contributing to the economic growth of
his village.
Khairis community values tradition and the leaders of the village are the elders.
Someday when Khairi is older he could become a leader of his Bantu community because he is
so hardworking and selfless. Kinship societies are very important in his Bantu community and
when women began doing more work, Khairi started to do more trading because most of the
agricultural work shifted to women.
Khairi, and the rest of his village, believe that the dead affect the lives of the living and
that everyone should respect their ancestors. They believe that the deceased ancestors spirits can
be present in some situations. It is also believed that there is a supreme being as the highest
power, as explained by the Ancient Civilizations in Africa chapter.

During the day, music can be heard. This music has a lot of drum involvement and
sometimes the people of the village will begin dancing. At the end of the day, Khaira takes a few
moments to admire the ivory sculpture in his home before going to sleep.