san people running shod OR barefoot now a days?

[canary island feet]

After seeing TJ's posted article from the cross country world championship in South Africa. I watched a documentary on the San people ("bushman") in South Africa to get inspired for the upcoming Madrid marathon sans shoes.

In the documentary on Youtube they were usually barefoot, but when they went on their "persistence style hunt," they tracked the animal while being shod (sneakers, sandals & even hiking boots - minute 43). They re-appear running to the animal barefoot (minute 44) without the shoes any where to be seen - and no place to hide hiking boots when wearing just a loin cloth.

Are they still running/hunting & living barefoot or just for the documentary cameramen?

 

[Jaqa]

The traditional dress is most likely just for the show. Sad but that life.
However they might change in and out of shoes for hunting. It is much easier and quieter to get close to animals without shoes. I have done that in the Bushveld, South of the Kalahari Desert. The Bushveld is basically just Acacia trees with lots of long, white thorns and as long as you watch your step, very easy to walk through.