106-532: Nic(h)olaas Waterboer (c. 1819 - 17 September 1896) was a leader ("Kaptijn") of the Griqua people . He was the last fully independent Griqua Kaptijn of Griqualand West , and after it became a British colony, his rule and that of his successors was largely nominal. He was the eldest son of Andries Waterboer who had founded the Waterboer dynasty, and his wife Gertruida Pienaar. After his father's death in 1852, Nicolaas
212-773: A Northern Cape politician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Griqua people The Griquas are a subgroup of mixed-race heterogeneous formerly Xiri -speaking nations in South Africa with a unique origin in the early history of the Dutch Cape Colony . Like the Boers they migrated inland from the Cape and in the 19th century established several states in what is now South Africa and Namibia . The Griqua consider themselves as being South Africa’s first multiracial nation with people descended directly from Dutch settlers in
318-569: A Southern African ethnic group descended from Cape Coloureds and Nama of Khoisan origin. Since the second half of the 19th century, the Rehoboth Baster community has been concentrated in central Namibia , in and around the town of Rehoboth . Basters are closely related to Afrikaners , Cape Coloureds, and Griquas of South Africa and Namibia , with whom they share a largely Afrikaner -influenced culture and Afrikaans language . Other groups of similar mixed ethnic origin, living chiefly in
424-622: A 'Treaty of Protection and Friendship' with the German Empire on 11 October 1884. It was the first of its kind between any native-descended peoples in the territory and the Germans (Basters were considered native because of their partial African descent). Other sources date this treaty 15 September 1885, Under this, "the independent executive powers of the Kaptein and Baster Council, especially for "foreign policy", were significantly curtailed." In 1893,
530-593: A constitution of Baster people in the Free Republic of Rehoboth. These have influenced the actions of the Baster community into the 21st century, although they no longer have the force of law. Basters have a long democratic tradition of electing their leadership. According to the Paternal Laws of 1872, a Kaptein is elected for life. This Kaptein was granted the powers to appoint members of a Council, and together they formed
636-514: A kind of autonomy for the Basters. They settled for a semi-autonomous Baster Homeland (known as Baster Gebiet ) based around Rehoboth, similar in status to the South African bantustans . This was established in 1976, and an election was held for Kaptein. In 1979, Johannes "Hans" Diergaardt won a court challenge to the disputed election, in which incumbent Ben Africa had placed first. Diergaardt
742-488: A largely European way of life. Some Basters distinguished themselves from the Coloured, whom they described as descendants of Europeans and Malay or Indonesian slaves brought to South Africa. In the early 18th century, Basters often owned farms in the colony, but with growing competition for land and the pressure of race discrimination, they were oppressed by their white neighbours and the government. Some became absorbed into
848-692: A lawsuit over his land rights, which led to him losing significant portions of his territory, but which in the end he won. Waterboer was a famously eloquent orator, and enormously persuasive in his speech. He was fluent in English and Dutch, as well as the native languages of his people - Afrikaans and Griqua. He briefly led a revolt against the British Empire in 1878, which led to his arrest and brief exile to Hopetown. He returned in 1880 though. He died in Griekwastad on 17 September 1896. This article about
954-621: A missionary of the Rhenish Mission, who served them from 1871 until his retirement in 1907. By 1872, Basters numbered 333 in Rehoboth. They founded the Free Republic of Rehoboth (Rehoboth Gebiet) and designed a German-influenced national flag. They adopted a constitution known as the Paternal Laws (original title in Afrikaans : Vaderlike Wette ). It continues to govern the internal affairs of
1060-525: A mixed-race bastard child. The name 'Baster' and 'Bastards' were not derived from the English word "bastard", but rather the Dutch word meaning "hybrid". It was only around 1876 that a group of Boer intellectuals, who named themselves "The fellowship of real Afrikaners", decided to use the term as a new means to describe the Boer people, as part of the project to create a new national identity for pioneer Boer people during
1166-633: A separate ethnic group and live primarily in south-central Namibia , while those who consider themselves Griqua are mostly located around Campbell and Griquatown in the historic territory of Griqualand West in the Northern Cape ; around the small Le Fleur Griqua settlement at Kranshoek in the Western Cape ; and at Kokstad in KwaZulu-Natal . It is important to note that the Griqua nation, largely founded on
SECTION 10
#17328523012011272-535: A similar magisterial and policing role as the Boer officials of the same title did, and the kommandants, who also acted as police but were mostly in charge of organising military campaigns and commandos. Another important founding father of the Griquas was Barend Barends. He led a group of Griquas to fight against Mzilikazi at Moordkop in the North West Province. The battle led to the deaths of many Griquas. Barends
1378-580: A sizable population who spoke Dutch and were instrumental in developing the colony. These children did not attain the social or legal status accorded their fathers, mostly because colonial laws recognised only Christian forms of marriage. This group became known as Basters , derived from bastaard , the Dutch word for "bastard" (or "crossbreed"). As part of the European colonists' paramilitary response to insurgent resistance from Khoi and San peoples, they conscripted Basters men into commando units. This allowed
1484-512: A system of private ownership in land. This was a rather novel land regime at the time for all polities in this part of sub-Saharan Africa, and for it to persevere in the face of increasing white interest in the region, the Griqua state — or ‘captaincy’ — needed to be extensive, bureaucratic, and respected: resilient in the face of serious challenge, coherent to both the Cape Colony administration and Boer communities.1 The organisation of this captaincy
1590-578: A war between whites. They disapproved of their men being issued German uniforms, fearing they would be considered regular soldiers. Despite their protests, Baster soldiers were assigned to duties far from the Gebiet. When Basters were assigned to guard South African prisoners of war in February 1915 at a camp at Uitdraii, they protested because nearly 50 of their men were connected to the people through historic kinship and language. Some aided escape by prisoners, and
1696-651: Is the area around Kimberley , which became an important mining town in the decades following the first local discovery of diamonds in 1866. Ownership of the diamond fields was contested by the Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, as well as various other groups like the KhoiKhoi, Koranas under Andries Waterboer, and the Batlhaping under Chief Mankuroane.In 1870, Transvaal President Andries Pretorius declared
1802-557: The Boers and the white English diggers. Disagreements ensued on exactly what the borders of the semi-nomadic Griquas' land was, and a range of regional states, including the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State vied for ownership of the land. The Cape Colony meanwhile, the largest and most powerful state in the region, was uniquely uninterested in any form of union with the territory, in spite of strong pressure from
1908-573: The Cape Colony in 1868 to search for land in the interior north. About 90 families of 100 left the region, the first 30 in 1869, with others following. They settled in Rehoboth in what is now central Namibia , on a high plateau between the Namib and Kalahari deserts. There they continued an economy based on managing herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. They were followed by Johann Christian Friedrich Heidmann ,
2014-562: The Drakensberg mountains. They settled on a piece of unclaimed territory between Pondoland and Natal which subsequently became known as Griqualand East. The region remained independent for a few years before the territory was annexed by Britain . Griqua descendants are now largely concentrated in Kokstad, where the Griqua Church (Protestant) is the center of the community. Griqualand West
2120-568: The First and Second Boer Wars and for more powerful political legitimacy. This is why today many Afrikaans-speaking white people are still known as Afrikaners, as this message was powerfully conveyed as a national identity during the times of the South African Union (1910–1961) and the apartheid years of the Republic of South Africa. According to the 18th-century Dutch historian Isaak Tirion ,
2226-625: The Orange River . Once free of colonial rule, these groups referred to themselves as Oorlam . In particular, the group led by Klaas Afrikaner became notorious for its exploits. They attracted enough attention from the Dutch authorities that Afrikaner was eventually rendered to the colony and banished to Robben Island in 1761. The Griquas settled on the outskirts of the Cape Colony since they were neither European nor African. They formed their own communities and spoke Afrikaans. The Griqua surnames were predominantly Afrikaans and are still common in
SECTION 20
#17328523012012332-518: The South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) announced it would not recognise any special legal status for the Baster community. Many Basters felt that while SWAPO claimed it spoke for the whole country, it too strongly promoted the interests of its own political base in Ovamboland . The Kaptein's Council sought compensation for Rehoboth lands that it claimed had been confiscated by
2438-509: The United Nations Human Rights Committee , charging Namibia with violations of minority rights of Basters. In Diergaardt v. Namibia (2000) the committee ruled that there was evidence of linguistic discrimination, as Namibia refused to use Afrikaans in dealing with Basters. In 1999, following the death of Diergaardt, Basters elected John McNab as the 6th Kaptein of their community. He has no official status under
2544-513: The 1880s, the community at Rehoboth were joined by other Baster families from Grootfontein (South) (whom missionary Heidmann had earlier tried to recruit), Okahandja, and Otjimbingwe. While based on descent within the families, they also accepted both blacks and whites who applied to join the community. In the process of the German annexation of South West Africa , Baster Kaptein Hermanus van Wyk signed
2650-547: The 21st century have shown these people also had Tswana , San , and Xhosa ancestry. Later, the Europeans chose mixed-race women of the Khoikhoi, who were living in the Cape during the 17th and 18th centuries. As time went on, mixed-race people began to marry among themselves, establishing a distinct ethnic group that tended to be more assimilated to Dutch and European ways than tribal peoples in separated villages. During Apartheid,
2756-590: The Afrikaners, or "Boers" as they were known in that time, many of these groups migrated inland when the British took over the colonial administration. The Khoisan and the Mozambiquans were the one group of people that was often looked down onto as the jobs given to them and the way they lived was not up to standards. The word "Afrikaner" itself was originally (for over 350 years) used as a description for not white Boers but
2862-573: The Baster community into the 21st century. The original document survived and is stored at the National Archives of Namibia in Windhoek . Basters established a community based on birth. Under these laws, a citizen is a child of a Rehoboth citizen, or a person otherwise accepted as a citizen by its rules. Families continued to join them from the Cape Colony, and the community reached about 800 by 1876, when 80 to 90 families had settled there. The area
2968-472: The Baster population was estimated to at about 25,181 by Hartmut Lang, according to his 1998 article on the Baster group. Requirements for viable farms suggest that Namibia could not achieve self-sufficiency for its expanding population through farming; land redistribution could not yield enough area for viable farms. The Baster Gebiet operated until 29 July 1989 and the imminent independence of Namibia . Upon assuming power in 1990, Namibia's new ruling party,
3074-404: The Basters out of the area. They started moving by wagons and taking large herds of livestock, with many Basters trying to reach the mountains. German attacks against Basters took place around the region. According to Baster history, a 14-year-old Baster girl, who worked for the Germans in a camp, overheard a drunken conversation about their planned attack against the Basters. She took the word to
3180-515: The Boers and the colonial masters to the area known as Griqualand West denied the Griquas the opportunity to follow their own development paths. They lost their land and traditional resources and were tossed into a sea of rapid social change which saw them lose the independence they had searched for in the Orange Free State area. They were disheartened and had to relocate. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) did not intend for its Cape Colony possessions at
3286-608: The British to enact a form of union. Against the backdrop of the land tensions, the diggers, led by the eccentric Stafford Parker , proclaimed the independent "Diggers/Klipdrift Republic" in 1870, but it was swiftly annexed to the British Empire as the separate colony of Griqualand West . After briefly moving to Griqualand East , Waterboer moved back to his official residence in Griekwastad in 1874 to reassume his traditional rulership. With his agent, David Arnot, Waterboer launched
Nicolaas Waterboer - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-466: The Cape Parliament's Bill of Annexation became law (SESA 1972). It was passed on August 5, 1879. In 1877, a census of Griqualand West showed that the province had 44,877 people living in it, with 12,374 of them being of European descent. ( Griqua | South African History Online ) In the first 15 years of Griqua Philippolis, Adam Kok II, and the most important of his successors, Adam Kok III, constructed
3498-569: The Cape and established separate communities. The Griqua were the first from the Cape to make their way to and remain in the Transorangia area, beyond the Orange River. Some Griqua raided the Tlhaping, a Tswana speaking community, while others obtained cattle from them which was used to trade with the Cape farmers for firearms, horses, and wagons. Griqualand East , officially known as New Griqualand
3604-413: The Cape, and local peoples. Griqua was the name given to a mixed-race culture in the Cape Colony of South Africa, around the 17th and 18th centuries (Taylor, 2020). They were also known as Hottentots before Europeans arrived in their lands where they lived as close-knit families. Griqua people’s multiple historical backgrounds have interwoven with rigid apartheid classification, academic attempts to fix
3710-460: The Coloured servant class, but those seeking to maintain independence moved to the fringes of settlement. From about 1750, the Kamiesberge in the extreme north-west of the colony became the main area of settlement of independent Baster farmers, some of whom had substantial followings of servants and clients. After about 1780, increasing competition and oppression from whites in this area resulted in
3816-511: The German Schutztruppe had little chance against the superior South African forces (allied with the British), Basters tried to maintain neutrality towards both, but feared losing their limited autonomy. The Baster Council believed they reached agreement with Governor Theodor Seitz of South-West Africa that their men would only be used behind the lines. They did not want to participate in
3922-518: The German colonial war and widespread genocide against the OvaHerero and Nama in the Herero Wars of 1904–1907. German census reporting on Basters noted their high mobility. The numbers they recorded for the people changed as the Germans changed their racial classifications. Rather than using people's citizenship (as in the community of Basters), they began to classify people according to appearance, as
4028-473: The Germans attacked in the Battle of Sam Khubis , where the stronghold was defended by 700 to 800 Basters. Despite repeated attacks and the use of two cannons and three Maxim machine-guns, the Germans were unable to destroy the Basters' position. They ended the attack at sunset. At the end of the day, Basters had all but run out of ammunition and expected defeat. That night they appealed to God, pledging to commemorate
4134-518: The Germans disarmed other Baster soldiers in other posts; in the process, one unarmed Baster was killed. Rehoboth was in an uproar, although leaders tried to meet with the Germans to resolve the issues. In the meantime, Basters and Nama policemen worked to disarm German officers within the Rehoboth Gebiet, but wounded one fatally and killed another outright. An armed contingent including Nama policemen killed several German citizens, including all of
4240-629: The Germans established the territory of the Basters, known as the Rehoboth Gebiet, which the settlers tried to expand through negotiation. In this area, the Paternal Laws were recognised. In addition, the German colony had an administrative district known as Rehoboth, which was larger than the Baster-governed area, with the outside areas under German (white) colonial law. Most of the land was developed as farms owned by European, especially German whites. A second Treaty concerning National Service of
4346-401: The Germans limited the number of bullets they issued to the Basters. The South Africans in turn protested being guarded by men they considered as Coloured (according to their racial classifications). General Louis Botha had earlier written to Lieutenant Colonel Franke against using armed non-whites in service, as he was aware of both Cameroons and Basters serving under arms. Botha said he
Nicolaas Waterboer - Misplaced Pages Continue
4452-517: The Germans were revoked under the South African mandate to govern South-West Africa. South Africa conducted regular censuses of the Basters from 1921 to 1991; the records reflect their ideas about racial classifications. Some Basters continued to push for the legitimacy of the 'Free Republic of Rehoboth.' Claiming that the republic had been recognised by the League of Nations , they said international law supported their desire for self-determination , which
4558-504: The Germans, in an effort to defuse tensions, and to report livestock losses or other problems to his administration at Windhoek . He also said that South African patrols would regularly be sent to the Rehoboth area to keep the peace. After the conclusion of the Great War, Basters applied to have their native land become a British Protectorate like Basutoland , but were turned down by South Africa. All special rights as granted to Basters by
4664-463: The Griqua had largely adopted what would be known as the Afrikaans language . Adam Kok I, the first Kaptein of the Griqua and recognised by the British, was originally a slave who had bought his own freedom. He led his people north from the interior of the Cape Colony. Probably because of discrimination against his people, they again moved north—this time outside the Cape, taking over areas previously controlled by San and Tswana people. Adam Kok, head of
4770-597: The Griqua lost their land and traditional cultures and were tossed into a rapidly changing Orange Free State area. die vergete kaptein van Danielskuil The Griqua Captaincy of Philippolis 1826-1861 The Griquas of Griqualand -The origins and history of the Griqua people of South Africa. The Griqua Conundrum: Political and Socio-Cultural Identity in the Northern Cape, South Africa Griqua | South African History Online . Basters The Basters (also known as Baasters , Rehobothers , or Rehoboth Basters ) are
4876-510: The Griqua were further marginalized when they were not given "Griquastans" or special territorial reserves. Genetic evidence indicates that the majority of the present-day Griqua population is descended from a combination of European, Khoikhoi and Tswana ancestors, with a small percentage of San , or Bushmen, ancestry. Griqua historians in South Africa and Namibia are digging into their past and telling their stories. Building work started on
4982-449: The Griqua were racially classified under the broader category of "Coloured" (Taylor, 2020). Throughout the 18th century, new communities characterized by race, culture, religion, and unequal access to property and power started to form; they came to be connected by spoken word. The term " Bastaards " was used to describe one of these groups of people; it referred to the descendants of marriages between Europeans, slaves, and Khoisan. The word
5088-515: The Griqua. Legend has it that in the 1750s, Adam Kok married the daughter of the Chariguriqua, chief of the Khoikhoi clan. Kok was a former slave who managed to rule the Griqua nation and he led his people across the country, South Africa to settle next to the Orange River. He was referred to as the chief of the colored people. Adam Kok I's father was Cornelius Jacobz who worked for the VOC and his mother
5194-657: The Griqualand West Supreme Court, on the Market Square in 1882 and took two years to complete, opening in February 1884. This was short-lived as the building was declared unsafe in 1886, partially demolished and rebuilt. The clock tower (with clock) was added on in 1889. The building remained the Supreme Court of Griqualand West until 1968 when it moved to its present position in the Civic Centre (Malay Camp), but
5300-478: The Griquas at Nomansland, on the demand of the teacher John Campbell, concocted the name Griqua. They set up a fundamental arrangement of government dependent on pioneers known as kaptyns and officers drawn from the main families. However, Kok had a rival known as Nicholas Waterboer, he ruled the farthest west of Kimberley. He was no threat to Kok until diamonds were discovered there. Kok's successor, Andries Waterboer , founded Griqualand West , and controlled it until
5406-555: The Kaptein, and around 700 Basters retreated to Sam Khubis 80 kilometres (50 mi) south-east of Rehoboth in the mountains, to prepare for German attack. This group included women and children. Van Wyk had hidden his wife and children at farm Garies, along with the wives and children of Stoffel and Willem van Wyk. Stoffel's wife, two children, an adult daughter of Cornelius van Wyk, and his 18-year-old son, were all killed there. The others, including van Wyk's wife Sara, were taken to Leutwein station and released on 13 May. On 8 May 1915,
SECTION 50
#17328523012015512-455: The Karl Bauer family. With that, negotiations were over. On 22 April 1915, Lieutenant Colonel Bethe informed the Basters in writing that they had violated the protection treaty and their acts were considered hostile by the Germans. Governor Theodor Seitz cancelled the protection treaty with the Basters, intending to attack Rehoboth. Van Wyk informed General Botha, who advised him to try to get
5618-553: The Khoi name Griqua (or Grigriqua ) is first recorded in 1730 about a group of people living in the northeastern section of the Cape Colony. In 1813, Reverend John Campbell of the London Missionary Society (LMS) used the term Griqua to describe a mixed-race group of Chariguriqua (a Cape Khoikhoi group), Bastaards , Korana , and Tswana living at the site of present-day Griekwastad (then known as Klaarwater). Klaarwater
5724-485: The Khoikhoi or slaves. Slavery was practiced in the Dutch East India Company -controlled Cape Colony, and the mixed-race groups that developed in the early Cape Colony as a result of white settler interaction with captured Khoi people who began to work around the farms, eventually opted different names for themselves, including Bastards , Basters , Korana , Oorlam or Oorlam Afrikaners, and Griqua . Like
5830-481: The Khoikhoi, were pastoral people who lived a laid-back life at one with nature and their surroundings. Due primarily to the racial policies of South Africa during the apartheid era, many Griqua people accepted classification in the larger "Coloured" group for fear that their Griqua roots might place them at a lower level than other groups. As a result, estimates of the size of the Griqua population are difficult to determine and remain largely unknown. During apartheid,
5936-483: The Kok arrested a Boer accused of ill-treating his people, and the trekker community tried to take over his entire territory. A British force stationed at Colesberg quickly crossed the Orange River and defeated the Boers at Zwartkoppies. The chief's land was divided in two, one side was to keep the chief and his people busy and the other side was for the Boers who paid rent to the chief and the Cape government. The arrival of
6042-514: The LMS called them Griqua. The term Bastaards refers to a group of people of mixed origin. The Bastaards were not given legal status because of them being "Mixed". The Griquas were not happy about this and built a force of their own. The Bastaards joined the Khoi and San and the Bastaards made sure that they were skilled men in combat tactics. When it came to war the Griquas decided to flee the Dutch and live
6148-733: The League used as a principle in the organisation of new nations after the Great War . They asserted that the Republic should have the status of a sovereign nation . In 1952, Basters presented a petition to the United Nations (the successor to the League of Nations) to this effect, with no result. But they had some practical autonomy under South Africa. During this period, some Baster leaders founded new political parties and were active in various movements in South-West Africa, also known as Namibia. By
6254-490: The Namibian government. He has protested against the government's management of former Baster land and says his farmers were forced to buy it back at high prices. Much of it has been sold to others since independence. As preparations were underway for Sam Khubis Day in 2006, a respected social worker, Hettie Rose-Junius, asked the organising committee to "consider inviting a delegation from the Nama-speaking people to this year’s festivities and in future." The chairperson rejected
6360-468: The Natal was under British control, they remembered the good lands they had passed through so they moved back over the Drankensberg [O'Connel, 2013]. He eventually led them beyond the Cape Colony, near the Orange River just west and south of what would eventually become the Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal , respectively. This area is where most of the tribe settled, although some remained nomadic. Prior to beginning their migrations,
6466-415: The National Khoisan Consultative Conference (Afrikaans: Nasionale Khoe-San Oorlegplegende Konferensie ), which was established in Oudtshoorn in 2001 to represent the interests of South Africa's Khoisanid peoples. The conference participates in cooperative research and development projects with the provincial government of the Western Cape and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein . Members of
SECTION 60
#17328523012016572-426: The Northern Cape, also refer to themselves as Basters. The name Baster is derived from "bastaard", the Dutch word for " bastard " or "mongrel". While some people consider this term demeaning, the Basters reappropriated as an ethnonym , in spite of the negative connotation. Their 7th Kaptein is Jacky Britz, elected in 2021; he has no official status under the Namibian constitution. The Chief's Council of Rehoboth
6678-449: The Rehoboth Basters of 1895 established a small armed contingent among the Basters, which fought alongside German colonists and forces in a number of battles and skirmishes against indigenous peoples. When the German colonists encountered a new wave of conflicts with native peoples, Basters fought with them in quelling the uprisings of the OvaHerero (1896), the Swartbooi Nama (1897), and the Bondelswarts (1903). They also participated in
6784-446: The South Africans approached. Basters took German livestock and plundered their farms, also attacking the two missionaries' houses. The bloodshed on both sides left long resentment after the war. South Africa defeated the Germans, concluding the Peace of Khorab on 9 July 1915. It formally took over administration of South-West Africa and established martial law. Colonel H. Mentz advised the Baster leaders to avoid all confrontation with
6890-404: The coloured community today. Many of the Griqua men enlisted to do commando service. However, the Griquas were constantly being removed from their land as the Europeans took preference over them. This caused the Griquas to move away from the Cape colony in search of their own land. This migration was in two main groups the Kok and Barends families. One of the most influential of these Griqua groups
6996-404: The country of over one million. In the 1980s, Basters still controlled about 1.4 million hectares of farmland in this territory. In earlier times, requirements for farms were thought to be about 7,000 ha, but Basters claimed they could also survive with farms of 4,000 ha. Nonetheless, even by the 1930s they were having to find alternative forms of employment to support their population. In 1981,
7102-705: The day forever should they be spared. Their prayer is engraved on a memorial plaque they later installed at Sam Khubis and reads: God van ons vaderen / sterke en machtige God / heilig is Uw naam op die ganse aarde / Uw die de hemelen geschapen heft / neigt Uw oor tot ons / luister na die smekingen van Uwe kinderen / de dood staart ons in het gesicht / die kinderen der bose zoeken onze levens / Red ons uit die hand van onze vijanden / en beskermt onze vrouen en kinderen / En dit zult vier ons en onze nacheschlacht zijn een dag als een Zondag / waarop wij Uw naam prijzen en Uw goedertierenheid tot in euwigheid niet vergeten "God our father / strong and powerful / holy be Thy name all over
7208-403: The diamond fields as Boer property. "Griquatown Gold" known as Tiger's Eye is the only feasible mining that can be traced back to Adam Kok and his ancestors. Kimberley is also known for its sports teams, including the Griquas rugby team, which competes in South Africa's annual Currie Cup tournament and contests its home matches at Griqua Park . With the arrival of the Boers to Griqualand West,
7314-445: The early 1960s, they were among the first to petition the United Nations for international intervention to end the South African control of Namibia. The Owambo and other indigenous peoples also agitated for an end to South African colonialism, especially as that state had established apartheid with severe legal racial discrimination against the African peoples. South Africa passed the 'Rehoboth Self-government Act' of 1976, providing
7420-450: The earth / Thou that made heaven / bow Thou down to us / listen to the cries of Thy children / death stares us in the face / the children of evil seek our lives / Save us from the hand of our enemies / and protect our wives and children / and this shall be for us and our kin a day like a Sunday / on which we shall praise Thy name / and Thy gratitude shall not be forgotten in eternity." The Germans had received orders to retreat, which they did
7526-399: The families for whom they worked. The group also included Khoi , Free Negro , and persons of mixed-race descent who had succeeded in acquiring property and establishing themselves as farmers in their own right. The term Orlam ( Oorlam ) was sometimes applied to persons who could also be known as Baster. Orlams were the Khoi and Coloured (mixed-race) people who spoke Dutch and practised
7632-511: The government, with much sold to non-Basters. The council was given locus standi (the right of a party to appear and be heard before a court), but "in 1995, a High Court verdict declared that Rehoboth lands were voluntarily handed over by the Rehoboth Baster community to the then new Namibian government." In 1998, Kaptein Hans Diergaardt , elected in 1979 when Rehoboth had autonomous status under South Africa, filed an official complaint with
7738-492: The influential Le Fleur clan of Griqua are especially represented in this body. The Griqua established their own church, known as the Griqua Church, which is Protestant . The Church has a strong focus on maintaining Griqua cultural and ethnic identity. They are represented mostly in South Central Namibia. The church was the first church to be established in South Africa in 1920. One of several disputed theories as to
7844-426: The influx of Europeans after the discovery of diamonds. In 1834, the Cape Colony recognised Waterboer's rights to his land and people. It signed a treaty with him to ensure payment by Europeans for the use of the land for mining. In 1876, Chief Waterboer was caught and jailed when he tried to free some of his followers from a prison work gang. The diamond fields were named after him. It wasn't until October 18, 1880, that
7950-599: The latter feared that having their men in the north would mean they would be considered true combatants against South Africa, endangering their own position. Learning of the planned deployment, the Baster guards advised the Council they would not go. Although negotiations were in process, they learned the trains were due to leave the next day, and the night of 18 April, numerous Basters defected from German service, taking arms with them that they intended to turn in at Rehoboth. About 300 men set up defences in two laagers. Learning of this,
8056-421: The majority of the Baster families moving to the frontier of the interior. They settled in the middle valley of the Orange River , where they settled near De Tuin . Basters of the middle Orange were subsequently persuaded by London Missionary Society missionaries to adopt the name Griqua . Some sources say they chose the name themselves in honour of an early leader. Basters announced their intention to leave
8162-543: The men to become skilled in lightly armed and mounted skirmish tactics. In the winter of 1831, a Ndebele commando attacked a Griqua commando led by Gert Hooyman who intruded the Ndebele territory and stole many of their cattle. Hooyman warned the Griqua troops to be vigilant because the Ndebele might come for revenge at any time. They ignored him and on this night the Ndebele attacked the Griquas while they were still feasting on their stolen cattle. Around 1000 Griqua men were killed on
8268-496: The much larger groups of surrounding Nama and Herero peoples , who were themselves in competition. In 1880, Jan Afrikaner gathered 600 men against the Herero, and different Nama groups mustered about 1,000 warriors, with the Herero fielding about the same number. Basters tried to make alliances to survive, as they were outnumbered by both sides. The wars continued until about 1884, and, while suffering losses, Basters continued. Through
8374-428: The next morning. Rehoboth's Baster community survived. This day is celebrated annually by Basters as integral to their history and fortitude. Both units of the Germans were ordered to retreat in order to mobilise against advancing South African troops which reached Rehoboth. As Basters returned to Rehoboth, some killed Germans on their farms. The Germans posted some forces for protection, but withdrew them on 23 May as
8480-428: The now famous hill called Moordkop. But many recruited to war chose to abandon Dutch society and strike out to pursue a way of life more in keeping with their maternal culture. The resulting stream of disgruntled Dutch-speaking marksmen leaving the Cape hobbled the primarily Dutch colonists' ability to crew commando units. It also created belligerent, skilled groups of opportunists who harassed indigenous populations along
8586-417: The origin of Bloemfontein 's name connects it to the Griqua leader Jan Bloem (1775–1858). However, this may be a coincidence as Bloemfontein is Dutch for "fountain of flowers", or "blooming fountain", and the area could have been named for its local vegetation. The Griquas started a campaign in 1994 to bring back the remains of Saartjie Baartman from France. The GNC (Griqua National Conference) wanted to see
8692-414: The original identity of the Griqua nation restored. Saartjie was a member of the Khoikhoi people. She was a slave who was taken to Europe to be viewed as a 'freak show attraction' by people who paid to do so. The Griquas wanted to honor their Khoi forefathers by at least being able to bury her body in her homeland. Several areas of South Africa became known as 'Griqualand' when the group migrated inland from
8798-498: The parameters of Griqua identity and the diversity of Griqua ethnic experience to produce a situation of paradoxical status. They are a racially and culturally mixed people who are primarily descendants from European colonist men, and primarily Khoikhoi slaves. The Griquas could trace their forefathers to two clans, the Koks and Barendse, the first was made up mainly of Khoikhoi and the second of mixed European descent. Genetic studies of
8904-484: The region. Klaarwater's strategic location facilitated trade routes between the interior of Southern Africa and the Cape Colony, contributing to its significance as a cultural and economic center. Despite facing challenges such as colonial expansion and land dispossession, Klaarwater played a pivotal role in the history of the Griqua people and remains an important symbol of their resilience and cultural heritage. The British found their "proud name", Bastaards , offensive, so
9010-667: The southern tip of Africa to develop into a political entity. As the colony expanded and became more successful, its leadership did not worry about its frontiers. As a result, the frontier of the colony was indeterminate and ebbed and flowed at the whim of individuals. While the VOC undoubtedly benefited from the trading and pastoral endeavours of the Trekboers , it did little to control or support them in their quest for land. The high proportion of single Dutch men led to many taking indigenous women as wives and companions, producing mixed-race children. These multiracial offspring gradually developed as
9116-731: The suggestion by saying that historically the Nama had a separate fight with the Germans and were not involved with the Basters. Activities on this day include a re-enactment of the attack on the Basters in 1915, a flag raising, wreath laying and a church service. In February 2007, the Kapteins Council has represented the Basters at the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), an international pro-democracy organisation founded in 1991. Operating in The Hague , it works to "facilitate
9222-579: The voices of unrepresented and marginalised nations and peoples worldwide, helping minorities to gain self-determination." Since November 2012, the UNPO has called on the Namibian government to recognise Basters as a 'traditional authority' in their historic territory, as it has for some other ethnic groups in the country. The first Kaptein's Council established the Vaderlike Wette (Paternal Laws), established as
9328-563: The way they wanted to, the way their foremothers had lived. An insignificant amount of Bastaards groups were formed in the Northwestern and eastern border suburbs of Colesberg, Roggerfeld, Namaqualand, and Hantam. They had European names and were able to speak Afrikaans , and their children were baptized in churches. They have their own church, which is Protestant in South Africa, and that is where their children most likely got baptised. They were informed of commando services. The actual name
9434-452: The white community. This term came to refer to an economic and cultural group, and it included the most economically advanced non-white population at the Cape, who had higher status than the natives. Some of the Basters acted as supervisors of other servants and were the confidential employees of their white masters. Sometimes, these were treated almost as members of the white family. Many were descended from white men, if not directly from men in
9540-456: Was a slave. His father believed that the Cape was The Garden of Eden and this is how Adam got his name. His surname 'Kok' comes from the Dutch word kok which means cook , or chef, an occupation Adam once fulfilled. Kokstad was named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok the Third who settled there in 1863. Cornelius was the son of Adam Kok III and got baptised by the missionary John Phillip in 1800. This
9646-406: Was also applied to subordinate blacks who were proficient in Dutch, could ride horses, and could shoot. Bastaards': or Basters ': worked on farms owned by White people in more specialized roles as craftsmen and transport riders. Later, they traveled into the interior bearing these abilities. Originally, the term " Bastaards " referred to people who were more "civilized" and religiously devoted than
9752-538: Was also occupied by native Damara people , but Basters did not include them in population reports. While Basters remained predominantly based around Rehoboth, some Basters continued to trek northward, settling in the southern Angolan city of Lubango . There they became known as the Ouivamo. They had a similar culture based on maintaining herds of livestock. Through the 1870s, Basters of Rehoboth suffered frequent losses from their herds, with livestock raided and stolen by
9858-497: Was derived from the Chariaguriqua people whose princess became the wife of the first Griqua leader, Adam Kok I (Taylor, 2020). Adam Kok was a liberated slave, who figured out how to acquire burgher rights and a ranch close to the present Piketberg , established the most incredible blended local area. Because of a common ancestor named Griqua and shared links to the Chariguriqua (Grigriqua), the people officially changed their name to
9964-541: Was done in South Africa. A comparison of records suggests that, in 1912, there were about 3,000 Basters in the Rehoboth District. Most Basters were concentrated in the Rehoboth Gebiet, where they lived under their own law. Relations between Rehoboth and Germany remained close for more than 20 years until 1914, following the outbreak of World War I . The German Schutztruppe ordered all Baster able-bodied men into military service, which they resisted. Believing that
10070-574: Was ensuring that non-whites were not armed; Franke said that he was using the Cameroon and Baster companies only to police non-white communities. Cornelius van Wyk , second Kaptein of the Rehoboth Basters, arranged to secretly meet with South African General Louis Botha on 1 April in Walvis Bay to assure him of the Basters' neutrality. No record was made of the meeting so it is unclear exactly what
10176-406: Was installed as the 5th Kaptein of the Basters in accordance with the regulations of the 1976 Rehoboth Self-Determination Act and the Basters' Paternal Laws. In 1981, South West Africa had a population of one million, divided into more than a dozen ethnic and tribal groups, and 39 political parties. With not more than 35,000 people at the time, Basters had become one of the smaller minority groups in
10282-468: Was key to its success. The Captain sat at the head of his volksraad, a nominated council of varying size and influence. The raad would come to decisions collectively, but the Captain always retained a right of veto. Together, the Captain and raad codified laws and pencilled out their own land titles. The enforcement of these laws was mostly left up to other executive roles, including the veldkornets, who performed
10388-546: Was no match for Milikazi and many of the Griqua soldiers died during this battle. Trudie (Barends Granddaughter) was captured by Milikazi and forced to join Milikazi as his harem. It is rumoured that she was later rescued by a missionary, Robert Moffet. It is believed that Griqua blood runs through the Ndebele people from the children that Trudie bore during her years with Milikazi. Despite similarly mixed-race origins, those Coloured peoples identifying as Basters are considered to be
10494-749: Was one of four short-lived Griqua states in Southern Africa from the early 1860s until the late 1870s and was located between the Umzimkulu and Kinira Rivers, south of the Sotho Kingdom. Is the area around Kokstad on KwaZulu-Natal 's frontier with the Eastern Cape . It was a historical division in the Eastern Cape province approximately 19000 km . This area was named after Adam Kok III . In 1861–1862, Kok III led more than 2,000 Griqua through Basutoland over
10600-564: Was proclaimed the Kaptijn (Captain) of Griqualand West at the Kaptijn's Residence in Griekwastad ("Griquatown"). He ruled during the tumultuous era that followed the discovery of diamonds on his land in the 1860s. As enormous numbers of "diggers" arrived and the population of the diamond fields exploded, tensions grew between the different groups - including the Griquas , the indigenous Tswana people ,
10706-473: Was promised. Van Wyk was hoping for assurances to have Baster territory and rights acknowledged if South Africa took over the German colony. Botha advised him to stay out of the war. Due to South African successes, the German officers advised the Baster Council that they were moving the prisoners of war and Baster guards to the north. At a meeting, they said Basters had three days to decide whether to comply;
10812-520: Was replaced with a local town council under the new government. 45,629 Namibians identified as Basters in the 2023 Census. Survival of the Baster culture and identity have been called into question in modern Namibia. Modern Namibia's politics and public life are largely dominated by the ethnic Ovambo and their culture. Baster politicians and activists have called Ovambo policies oppressive towards their community. Basters were mainly persons of mixed-race descent who at one time would have been absorbed in
10918-688: Was retained as the Magistrate’s Court until May 1990 when the staff moved into their new premises on Knight Street – opened officially by Kobie Coetsee on 22 February 1991. In 1999, the National Khoi-San Council (NKC) was established and facilitated discussions between these indigenous people and the South African Government. They discussed and collaborated on many issues concerning the Khoisan people. Griqua people are represented by
11024-513: Was the Oorlam. In the 19th century, the Griqua controlled several political entities that were governed by Kapteins (Dutch for "Captain") and their councils, with their own written constitutions. The first Griqua Kaptein was Adam Kok I, a former slave who had bought his own freedom. Kok led his people north from the interior of the Cape Colony, likely to escape discrimination, before moving north again. As Voortrekker moved North to Natal and found out
11130-444: Was the beginning of Christianity amongst the Basters. The missionaries did not agree with the degrading name, basters. The Griquas accepted their new name and this is how the mission town Klaarwater's name changed to Griquatown. The Boers arrived in the area of Griquatown after Natal was taken over by the British . They acquired land from the Griqua, buying it in exchange for horses, liquor, firearms and ammunition. Trouble started when
11236-443: Was the first Griqua settlement which emerged in the early 19th century in what is now the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Established by the Griqua leader Adam Kok I, Klaarwater served as a refuge and trading hub for Griqua communities, as well as for other indigenous groups and European settlers. The settlement grew rapidly, attracting people from various backgrounds seeking economic opportunities and protection from conflicts in
#200799