South Africa: Indigenous Ethnic Groups
Olivia Hughes
World History
Mr. Hjelmgren
5/8/09
South Africa: Indigenous Ethnic Groups
Zulu and Xhosa are two tribes in South Africa there are nine tribes total, Basotho, Bapedi, Venda, Tswana, Tsonga, Swazi and Nebele. The Zulu had about 25,00 people in their warrior tribe. In 1838 Boer Voorterekkers, or emigrants from the Cape colony defeated the Zulu king Digane on the "Great Trek". The "Great Trek" was a migration where the Boers searched for extra grazing land for their cattle and the freedom to manage their farms away from the east India Company's control. The east India Company, owned by the Dutch, had a trading route in the Cape, which was a town in South Africa. In 1652 the Company was established after the Portuguese came to the Cape in 1488, they were the first Europeans to get there. Boer Voorterekkers would claim the Zulu cattle for themselves which caused controversy between the the Boers and Zulu. The Boers killed the Zulu king Dingane, but they enslaved the Zulu people, they took their children as slaves on farms and with force evicted hundreds of Zulus. In 1842 the British forces defeated the Boers at the Battle of Khangela. The British did this because the government was worried there would be a disturbance of the peace in the eastern frontier of the Cape Colony caused by the fleeing Zulu people.
The Xhosa too had their fair share of devastation. 1779, European settlements extended through the southern part of the Cape and east toward the Great Fish River. This was where the Dutch authorities and the Xhosa fought the first frontier war. In 1844 white settlers entered in Xhosa territory and said they were retrieving what was "stolen" from them, cattle. White settlers moved further into Xhosa. A Xhosa man was arrested for stealing an axe. He went to Grahamstown for his trial. This is located in the middle of Frontier Country in the Eastern Cape. The person escorting him was attacked, so then the prisoner was set free. The lead to “The War of the Axe” in the frontier again. All of the nine tribes in South Africa experienced equal devastations.
History of South Africa. 25 May 2009 <http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20History%20of%20South%20Africa.htm>.
Afrikaners were white South Africans "Great Trek" was the settlement of white Europeans and the development of a new south africaHistory of South Africa. 25 May 2009 <http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=orl>.
The "Great Trek" was when europeans came and took control over south africa apartheid was present good for basic historyZulu People. 25 May 2009 <http://www.uiowa.edu/%7Eafricart/toc/people/Zulu.html>.
Good for history on Zulu tribe Basic information on the economy now
