Read on Twitter
SLAVERY AT THE CAPE (and the history+heritage of coloured people at the Cape) • A THREAD
Since the S. African education dept. glosses over this, I'm sharing what I learned in 2017/18 and now.
What you're seeing here is a map of the VOC slave trade routes in the Indian Ocean.
Since the S. African education dept. glosses over this, I'm sharing what I learned in 2017/18 and now.
What you're seeing here is a map of the VOC slave trade routes in the Indian Ocean.
• ADVENT
So Jannie arrives in 1652, and needs a lot more cheap manpower to run his little "refreshment station". He sends ships to Madagascar and Guinea to double as slave and cargo transport. By 1658, 400 African people had been brought to the Cape. By 1699, +/- a thousand.
So Jannie arrives in 1652, and needs a lot more cheap manpower to run his little "refreshment station". He sends ships to Madagascar and Guinea to double as slave and cargo transport. By 1658, 400 African people had been brought to the Cape. By 1699, +/- a thousand.
• BATAVIA
Meanwhile the VOC have a main station at Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia). Jannie decides to cut travel costs by cramping 8000-10000 Indonesians into his dual-purpose cargo ships in 2 years on the long journey to the Cape. He later enslaves the Khoi too.
Meanwhile the VOC have a main station at Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia). Jannie decides to cut travel costs by cramping 8000-10000 Indonesians into his dual-purpose cargo ships in 2 years on the long journey to the Cape. He later enslaves the Khoi too.
• SLAVERY
The Colony is growing and the farms in the Swartland, Stellenbosch and Cape need more labourers. An estimated total 63 000 slaves were imported to the Cape, from the African continent (26
.4%), Indian sub-continent (25.9%), Madagascar (25.1%) and Indonesia (22.7%).
The Colony is growing and the farms in the Swartland, Stellenbosch and Cape need more labourers. An estimated total 63 000 slaves were imported to the Cape, from the African continent (26
.4%), Indian sub-continent (25.9%), Madagascar (25.1%) and Indonesia (22.7%).
• NAMES
Our ancestors arrived and their names were stripped from them for easier European names. Surnames like Hercules used for strong slaves. Cupido if you're attractive. Daniels/Matthews if your masters were 'godly' people. Van Batavia/Van Bengale for where you came from.
Our ancestors arrived and their names were stripped from them for easier European names. Surnames like Hercules used for strong slaves. Cupido if you're attractive. Daniels/Matthews if your masters were 'godly' people. Van Batavia/Van Bengale for where you came from.
• NAMES
FYI, The difficulty in tracing your ancestors is that they often had the same names/changed names several times when they were resold. There were two Maria van Bengale at the Cape. The records reflect this wanton disregard for individual identity and family history.
FYI, The difficulty in tracing your ancestors is that they often had the same names/changed names several times when they were resold. There were two Maria van Bengale at the Cape. The records reflect this wanton disregard for individual identity and family history.
• UPRISING
19th Century: the Fish&Chips ppl gain power.
1808: Louis van Mauritius and Abraham vd Kaap band 300 slaves in the Koeberg region together.
1825: Galant van der Caab, other slaves and khoekhoe labourers kill farmers in Bokkeveld in a 2nd revolt.
Both revolts fail.
19th Century: the Fish&Chips ppl gain power.
1808: Louis van Mauritius and Abraham vd Kaap band 300 slaves in the Koeberg region together.
1825: Galant van der Caab, other slaves and khoekhoe labourers kill farmers in Bokkeveld in a 2nd revolt.
Both revolts fail.
• ABOLISHED
Slavery is abolished in the British Colony in 1834. What ensues is a system of Diet Slavery called Apprenticeship and many slaves continuing to work on farms in inhumane conditions while being exploited for their work for little to no pay.
Slavery is abolished in the British Colony in 1834. What ensues is a system of Diet Slavery called Apprenticeship and many slaves continuing to work on farms in inhumane conditions while being exploited for their work for little to no pay.
• CONTEMPORARY ART
Thania Petersen is an artist whose work explores the nuances of identity. A direct descendant of Tuan Guru (an Indonesian Prince brought to SA as a political exile, possibly due to Indonesian resistance to Dutch rule). Her art reflects this.
Thania Petersen is an artist whose work explores the nuances of identity. A direct descendant of Tuan Guru (an Indonesian Prince brought to SA as a political exile, possibly due to Indonesian resistance to Dutch rule). Her art reflects this.
• MY POINT?
The classification of 'coloured' tries to place us in a racial binary between White and Black. We are so much more than 'mixed'. We are multiracial and multicultural. Our lineage is ancient: both indigenous and foreign. It was not 'created' 4 centuries ago.
The classification of 'coloured' tries to place us in a racial binary between White and Black. We are so much more than 'mixed'. We are multiracial and multicultural. Our lineage is ancient: both indigenous and foreign. It was not 'created' 4 centuries ago.
We invented Ghoema music. We invented the Klopse and Koesisters. We invented Afrikaans. Our calloused hands worked this land at our own expense. We are an integral part of this country's history. I just want some respect put on my Ancestor's names.
[end of thread]
![We invented Ghoema music. We invented the Klopse and Koesisters. We invented Afrikaans. Our calloused hands worked this land at our own expense. We are an integral part of this country's history. I just want some respect put on my Ancestor's names. [end of thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EdHoetPWkAURA8m.jpg "We invented Ghoema music. We invented the Klopse and Koesisters. We invented Afrikaans. Our calloused hands worked this land at our own expense. We are an integral part of this country's history. I just want some respect put on my Ancestor's names. [end of thread]")
![We invented Ghoema music. We invented the Klopse and Koesisters. We invented Afrikaans. Our calloused hands worked this land at our own expense. We are an integral part of this country's history. I just want some respect put on my Ancestor's names. [end of thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EdHofF_XkAAHjYv.jpg "We invented Ghoema music. We invented the Klopse and Koesisters. We invented Afrikaans. Our calloused hands worked this land at our own expense. We are an integral part of this country's history. I just want some respect put on my Ancestor's names. [end of thread]")
[end of thread]
