Dutch-Khoikhoi Conflict Overview

Study Notes

Free burghers fenced off farms, claiming land ownership, prompting war with the Khoikhoi.
The Dutch, armed with guns, defeated the Khoikhoi who retreated into the interior.
Expansion of the Dutch colony further altered Khoikhoi life; some engaged in warfare, while others adapted through farming and labor.
Smallpox epidemics, introduced by European settlers, resulted in a significant death toll among Khoikhoi, with some areas seeing up to 90% mortality.

The San, the first inhabitants, were nomadic hunter-gatherers, living in small, mobile groups.
They relied on hunting and foraged for various foods, with a communal belief in land ownership.
The Khoikhoi, pastoralists who kept cattle, inhabited coastal areas and measured wealth in livestock.
Conflicts arose between the San and Khoikhoi over land, with the Dutch labeling Khoikhoi as "Hottentots," now considered derogatory.

Dutch settlers, initially not intending to establish a large colony, began farming, transforming into free burghers.
The first farmers lived along the Liesbeek River, establishing vital agricultural practices.
French Huguenot refugees, fleeing religious persecution, contributed to agricultural knowledge, especially in viticulture, enriching the Cape's wine industry.

Slavery was introduced to the Cape following Dutch settlement, contrasting previous local practices.
Initially, only stowaway slaves existed; as settlement demand increased, imported slaves were necessary for labor.
Slaves were often acquired through raids or sold by rulers and brought from areas surrounding the Indian Ocean.

Slaves arrived at auctions, with families often split between different owners.
Work included various agricultural tasks, with larger farms employing up to 50 slaves who lived in special lodgings.
Afrikaans emerged as a language through blending Dutch with various languages of the enslaved populations.

Trekboers, seeking grazing land, moved north and east from Cape Town, often leading to conflicts with the Khoikhoi and Xhosa.
They preferred nomadic lifestyles, trading infrequently and hunting for food, contributing to the expansion of the Dutch colony.
The encroachment of settlers forced indigenous communities to lose access to land and adapt their traditional ways of life.

Slavery lasted 180 years at the Cape, significantly shaping cultural and architectural elements.
Contributions included music, language, and culinary traditions such as Cape Malay food, which blended various influences and became part of the culture.
The practice of Islam was introduced by slaves and political exiles, resulting in a lasting Muslim community in the Western Cape.

Early African farmers from West and Central Africa settled in the Eastern Cape, cultivating sorghum and millet.
They faced competition for land from European farmers, leading to conflicts over resources as their herds and farming practices expanded.

The Dutch established trade routes to the East, requiring a refreshment station due to long and hazardous voyages.
The VOC (Dutch East India Company) established a fort and permanent settlement in 1652 under Jan van Riebeeck, creating a pivotal trading hub at the Cape.