The Settlers of South Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID20045451
AuthorsJohan Fourie (0000-0002-7341-017X, corresponding author)
Year2022
Pages135-153
Publication date2022-03-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeCHAPTER
VenueMigration in Africa (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.4324/9781003225027-10
OpenAlexW4293100094
ISBN9781003225027
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited13

The arrival of European settlers in the mid-17th century at the southern tip of Africa profoundly affected the region’s development. They quickly displaced the local Khoesan and began a process of colonization that would, some might argue, continue until 1994 with the first democratic elections, 342 years after their arrival. This is the story of their migration into the Southern African interior. Combining a rich historiography with new quantitative source material – and the story of one family – I show that, despite the political, cultural, and religious rhetoric that inspired their migrations, their reason for trekking was at heart economic. Their story is closely tied to the fortunes of those around them: their actions were often both a response to and a cause of events beyond their borders, a dynamic process that continues today

Ancient history · Geography · African history and culture studies · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · South African History and Culture