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| 19 May 1659 | |
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A painting by Samuel
Daniell called “Hottentot [Khoi] Bushmen armed for an expedition” |
News that the ‘Kaapmans’ (an indigenous Khoikhoi group) have killed one Symon in’t Velt with an assegai and stolen 70 of his sheep and 30 cattle results in the breakout of year long war between the Khoikhoi of the Western Cape and the Dutch East India Company (DEIC). There had been some conflict since the DEIC had come to the Cape seven years earlier to set up refreshment station on the trading route between Europe and India. Even before that, the sporadic visits by Portuguese, English and Dutch seafarers brought them into contact with the Khoikhoi. Although at first the Khoikhoi were hostile, from the beginning of the 17th century they had better relations with the seafarers. From the beginning of the DEIC’s settlement, however, there were clashes with the local Khoikhoi. The Dutch often treated the Khoikhoi badly and in 1653, a Dutch shepherd was murdered by the Khoikhoi. By 1655 certain Khoikhoi groups had told DEIC governor Jan van Riebeeck that the Company had annexed their land, but Van Riebeeck rejected the claims and ordered them to live east of the Salt and Liesbeek Rivers. Consequently, the Khoikhoi lost their best grazing land and water sources. They reacted by frequent raids on Dutch lands. One such raid was on Casper Brinkman, which led to the first DEIC-Khoikhoi War. The DEIC won easily, having superior weapons and resources, but the tension and mutual accusations of theft persisted. In 1672 the DEIC prepared a purchasing transaction for the area that they had been occupying, but it was still disputed and finally led to a second Khoikhoi war, 1673-1677.
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