
Nigel Worden
A detailed, balanced history of South Africa from pre-colonial times through apartheid to democracy.
The term 'apartheid' means 'separateness' in Afrikaans, the language of the Afrikaner settlers.
Section 1
7 Sections
As we begin this journey through the making of modern South Africa, it's essential to understand the deep roots that precede colonial conquest.
Then came the Khoekhoe pastoralists, who introduced livestock herding around a thousand years ago. This 'pastoralist revolution' was a turning point, transforming the economic and social landscape. Herding cattle and sheep required new forms of social organization and access to grazing lands, setting the stage for future conflicts and cooperation. Their presence marked the land with new patterns of settlement and resource use.
Between AD 300 and 1000, waves of Bantu-speaking farmers moved southward, bringing with them the knowledge of iron-working, crop cultivation, and more centralized political structures. These Iron Age communities established chiefdoms and small kingdoms that traded widely and adapted to the diverse environments of southern Africa.
Contrary to myths of an empty land awaiting colonization, these societies were dynamic and complex. Ethnic identities were not rigid but fluid, shaped by alliances, conflicts, and migrations. This fluidity challenges simplistic tribal narratives and highlights the adaptability and agency of indigenous peoples.
Understanding these foundations is crucial because the later colonial and apartheid-era policies would attempt to freeze and rigidify these identities for political ends.
As we close this chapter, reflect on how these early societies laid the groundwork for the dramatic changes to come. The next section will explore how European colonial expansion began to reshape the land and its peoples, setting in motion forces that would transform South Africa forever.
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Explore the rich and diverse origins of South Africa before European colonization reshaped the land.
Read articleA gripping look at the contested and complex European colonization of South Africa and its impact on indigenous peoples.
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