Re: I've been to 5 African countries: trust me, they're shitholes
Originally Posted by
El Kabong
The Brits won South Africa (which wasn't a nation until it was made a nation) from the Dutch who wanted a route for spices.
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I know you like history Lyle ........
There were Dutch settlers in South Africa, but they were not backed by or part of the Dutch State. A minority were traders from the Dutch East Indies company, but they were very few in numbers.
The majority of Dutch were farmers, fleeing religious persecution in Holland. Independent minded, tough and resourceful. Very similar to the first US settlers I imagine.
These settlers, or Voortrekkers, migrated independently and eventually made (and broke) several treaties with the powerful and dominant Zulu who allowed them to settle in Zulu territory.
Some of them set up a small independent enclave called the Orange Free State. There was some conflict, but the Zulu were much too powerful for the settlers to properly subjugate or conquer, and the Zulu - who could have easily wiped them out - were content for the Boers to peacefully stay there as long as they paid annual tribute to the Zulu.
Descendants of these Dutch trekkers evolved into today's Boer Afrikaners, and their language is still similar to Dutch and Flemish
The British came along later, firstly as settlers too, but later as representatives of Victoria's State.
They decided they wanted to annex the whole territory so they firstly constricted the Boers economically until the Free State reluctantly accepted British dominion.
They then invented cause for a war with the Zulu, which king Cetshwayo did not want. Despite the famous defeat at Isandhlwana, they eventually defeated the Zulu at Ulundi and created a new 'South Africa' under British rule.
Later, the Dutch rebelled in the Boer Wars, where the British invented concentration camps. The Zulu also rebelled and were pacified by being granted large autonomies within Zululand and a guarantee that their monarchy would be protected. Those guarantees still exist in today's South Africa.
Zimbabwe, which was next door, is a whole different story ..... Mzilikazi, the renegade Zulu general who founded the Matabele Kingdom, the Shona Wars, Cecil Rhodes and the East India Company, revolution and civil war, a blossoming during and after independence, and then a descent into corruption, dictatorship and poverty.
Fascinating histories.
If anybody is interested; search for the book "The Washing of the Spears"
Last edited by X; 05-23-2018 at 06:15 AM.
If God wanted us to be vegetarians, why are animals made of meat ?
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