Dorsland Trek
Encyclopedia
Dorsland Trek is the collective name of a series of northwards explorations undertaken by South Africa
n settlers in the second half of the 19th century in search of political independence. The participants, trekboer
e (migrating farmers) from the Orange Free State
and Transvaal
, are called Dorsland trekkers.
in the late 18th century, semi-nomadic settlers at the Cape Colony
came into conflict both with the indigenous
Xhosa tribes in the east and the British
who acquired the Cape as a result of the Napoleonic Wars
. In 1836 they set off to what became known as the Great Trek
, establishing the Orange Free State and Transvaal as independent Boer
republics.
There are two theories why the settlers would take off yet again to explore territory further north. One is that in the 1870s Britain again began the process of annexing these states, the other claims that "[t]hey appeared compelled by a desire to trek." with no particular difficulty facing them at their current place.
, the main aim were the Humpata
highlands of south-western Angola
. On their journey the settlers had to traverse the vast arid areas of the Kalahari through what today forms Namibia
and Botswana
. It was these hard conditions that gave the trek the name Dorsland Trek.
The settlers entered Angola by crossing the Cunene River
at Swartbooisdrift
. After their arrival not all of the them were satisfied with the conditions. The Portuguese
colonialists encouraged the Boers to settle but did not allow the use of Afrikaans
at schools, and they attempted to convert them to Catholicism
. As a result a number of trekkers turned southwards back into South-West Africa, some returned to where they came from.
A number of farmers settled in the Otavi
- Tsumeb
- Grootfontein
triangle and in the area around Gobabis
. Some took a different route and crossed Kaokoland
. On their way southwards they discovered water at Sesriem
and named it accordingly: Ses riem, six belts, was the depth of the canyon.
Andreas Lambert
on behalf of all leaders of Damaraland threatened to harm them if they did not leave.
there are several graves of the settlers, including that of their leader, Gert Alberts.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n settlers in the second half of the 19th century in search of political independence. The participants, trekboer
Trekboer
The Trekboers were nomadic pastoralists descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch colonists, French Huguenots and German Protestants. The Trekboere began migrating from the areas surrounding what is now Cape Town during the 17th century throughout the 18th century.-Origins:The Trekboere were...
e (migrating farmers) from the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
and Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
, are called Dorsland trekkers.
Political background and previous treks
After escaping the autocratic rule of the Dutch East India CompanyDutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
in the late 18th century, semi-nomadic settlers at the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
came into conflict both with the indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
Xhosa tribes in the east and the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
who acquired the Cape as a result of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. In 1836 they set off to what became known as the Great Trek
Great Trek
The Great Trek was an eastward and north-eastward migration away from British control in the Cape Colony during the 1830s and 1840s by Boers . The migrants were descended from settlers from western mainland Europe, most notably from the Netherlands, northwest Germany and French Huguenots...
, establishing the Orange Free State and Transvaal as independent Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
republics.
There are two theories why the settlers would take off yet again to explore territory further north. One is that in the 1870s Britain again began the process of annexing these states, the other claims that "[t]hey appeared compelled by a desire to trek." with no particular difficulty facing them at their current place.
Routes of the trek
The first group of the Dorsland Trek started off in 1874 under the leadership of Gert Alberts. A number of different groups of farmers, taking different routes, followed the first. They set off from the areas around Rustenburg, Marico, and PretoriaPretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, the main aim were the Humpata
Humpata
Humpata is a town and municipality in Huíla Province in Angola....
highlands of south-western Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. On their journey the settlers had to traverse the vast arid areas of the Kalahari through what today forms Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. It was these hard conditions that gave the trek the name Dorsland Trek.
The settlers entered Angola by crossing the Cunene River
Cunene River
The Cunene River or Kunene River is a river in Southern Africa. It flows from the Angola highlands south to the border with Namibia. It then flows west along the border until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region. It is about long, with a drainage...
at Swartbooisdrift
Swartbooisdrift
Swartbooisdrift is a small settlement in Kunene Region in the north of Namibia. It is situated on the banks of the Kunene River, directly at the Angolan border on the minor road D3700 and falls within the Epupa electoral constituency...
. After their arrival not all of the them were satisfied with the conditions. The Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
colonialists encouraged the Boers to settle but did not allow the use of Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
at schools, and they attempted to convert them to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. As a result a number of trekkers turned southwards back into South-West Africa, some returned to where they came from.
A number of farmers settled in the Otavi
Otavi
Otavi is a town of 4,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otavi electoral constituency. Most of the area is dolomitic and the district was in the past renowned for its mineral wealth...
- Tsumeb
Tsumeb
Tsumeb is a city of 15,000 inhabitants and the largest town in Oshikoto region in northern Namibia. Tsumeb is the home of the world-famous Tsumeb mine, and the "gateway to the north" of Namibia. It is the closest town to the Etosha National Park...
- Grootfontein
Grootfontein
Grootfontein is a city of 14,200 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road that leads from Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip...
triangle and in the area around Gobabis
Gobabis
Gobabis is a town in eastern Namibia. It is the regional capital of the Omaheke Region, and the district capital of the Gobabis electoral constituency. Gobabis is situated down the B6 motorway from Windhoek to Botswana. The town is from the Buitepos border post with Botswana, and serves as an...
. Some took a different route and crossed Kaokoland
Kaokoland
Kaokoland is an area in Northern Namibia, in the Kunene Region. It is one of the wildest and less populated areas in Namibia, with a population density of one person every 2 km², that is 1/4 of the national average. The most represented ethnic group is the Himba people, that accounts for...
. On their way southwards they discovered water at Sesriem
Tsauchab
The Tsauchab is an ephemeral stream in Namibia, in the southern Naukluft Mountains. It is approximately long, and known especially for the portion in which it flows through the Sesriem Canyon....
and named it accordingly: Ses riem, six belts, was the depth of the canyon.
Historical Impact
Not everywhere were the Boers well received. In the area around Gobabis, Kaiǀkhauan KapteinTribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Andreas Lambert
Andreas Lambert
Captain Andreas Lambert, also: Andries Lambert, Nama name: ǃNanib, was the second Kaptein of the Kaiǀkhauan , a subtribe of the Orlam, in the eastern area of South-West Africa, today's Namibia....
on behalf of all leaders of Damaraland threatened to harm them if they did not leave.
Remains of the Dorsland Trek
In Kaokoland, several ruins of temporary settlements are visible, including a dopper church (dopper = wooden pole) near Kaoko Otavi. Outside Swartbooisdrift the Dorsland Trekkers Monument has been erected to commemorate the journey. At HumpataHumpata
Humpata is a town and municipality in Huíla Province in Angola....
there are several graves of the settlers, including that of their leader, Gert Alberts.
External links
- Wilkinsons World Picture of the Dorsland Trekkers Monument