Johanna van der Merwe
Encyclopedia
Johanna Cornelia van der Merwe (7 March 1825 - 15 January 1888) was a Voortrekker heroine who survived an impi
attack on her trekking party at the Boesmans
and Bloukrans
Rivers on 17 February 1838, despite suffering more than twenty assegai
wounds.
She later married Hendrik Fredercik Delport with whom she had sevens sons (despite being permanently crippled by the attack) and was buried in Rouxville after living to a ripe old age.
An ox-wagon
in the historic 1938 Great Trek
Centenary commemoration trek as well as a South African Navy
submarine
were named in her honour.
Impi
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. However, in English it is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu. Its beginnings lie far back in historic tribal warfare customs, where groups of armed men called impis battled...
attack on her trekking party at the Boesmans
Boesmans River
Boesmans River, originates north of Kirkwood, Eastern Cape, South Africa, and runs east past Alicedale, before it turns and twists south and east to Kenton on Sea, where it mouths into the Indian Ocean. at . Tributaries include: Bega River, iCamtarha, Ncazala River, Komga River, New Years River,...
and Bloukrans
Bloukrans River
The Bloukrans River is a tributary of the Kowie River, and is situated near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.-See also:* List of rivers of South Africa...
Rivers on 17 February 1838, despite suffering more than twenty assegai
Assegai
An assegai or assagai is a pole weapon used for throwing or hurling, usually a light spear or javelin made of wood and pointed with iron.-Iklwa:...
wounds.
She later married Hendrik Fredercik Delport with whom she had sevens sons (despite being permanently crippled by the attack) and was buried in Rouxville after living to a ripe old age.
An ox-wagon
Ox-wagon
An ox-wagon or bullock wagon is a four-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen . It was a traditional form of transport, especially in Southern Africa but also in New Zealand and Australia. Ox-wagons were also used in the United States...
in the historic 1938 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...
Centenary commemoration trek as well as a South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
were named in her honour.