Die verhouding tussen die Ngqika-stam en die Britse owerheid, 1806-1836

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Friction is endemic in a frontier situation. Neither Xhosa, Briton nor Boer was blameless for the events. The Ngqika-British relationship must be seen against the background of this frontier friction. The Ngqika belong to the Xhosa tribe and are named after Chief Ngqika (1775-1829).Ngqika settled west of the Great Kei River after his grandfather, Rharhabe, seceded from the senior genealogical Xhosa tribe, the Gcaleka, in about 1760. Here he formed a separate chieftainship, the Rharhabe. After the Thembu killed his father, Ndlambe, the uncle of the five-year-old Ngqika, acted as regent. Ndlambe himself was ambitious and desired to extend his authority especiallly over the Suurveld-Xhosa. After Ngqika took control of the Rharhabe, his relationship with Ndlambe deteriorated.The Dutch rulers wanted the separation of the White colonists and the Xhosa in the Suurveld to be maintained. In 1780 the Fish River was determined as the Eastern frontier. On account of numerous conflicts, a number of frontier wars had already taken place before 1800. A clear policy was drafted in respect of Ngqika during the Batavian period. Firstly, Ngqika had to be prevented from being reconciled with his estranged uncle, Ndlambe and, secondly, he had to be treated as a friend only. This policy was to be pursued by the British from 1806.Ngqika was recognized as the Chief of all the Xhosa west of the Kei River. Therefore, negotiations were only to take place with him despite the fact that there were other independent chiefs. Ngqika had to ensure that stock-theft was terminated and that the Suurveld-Xhosa went to live east of the Fish River. Ngqika failed to understand the British policy of absolute boundary limits. Only after Ngqika became unpopular with the Xhosa and was humiliated in the 1818 defeat by Ndlambe at Amalinde, did the British come to his rescue. Ngqika was totally dependent on the British for the continuation of his authority as chief after the battle of Amalinde. Furthermore, he would have no options in any agreement or negotiations with the British.The Ngqika lost their homeland between the Kat and Keiskamma Rivers as stipulated in the 1819 agreement with Governor Somerset. Although the extent of this loss of land was relatively small, Ngqika was accused by the other Xhosa chiefs that he had ceded the Neutral Territory without their permission.In due course Ngqika realized that his friendship with the British had steadily undermined his authority. In 1821 Somerset attempted to abduct him and, in 1825, a shot was fired at one of his sons. These events led Ngqika to believe that the British considered him to be inferior, although he had never been involved in a war against them.The people of Ngqika adopted a different attitude towards the British after his death. The younger generation could not accept the fact that their father had ceded so much land to the British. The Sixth Frontier War (1835-1836) was chiefly a Ngqika war. After an alliance of two decades with the British, the Ngqika had to revolt against them in order to re-confirm their leadership among the Rharhabe.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University