Griqua People also known as Griekwa, Chariqua, Korana or Koranna can be found in South Africa and Namibia, they are related to the Khoikhoi People , Basters and Oorlam People. According to the Oral history Griqua occupied the central part of Present day South Africa in 1848, It is believed they were guaranteed some degree of astronomy by treaty with the British Governor in South Africa, under the leadership of Adam Kok III, it is claimed they sided with the British in a war against the Boers, Adam Kokl llI was a Chief who led his people from their home in the Orange free State in Present day South Africa and they founded the Griqualand on the east coast, he was described as an Independent ally of the British but colonial pressures ultimately led to the annexation of Griqualand East by the Cape Colony, It is said Adam Kok lll succeeded to rule the Griqua nation, Adam Kok lll was said to be friendly to the British administration in Cape Colony and he was recognized of his status of dominion in 1848, It is claimed the Boers are described as European settlers of Dutch, German and Huguenot ancestry who they pressed seriously due to the Dutch expansion in Orange free state, it is believed Chief Kok lll accepted the offer from the British to resettle Griquas in the eastern section of the Cape Colony and he led his people on two years trek across South Africa, Although he aided the British in a campaign to subdue the rebellious Hlubi in Natal, In 1874 they annexed his country to the Cape Colony. The Griqua clan was divided up into two such as Koks and Barendse, the first clan was made up of KhoiKhoi and the second one which is Barendse was made up of Griqua mixed with both African and Dutch ancestry, Adam Kok l married the daughter of Khoikhoi ethnic group, the Chariqua during the 1750s he attracted the following as he moved up from Piketberg to Little Namaqualand in 1790, Cornelius Kok the son of Adam Kok moved out of the colony to the Orange river and moved eastwards along the bank to the west known as Griqualand and Cornelius had gathered a large number of the Basters people, some Khoikhoi and escaped with freed enslaved Africans with two groups under his leadership they roamed the area Orange river until 1804 when they were persuaded by two missionaries from London missionary society settled down with their followers in the north of Orange free state, According to other accounts Griqua played an Important role during the 17th Century, Adam Kok l and his followers were to become the dominant Inhabitants of the Orange river frontier zone after his emancipation, he moved to the north of Piquetberg around 1751 where he acquired grazing rights to a farm, Stinkfontein accompained by a number of Khoikhoi and Sanqua descendants, Gorighaiqua, Namaqua and Basters .
During the 1780s and 1790s more of Basters moved to the Orange river, It is claimed Hendrik Van Wyk and Kido Witbooi was sent to explore the great land of Namaqua where Jan Jonker Afrikaner was Cornelius Kok l and handed the Kapityn Ship by his father around 1795, he did not stay after he explored the areas and later returned to the farms, he handed the Staff of leadership to his son known as Adam Kok ll in 1804, It is believed the biggest mistake of Kok’s families was to give permission for the missionary known as William Anderson to build a house for him at Klaarwater.
According to Geni Projects accounts in 1613 a British East Indiaman, Hector anchored at Table and took two unwilling hostages they were taken back to Britain and they were shown the English ways including Young local Chief Curee and taught them the English language, the next group were captured to London during the time of Curee, they returned back to Present day Cape town in South Africa after the companion died through the cold of winter, the experience left Chief Curee with deep and sorrowful memories about the Intention of those who visited their shores and a small group of wicked English covicte were left at Saldanias as the region was known by them and set upon themselves killing and putting fears into the heart of Griquas, Others who fled in a long boat to Robben Island, the vicious attack on the first white settlers stopped British from settling the Cape of Good hope some 36 years old before Dutch, The Griqua gained control of a large area of Southern Orange free state, where they established a prosperous state while many practiced, many were at various developing their wealth through activities. The migration of European Settlers forced them to leave their land and they went across Present day Drakensburg to set up a new state in Griqualand East on the borders of Natal as the frontier region advanced further westwards they were yet again under pressure to move in. In 1879 their country was annexed to the Cape Colony and their political and social structure collapsed, around 1903 Griqua flag came into existence, although it never send as a sovereign flag, it is believed it serves to this modern day as the unifying Symbol for all scattered Griqua and Its communities, the flag was believed to be the Inverse of the transvaal Vierkleur, the so called Dutch tricolour is next to tge hoist and vertical green pannel is along the outside edge of the flag made used before 1902 when they adopted a flag similar to the Afikaansche Republic but Inverted with Dutch tricolour. According to Saho the arrival of Boers and Colonists to the area known as Griqualand West, they denied the Griquas the opportunity of the following their own development paths, they lost their land and resources and were tossed into a sea of rapid social change which they saw them lose the Independent , they had searched for the Orange free state area. In the 18th Century new communities defined by race, culture, religion also differential access to the land and power began to emerged, they became tied together through the spoken word one of these communities was ”bastaards” which they referred to as the offspring liasion between Europeans, KhoiKhoi this term ” bastaards” was used to refer to Subordinate Blacks who could speak Dutch, ride and shoot, Griqua traced their roots back to two clans founded by their Ancestors. According to Valerie Van Wyk a native Griqua she shared the story behind the Griqua, She is from the Malgas family which all leaders claimed of griqualand and it was believed the British royal gave her people who were interested their rights and land back they called her people from time of colonialism as inboorlinge, hottentos, bushman, coloured and they wanted to Indentify them as only black but not mixed race, that is how the name calling began and they were oppressed but the sellouts got no where and they were manipulated. According to Marvin Magott, it is believed Gariqua has been a mixture of Khoikhoi and dissident white Dutch men and mixed origins who fled British colonial administration for many various reasons, the rehoboth nama also were mixed with dissident mixed groups who abandoned Cape Colony. According to Saartjie Klipop Kostad is a town in Harry Gwala district of Kwa Zulu- Natal province in Present day South Africs, Kokstad was named after Chief Adam Kok lll who settled in Present day Kokstad in 1863, the word ” Stad” is used by the Dutch and Afrikaans is a word for a city. In 1861 Several hundred Griquas moved across Dransberg down the Ongeluks Nek to Present day Kokstad, they moved because of the growing confrontation, they faced with Vootrekkers and moved north of Orange river to escape the laws of British, they settled at mount currie after that Walter Currie gave them place to settle before Chief Adam Kok once settled and renamed the new land known as East Griqualand, the land known as Griqualand is made up of two states Griqualand East and West, East is the area around Kokstad on the frontier between the Eastern Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal, West is the area around Kimberley which became significant when diamonds were discovered there.
The Culture of Griqua:
Griqua People hold Cultural Ceremonies that revive their culture and traditions such as Inabasas, Inabasas is a ceremony held to celebrate the virginity of young daughters, the clothing of men and women is based on occasions, men clothing is the gain and they are barefooted also they perform different cultural dances. Inabasas is also referred as Die Hok Meisie is to promote the purity among beautiful and young virgin women, respect for young women before this ceremony starts ladies should look for a sign when a whirlwind starts or end at home, the old ladies know that the house is for a girl who had her menstruation period for the first time and gather with her parents at the house and discuss about the period for the first time, during the day, they would slaughter a sheep or goat, the ceremony take up till 15 days each day they have what they practice, on the 5th day In they prepare a meak with sheep or goat, on the 13th day she learn how to dance and cook, on the 14th day she have to experience life without the old lady help independent woman on the 15th day they celebrate a big festival with music playing instruments and coming together as one people, the dancers with the old ladies sit in front with their traditional clothes, Instrument and the polar bone of the Sheep will be served to the Old People in their tradition there is a way how they eat. In Griqua Concept Nxabasas is a female and a goddess their belief include the existance of water and nature and they are cconsidered as one of South Africa’s heterogeneous and multiracial people who have unique origins.
Great input, thanks for sharing!
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