Explore and Experience the Cape with Villa10 on Hugo.

CULTURAL CAPE

We here in South Africa live in what Nelson Mandela referred to as a "rainbow nation"

Looking at our historic past, the following peoples lived here, and/or moved in at a later stage to create this fascinating rainbow:


1. The Khoikhoi or Khoisan The only inhabitants of the Cape, prior to the European landing. Known by the Dutch as 'Hottentots', they have largely disappeared from the area, and are now found further north in Namaqualand and Bushmanland. 2. Europeans The group that had the biggest impact on the Cape. The first known Europeans that passed here was the Portuguese in around 1488. A Dutch corporation established a trading post here by 1652. They were mostly farmers that supplied passing ships with fresh produce. French hugenots arrived here in around 1680 of which the majority settled as farmers among the Dutch. An official British presence from around 1795 established commerce, trade and industry. British rule was not without local opposition and resulted in, amongst others, the "Great Trek" and 2 Boer Wars. Other groups represented here in significant numbers were German, Italian, Greek and Portuguese settlers. 3. Malaysian Slaves At the time that slavery was a global fashion, the Dutch imported slaves from their colonies in Indo-China. These slaves were housed on the outskirts of the then Cape Town in an area known as the 'Bo-Kaap' (translate to 'Upper Cape'). Their descendants can still be found in the same area. 4. Coloureds These are people of mixed descent. Dating from the first meeting of Europeans with Hottentots and Malays, a new culture was established that to this day have a marked influence on the local communities. 5. Black Africans Colonists in the Cape have only met with Black Africans at around 1800 in the area today known as the Eastern Cape, about 600km to the west of Cape Town. Although small numbers found their way here, it was only after 1994 that Black Africans arrived here in large numbers. At that time, the then new Mandela regime, bussed large numbers into the city where the infrastructure of the time was not adequate, and in fact is still lacking. The resultant shanty towns is still not something we are proud of. A tour of Cape Town will bring you in close contact with all the above groupings, and on all levels. Established as separate entities by the previous dispensation, the governments of the new democratic South Africa has tried to integrate these vastly different societies. Although they were partly successful, there is today maybe a bigger divide under the surface. This is also evident in current friction following the replacement of the mainly Xhosa administration under Mandela and Mbeki, by a largely Zulu administration under the leadership of Zuma.

1. The Khoikhoi or Khoisan
The only inhabitants of the Cape, prior to the European landing. Known by the Dutch as 'Hottentots', they have largely disappeared from the area, and are now found further north in Namaqualand and Bushmanland.

2. Europeans
The group that had the biggest impact on the Cape.
The first known Europeans that passed here was the Portuguese in around 1488.
A Dutch corporation established a trading post here by 1652. They were mostly farmers that supplied passing ships with fresh produce.
French hugenots arrived here in around 1680 of which the majority settled as farmers among the Dutch.
An official British presence from around 1795 established commerce, trade and industry. British rule was not without local opposition and resulted in, amongst others, the "Great Trek" and 2 Boer Wars.
Other groups represented here in significant numbers were German, Italian, Greek and Portuguese settlers.

3. Malaysian Slaves
At the time that slavery was a global fashion, the Dutch imported slaves from their colonies in Indo-China. These slaves were housed on the outskirts of the then Cape Town in an area known as the 'Bo-Kaap' (translate to 'Upper Cape'). Their descendants can still be found in the same area.

4. Coloureds
These are people of mixed descent. Dating from the first meeting of Europeans with Hottentots and Malays, a new culture was established that to this day have a marked influence on the local communities.

5. Black Africans
Colonists in the Cape have only met with Black Africans at around 1800 in the area today known as the Eastern Cape, about 600km to the west of Cape Town. Although small numbers found their way here, it was only after 1994 that Black Africans arrived here in large numbers. At that time, the then new Mandela regime, bussed large numbers into the city where the infrastructure of the time was not adequate, and in fact is still lacking. The resultant shanty towns is still not something we are proud of.

A tour of Cape Town will bring you in close contact with all the above groupings, and on all levels. Established as separate entities by the previous dispensation, the governments of the new democratic South Africa has tried to integrate these vastly different societies. Although they were partly successful, there is today maybe a bigger divide under the surface. This is also evident in current friction following the replacement of the mainly Xhosa administration under Mandela and Mbeki, by a largely Zulu administration under the leadership of Zuma.