Artist: Chantal Coetzee
Title: KROTOA KROTOA
Born circa 1642-3. Died 1674. Krotoa (known as Eva to the Dutch and
English settlers) was born into the Goringhaicona tribe. She was the
niece of Autshumao, a prominent Khoi leader and interpreter to the
Dutch (he was known As Harry/Herry to the colonisers). It is believed
that she had learnt a little Dutch from her uncle, which is why, as an 10
or 11-year-old girl, she was taken as a servant to the home of Jan Van
Riebeeck, the first Dutch Commander at the Cape, and his wife Maria
(neé de la Quellerie). She mastered Dutch and Portuguese and learnt
the Dutch ways and religion.
Krotoa’s intimate knowledge of both Khoikhoi and Dutch culture, coupled
with her linguistic skills, made her increasingly useful as an interpreter
and mediator between the two. In the 1650s, this role was a vitally
important one, but not at all easy for Krotoa. She was not fully trusted by
the Dutch or her own people, whose land was being taken over by the
Dutch. Van Riebeeck’s diarist recorded the words of the Khoi chief and
interpreter, Doman: “I am a Hottentot and not a Dutchman, but you, Eva,
try to curry favour with the Commander [van Riebeeck]”, indicating his
mistrust of Krotoa. For his part, van Riebeeck felt she was overly
sympathetic to the cause of Autshumao and his people.
In 1662 Krotoa became the first indigenous Southern African to be
baptised. Despite this show of allegiance to Dutch ways, the new
Governor of the Cape, Commander Wagenaer, was suspicious of her
loyalties due to her frequent visits to her own people.
In 1664, Krotoa married Pieter van Meerhof, a Danish soldier and
surgeon in service of the VOC, the first recorded interracial marriage.
One year later, Van Meerhoff was appointed superintendent of Robben
Island and relocated there with Krotoa and their two children.
However, in 1666, during an expedition to Mauritius, van Meerhof was
killed in a skirmish. Krotoa returned to the mainland two years later,
taking her children with her, and initially remaining a respectable
member of society.
Sadly, she was looked down upon by the Europeans and labelled as a
traitor by her tribe, which allegedly resorted to her excessive drinking
and sex work, prompting a warning of banishment from the Dutch.
Krotoa decided to abandon her children and run away, but was soon
captured and imprisoned at the Van Riebeeck’s’ old Fort (on the
current Grand Parade). In March 1669, she was banished to Robben
Island, where she died five years later. According to most historical
records, her remains were buried at the current Castle of Good Hope,
only to be exhumed and reburied in the Groote Church.
Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of the Castle Control Board, sums up:
“Krotoa/Eva remains one of the most complex historical figures then
and now. During her time, she was both unifier and divider,
stateswoman and ordinary tribe member, diplomat and mother figure -
to mention but a few. But in our decolonial heritage endeavours at the
castle, we see her historical persona as a powerful modern symbol
towards the healing of a dismembered, brutalised and dehumanised
nation.”
It is for this reason that Krotoa is included in the “African Queens”
series. In addition, she was born into the royal house of the
Goringhaicona people.
R?7500
