Autshumato
Encyclopedia
Autshumato was a Khoikhoi
leader who worked as an interpreter
for the Europeans in present-day South Africa
during the time of the establishment of the Dutch
settlement on the Cape of Good Hope
in 1652. Also known as Herry or Harry de Strandloper (meaning "Harry the Beachcomber"), his date of birth is unknown, but it is thought that he lived between about 1625 and 1665. In 1632, he moved to Robben Island
with a group of people and worked as postman and liaison for European ships passing the island. Moving back to the mainland 8 years later, Autshumato worked to create trade
between the Khoi and the Dutch.
On April 2, 1652, Jan van Riebeeck
, a Dutchman employed by the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (V.O.C.), and his crew arrived at the Cape to establish a settlement that eventually became Cape Town
. Following this, Autshumato's tribe was forced to live on the shores of the cape and came to be known as "Strandloper
s", a term applied by the colonists to the people living along, and basing their subsistence existence
on, the coast of south-western Africa.
Autshumato started trading in livestock
for small amounts of alcohol
and tobacco
with the foreigners. But after the effect of the alcohol had passed, the Khoi Khoi tribesmen became angry and stole from the Dutch who he felt had cheated them. Because of this, Jan van Riebeeck ordered in 1658 that Autshumato be imprisoned on Robben Island. After one and a half years on the island he and his group escaped from the island on a rowboat. One year later Autshumato applied for and received permission to again live and work near the Dutch settlement, resuming his role as an interpreter. He died in 1663.
Krotoa
, or Eva, was the niece of Autoshumato.
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
leader who worked as an interpreter
Interpreting
Language interpretation is the facilitating of oral or sign-language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages...
for the Europeans in present-day South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during the time of the establishment of the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
settlement on the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
in 1652. Also known as Herry or Harry de Strandloper (meaning "Harry the Beachcomber"), his date of birth is unknown, but it is thought that he lived between about 1625 and 1665. In 1632, he moved to Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
with a group of people and worked as postman and liaison for European ships passing the island. Moving back to the mainland 8 years later, Autshumato worked to create trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
between the Khoi and the Dutch.
On April 2, 1652, Jan van Riebeeck
Jan van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town.-Biography:...
, a Dutchman employed by the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (V.O.C.), and his crew arrived at the Cape to establish a settlement that eventually became Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. Following this, Autshumato's tribe was forced to live on the shores of the cape and came to be known as "Strandloper
Strandloper peoples
The Strandlopers is a colonial term for a Khoisan derived people who live by hunting and gathering food along the beaches of south-western Africa, originally from the Cape Colony to the Skeleton Coast....
s", a term applied by the colonists to the people living along, and basing their subsistence existence
Subsistence economy
A subsistence economy is an economy which refers simply to the gathering or amassment of objects of value; the increase in wealth; or the creation of wealth. Capital can be generally defined as assets invested with the expectation that their value will increase, usually because there is the...
on, the coast of south-western Africa.
Autshumato started trading in livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
for small amounts of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
with the foreigners. But after the effect of the alcohol had passed, the Khoi Khoi tribesmen became angry and stole from the Dutch who he felt had cheated them. Because of this, Jan van Riebeeck ordered in 1658 that Autshumato be imprisoned on Robben Island. After one and a half years on the island he and his group escaped from the island on a rowboat. One year later Autshumato applied for and received permission to again live and work near the Dutch settlement, resuming his role as an interpreter. He died in 1663.
Krotoa
Krotoa
Krotoa, or Eva, born circa 1642, was the niece of Autshumato, a Khoi leader and trader. When she was young, she worked in the household of Jan van Riebeeck, the first governor of the Cape colony...
, or Eva, was the niece of Autoshumato.