Kariega River
Encyclopedia
Origins of the name Kariega
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...
. Their descendants are still very much with us, but other than in parts of the Northern Cape their languages are no longer spoken. Nonetheless there are still plenty of Khoikhoi
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...
words in everyday use in this country. Every South African knows that a gogga – derived from the Nama Xo Xo – is an insect or other small creature. The word is also used as an endearment, particularly regarding children. “Come here my gogga, and give granny a hug.” Likewise, we are all very much aware that dagga
Cannabis sativa
Cannabis sativa is an annual herbaceous plant in the Cannabaceae family. Humans have cultivated this herb throughout recorded history as a source of industrial fibre, seed oil, food, recreation, spiritual enlightenment and medicine...
is Cannabis sativa
Cannabis sativa
Cannabis sativa is an annual herbaceous plant in the Cannabaceae family. Humans have cultivated this herb throughout recorded history as a source of industrial fibre, seed oil, food, recreation, spiritual enlightenment and medicine...
, and that the rest of the world refers to it as hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
, pot, hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
, or half–a-dozen other names, and by any name it is a proscribed substance in South Africa and elsewhere.
In the Cape Khoikhoi
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...
words are most often encountered in the form of place names, examples being Knysna
Knysna
Knysna is a town with 76,431 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route. It lies 34 degrees south of the equator, and is 72 kilometres east from the town of George on the N2 highway, and 25 kilometres west of Plettenberg Bay on the same road.-History:A...
– meaning 'ferns' - a town on the Garden Route, and the Cango Caves
Cango Caves
The Cango Caves are located in Precambrian limestones at the foothills of the Swartberg range near the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The principal cave is one of the country's finest, best known and most popular tourist caves and attracts many visitors from overseas...
– Cango being the Khoikhoi
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...
for 'wet mountain'. And, of course, there is Kariega Park, situated beside the Kariega River.
The Kariega and the Beervlei Dam
A Kariega River flows into the Beervlei DamBeervlei Dam
Beervlei Dam is dam in the Groot River, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1975, has a capacity of , and a surface area of , and the dam wall is 31 m high.- References :* from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry...
which is situated north of Willowmore. The name of this river has appeared in a variety of forms, including Karuiga and Karuka and this has led the experts to believe that in this case the Kariega should in fact be one of these earlier forms and that it refers to 'buffalo'. After all the earliest European settlers in the area referred to the river as the Buffels - Buffalo. However, various sources, basing their argument not on linguistics, but on the incidence of the antelope in the vicinity, have stated that the name means 'Steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
'.
The Kariega and the Sundays River
Then there is the Kariega River that is a tributary of the Sundays RiverSundays River
The Sundays River is a river in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is said to be the fastest flowing river in South Africa. The Khoisan people originally named this river Nukakamma because the river's banks are always green and grassy despite the arid terrain that it runs...
. For much of its length it flows through an area known as the Steenbok Flats, and on which there is a farm named Kariega. Steenbok were frequently found in this area, and are not unknown today. For this reason, and on the strength of linguistics, the experts believe that in this case Kariega does mean Steenbok.
The Kariega and the Great Fish RiverGreat Fish RiverThe Great Fish River is a river running through the South African province of the Eastern Cape, it originates east of Graaff-Reinet and runs through Cradock, just south of this the Tarka River joins it...
The Great Fish River also has as one of its tributaries a Kariega River, the source of which is in the mountains some 20 km north of Somerset East. There are no historical records of SteenbokSteenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
in this area, but the river flows through countryside that is typical of that favoured by this small buck, so there is no reason to doubt that in this instance Kariega also stands for 'Steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
'.
The Kariega at Kenton-on-SeaKenton-on-SeaKenton-on-Sea, more commonly known as Kenton, is a small coastal town on the Sunshine Coast, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It is situated between the Bushman's River and the Kariega River, and lies approximately half way between the industrial centres of East London and Port Elizabeth...
The river that rises 24 km west of Grahamstown and gives its name to Kariega Park. On the strength of the other three Kariegas being possibly 'SteenbokSteenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
' rivers it is generally assumed that the same applies here. However, this is not necessarily the case, for there is no record of Steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
being found anywhere along the length of the river. It is true that cave-paintings said to depict these animals are to be found in the vicinity, but there are numerous instances of animals being depicted in caves situated in habitat entirely unsuited to them. (And in the Swartberg there is a painting of a full-rigged sailing ship, despite the cave being situated more than 100 km from the sea.)
Uncertainty regarding the origins of the name Kariega
So it is possible that we will never know for certain why this particular Kariega River acquired its name, or what it means, but although you will not see a SteenbokSteenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
occurring naturally in the area during your visit to Kariega Park, the name is typical of the Cape, has connections with the earliest people to inhabit the area, and is the name of one of our most charming and graceful small buck.