Kraal
Encyclopedia
Kraal is an Afrikaans
and Dutch
word (also used in South African English
) for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within an African settlement
or village
surrounded by a palisade
, mud
wall
, or other fencing, roughly circular in form.
In the Dutch language a kraal is a term derived from the Portuguese word
, cognate
with the Spanish-language , which entered into English separately.
The term primarily refers to the type of dispersed homestead characteristic of the Nguni-speaking peoples of southern Africa. Although from the period of colonisation, European South Africans and historians commonly referred to the entire settlement as a kraal, ethnographers have long recognised that its proper referent is the animal pen area within a homestead. Modern ethnographers call the several human dwellings within a homestead houses (singular indlu; plural Xhosa and Zulu , Swati ).
Folds for animals and enclosures made specially for defensive purposes are also called kraals.
In Eastern and Central Africa, the equivalent word for a livestock enclosure is boma
, but this has taken on wider meanings.
to refer to the team of Scout Leaders of a group.
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
and Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
word (also used in South African English
South African English
The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...
) for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within an African settlement
Settlement
Settlement may refer to:*Consolidation , a process by which soils decrease in volume*Human settlement, a community where people live**Israeli settlement, communities inhabited by Israeli Jews in territory that came under Israel's control as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War**Urban settlement **Rural...
or village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
surrounded by a palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
, mud
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
wall
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
, or other fencing, roughly circular in form.
In the Dutch language a kraal is a term derived from the Portuguese word
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
with the Spanish-language , which entered into English separately.
The term primarily refers to the type of dispersed homestead characteristic of the Nguni-speaking peoples of southern Africa. Although from the period of colonisation, European South Africans and historians commonly referred to the entire settlement as a kraal, ethnographers have long recognised that its proper referent is the animal pen area within a homestead. Modern ethnographers call the several human dwellings within a homestead houses (singular indlu; plural Xhosa and Zulu , Swati ).
Folds for animals and enclosures made specially for defensive purposes are also called kraals.
In Eastern and Central Africa, the equivalent word for a livestock enclosure is boma
Boma (enclosure)
A boma is a livestock enclosure, a stockade or kind of fort, or a district government office. The term is used in many parts of eastern, central and southern Africa and is incorporated into many African languages as well as colonial varieties of English, French and German.As a livestock enclosure,...
, but this has taken on wider meanings.
Further reading
- Potgieter, D. J. (ed.) (1972) Standard Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Kapstadt: Nasionale Opvoedkundige Uitgewery ISBN 978-0-625-00322-8.
- Brockhaus EnzyklopädieBrockhaus EnzyklopädieThe Brockhaus Enzyklopädie is a German-language encyclopedia published by Brockhaus.The first edition originated in the Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten by Renatus Gotthelf Löbel and Christian Wilhelm Franke, published in Leipzig 1796-1808...
. 21. Auflage. Mannheim: Brockhaus F.A., 2006 ISBN 3-7653-4115-0; Volume 15. - The New Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. 15th ed. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2007 ISBN 978-1-59339-292-5 (Micropædia, Volume 6).
Other
In some Southern African regions, the term Kraal is used in scoutingScouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
to refer to the team of Scout Leaders of a group.