GEORGE NEWS - This is the sixth delivery in a series by Sydney Opperman in which he sheds light on the origins and names of the country's indigenous (first) nation.
A comprehensive list can be compiled of names once used by the Indigenous People, like the name 'Otentottu', which has been corrupted over time. 'Mullai' (pastoral land) is now 'Mouille' (anchorage). 'Kai #Haa Mullai' (great flat pastoral land), today the location of the Cape Town stadium, was the first piece of land taken by the Dutch "without permission"(stolen!); 'kai' (great) is now 'Kei'; 'Tarras daos' (Woman's poort) is now 'Tradouws'; 'Gari-ab', where 'ab' means river, is now Gari-ep.
The name 'Otentottu' (mixed or related people) has been corrupted to 'Hottentot' and then further degraded to 'Hotnot' by people who referred to themselves as 'Europeans' or 'whites'. 'Hotnots' were treated as non-entities: non-white and non-European! Most of us who are from the 'Otentottu' people group experienced the very negative impact this degradation and non-status brought. Only those classified as 'European' or 'white' were treated as human beings in this country. These 'Hotnots' could not enter the front doors of the 'Europeans', but their dogs could use any door. A dog on the front seat - with the 'Hotnot' in the boot of a car - was acceptable, even for those who professed to be Christians. The message imprinted on the psyche of people: "You are worth less than our dogs".
The best beaches were clearly marked 'Europeans only' or 'whites only'. They enjoyed the beaches with their dogs and the 'Hotnots' were criminally charged if they dared to step on the 'holy beaches'. The 'Hotnots' were degraded and dehumanised to a point where they no longer could see themselves as human beings. This can possibly explain why some frantically hold on to nonsensical identities like Khoi (human being) or Khoin (human beings). In their haste to get away from their painful past of dehumanisation, they decided to associate themselves with the imposed label of 'Khoi' (thumbsucked by Theophilus Hahn in 1881) or 'Khoisan' (Leonard Schultze in 1928). I know that many 'Europeans' or 'whites' have for many years opted to use "Milk of Amnesia" (à la Shapiro) and are unable to remember what I am referring to.
I just hope there is someone, somewhere, who will say "mea culpa", and Otentottu with enough grace to say "we forgive", so that we can deal with this festering wound.
I saw the anger of the Otentottu during the "land expropriation without compensation" hearings. It was scary. While I am healed, there are still hundreds of thousands, including those in the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, who need healing.
To be continued.
Sydney Opperman, sydneyopperman@gmail.com, 14 Lynx Street, Pacaltsdorp, 083 378 4237.
Read previous articles:
- The 'Khoi-San' identity
- The 'San' identity
- Our calling
- Calling of 'brown' people
- 'Brown' identity: Khoi-San a 'thumb-suck' name
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