U-Krotoa

U-Krotoa (amaDatjhi bekalipeleda bunjesi ibizo lakhe - !Goroǀgôas) bekamfazi wom-Khoekhoe owalethwa ngu-Autshumato ku-Jan Van Riebeeck bona azokuba mtlhogomeli womkakhe u-Maria de la Quellerie. Ibizo lakhe lamambala alaziwa kodwana elidume khulu ngilelo amaDatjhi ebekambiza ngalo - u-Eva. Ukufika kwamaDatjhi eSewula Afrika kwenza  umfazi lo wadlala indima ekulu ekubeni mtologi phakathi kwesitjhaba samaDatjhi nesama-Khoekhoe, begodu waba ngomunye wabantu abanzima umlando wabo otlolwe phasi maDatjhi. Umalumakhe u-Autshumato wavuma ukumnikela u-Jan Van Riebeeck ngombana bekafuna abe mputjuzi wazo zoke iindaba zamaDatjhi nendlelawo yokwenza izinto. Uyingcenye eqakathekileko yomlando oveza ubuhlobo phakathi kwamaDatjhi nama-Khoekhoe.Cape Town Museum (2021), !Goroǀgôas (Krotoa) or Eva van Meerhof. Retrieved from: https://www.capetownmuseum.org.za/impactfulwomeneng/krotoa-72dn4. Retrieved on 10/02/2026.

 Ekukhuleni Kwakhe 
U-Krotoa wabelethwa ngo-c.1642, abelethelwa esitjhabeni sama-Khoekhoe esibizwa bona ma-Goringhaicona. U-Krotoa mtjhana wekosi yesitjhabeso u-Autshumato, naye obekamtologi phakathi wesitjhaba sakhe nesamaDatjhi. Kungenzeka bona u-Krotoa bekatjhidelene khulu nomalumakhe okwamenza wafunda izinto ezinengi kuye, kuhlanganise nokutologa ilimi lesiDatjhi nokufunda isikopilo lawo. Kwathi nakaneminyaka elitjhumi kuya kwelitjhumi nambili, umalumakhe wanikela ngaye ku-Jan Van Riebeeck bona abe mtlhogomeli namkha ikhobokakazi lomkakhe u-Maria de la Quellerie. Lokho kwenzeka emalangeni ambalwa amaDatjhi aqeda ukufika eKapa. Kodwana u-Jan Van Riebeeck uthoma ukukhuluma ngaye edayarinakhe ngenyanga kaTjhirhweni wango-1654, ambiza bona 'mntazana ohlala nathi.' U-Krotoa walifunda ilimi lesiDatjhi begodu walikhuluma kuhle khulu. Bekakghona nokukhuluma isiPutukezi, begodu bekazithoba msinya esikweni lesiKrestu njengokulayelwa kwakhe ngu-Maria."South African History Online (21 July 2020), Krotoa (Eva). Retrieve from: https://sahistory.org.za/people/krotoa-eva. Retrieved on 10/02/2026.
Ukulikhuluma kwakhe kuhle ilimi lesiDatjhi kwenza bona u-Jan Van Riebeeck amsebenzise khulu njengomtologi lokha nakabamba iinkulumiswano neentjhaba zama-Khoekhoe. Wathoma ukusebezisa u-Krotoa lokha nakaneminyaka eli-15. U-Krotoa ekadlala indima ekulu eenquntweni ebezithathwa maDatjhi. Nabathengiselanako bekunguye otologako. Nanyana kunjalo umsebenzakhe bewungasibulula ngombana bekazithola sele ahlukene phakathi, angazwisisi bona kufuze athembeke kibobani - emaDatjhini awasebenzelako namkha ebantwini bekhabo ama-Khoekhoe. Ngebanga lalokho, womabili amahlangothi bewangamthembi kuhle.Camissa Museum (2026), Krotoa (circa 1642 - 1674). Retrieved from: https://camissamuseum.co.za/index.php/7-tributaries/1-cape-indigenous-africans/krotoa. Retrieved on 10/02/2026.

Ekuthomeni u-Jan Van Riebeeck bekakhuluma kuhle ngaye nemisebenzi ayenzako, kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi watjho bona akasamthembi u-Krotoa ngombana bekamane atjela amaDatjhi lokho ebekafuna ukukuzwa. Waveza nokuthi u-Krotoa ubathanda khulu abantu besitjhaba salapho udadwabo ende khona, ekosini u-Oedasoa wesitjhaba sama-Cochoqua. Lokho kuhlanganise nebekhabo ama-Goringhaicona, nama-‖Ammaqua. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, idayari ka-Van Riebeeck, iveze amezwi wekulumiswano phakathi kuka-Doman oyikosana yama-Khoe no-Krotoa. U-Doman wathi, "Mina ngili-Khoekhoe angisilo iDatjhi, kodwana, wena, Eva, ulinga ukuthandwa Mphathi [u-Van Riebeeck].' Amagama la aveza bona no-Doman bekangamthembi u-Krotoa. Kwathi ngemva kokuhlongakala kuka-Doman no-Autshumato, ipilwakhe yaba budisi khulu.

 Umtjhado Wakhe 
Ngo-1662 u-Krotoa waba mumuntu wokuthoma esitjhabeni sekhabo bona abhajadiswe abe mKrestu esontweni lamaDatjhi, ngemva kwalokho wanikelwa ibizo bona ngu-Eva. Kodwana ngawo umnyaka wokubhajadiswa kwakhe, u-Jan Van Riebeeck wakhamba eKapa, watjhiya u-Krotoa anganabani. Kwahlongozwa bona akasebenzele ozokulandela u-Van Riebeeck esikhundleni, u-Zacharias Wagenaer, kodwana u-Wagenaer khabe angamthembi u-Krotoa. Lokho bekungebanga lokuthi u-Krotoa bekathanda ukuvakatjhela abantu bekhabo khulu. Ipilo beyibudisi khulu ku-Krotoa ngemva kobana u-Autshumato no-Doman bahlongakale. Lokho kwamenza bona abe kuphela komuntu omtologi phakathi kwamaDatjhi nama-Khoekhoe. Ubuhlobo phakathi kweentjhaba ezimbilezi bebuba budisi ngaphandle kwakhe.

Kwathi ngomhla wama-26 kuSihlabantangana wango-1664, u-Krotoa wathembisana umtjhado nesotja lomDenitjhi, u-Pieter van Meerhof. Batjhada ngomhla wesi-2 kuMgwengweni ngo-1664 endlini yoMphathi u-Zacharias Wagenaer. I-VOC beyikuthanda ukutjhadiselana nabantu bendabuko, yeke yakhupha ilobolo elikhulu khulu. Umtloli wedayari ka-Wagenaer bewatjho bona 'bekumtjhado wokuthoma wesiKrestu phakathi kwamaDatjhi nabantu bendabuko.' Besele kuminyaka eli-12 u-Jan Van Riebeeck afika eKapa, imitjhado yabantu bendabuko nabamhlophe beyingakavumeleki ngaleso sikhathi. Yeke u-Krotoa waba ngu-Eva Van Meerhof. Ngomnyaka olandelako indodakwakhe yabekwa bona ibe sikhulu se-Robben Island, yeke njengabatjhadikazi besele kufuze bathuthele khona. Ngo-1665, sele banabentwana abathathu, indodakwakhe yabulawa epini e-Madagascar. U-Krotoa wagcina abuyele eKapa nabantwana bakhe ngomhla wama-30 kuKhukhulamungu wona umnyaka loyo. Wavunyelwa bona ahlale njengesivakatjhi emzini woMphathi.Krabgat (2018), SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY: Krotoa, the bridge between European and African culture, Steemit Website. Retrieved from: https://steemit.com/history/@krabgat/south-african-history-krotoa-the-bridge-between-european-and-african-culture. Retrieved on 10/02/2026.

Isizi nobudisi ebekaqalene nabo, nehloyo ebekanayo ngamaDatjhi kwamenza wathoma ukusela khulu, bewathengisa nedini. Umukghwa wokusela khulu wabonakala ngitjho netafuleni loMphathi. Kwathathwa isiqunto sokobana akhalinywe bona alungise iindlela zakhe. Kunokuthi azilungise, watjhiya abantwana bakhe walinga ukubaleka kodwana wabanjwa wavalelwa ejele lalapho. NgoNtaka womnyaka lowo, u-Krotoa wadingiselwa e-Robben Island ngebanga lokuziphatha kwakhe okumbi. Wahlala lapho bekwaba kuhlongakala kwakhe ngomhla wama-29 kaVelabahlinze 1674. Wabulungwa ngendlela yesiKrestu esontweni elisendaweni etja yamaDatjhi.

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