| Abstrakt: |
Since the first European settlements in what is now South Africa, various factors have, over centuries, contributed to the near destruction of the social structures, cohesion and identities of the broader Khoekhoe and San communities of the country. The last few years, however, have seen ethnic mobilisation and the creation and establishment of new political structures among people claiming Khoekhoe or San descent. Many revival movements have sprung up across the country, some of which are spearheaded by self-appointed leaders who mobilise support on ethnic grounds. The claims of origin prompted strong criticism both from within the ranks of the Khoekhoe and San, as well as from academics. This article focuses on some of the revival processes among Griqua and Korana in Heidedal. Ethnographic material from Heidedal indicates that the processes differ in terms of preamble, agenda and type of leadership. It also shows that the use of the names `Griqua' and `Korana' remains controversial and unstable, and that at this stage it would be problematic to apply the notion of `ethnic group' to the people referred to by these attributes without qualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
