Missionaries and Their Impact

Many significant and inspiring missionary works have been seen in South Africa and can still be seen. I will only be focusing on the ones that I believe stand out the most.

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/missionary-heroes-of-south-africa-11630223.html

While earlier missions work may have occurred in South Africa, many look to the date of July 9, 1737 as the arrival of the first Protestant missionary. This was the date that the Moravian, Protestant missionary, George Schmidt, arrived due to a request by the Dutch church. He saw moderate success, but other clergy in the area felt threatened by him, and he was ultimately cut off from the colonies. He had a desire to reach the Hottentots (Khoikhoi). Upon his departure, he left a Bible with his converts, and they eventually learned how to read it. It was a gift that kept on giving![1]

“Another auspicious day for South Africa occurred on this day, July 9, 1875 when Ernest Creux and Paul Berthoud, seminary friends, founded a mission to the Gwamba people at Valdezia in the Spelonken area of South Africa.”[2] This duo is perhaps my favorite about which to read. Both men were faced with perceivably insurmountable difficulties, and each man became intimately familiar with unimaginable pain and loss. Berthold lost his entire family (wife and five children) to disease. Creux lost three children and was imprisoned by the Boers. Throughout their ministry days, they were told they would fail. According to the Boers, the Gwamba language was impossible to learn. These missionary friends were undeterred. They set their minds to purpose and not only learned the language but translated the Bible into it!

            In addition to being tenacious, they were smart and did what every good missionary over the years has done—they trained the locals to minister. By training local men to carry the torch of the Gospel, they ensured their good work would continue long after they could not. However, while these men had success, not all missionaries in South Africa were as effective.

            Throughout the 1800’s missionaries of many different denominations and faiths began to enter South Africa. Wesleyans, Anglicans, and even Mormons were seeking to make new converts and gain a stronghold in South Africa. Naturally, depending upon what region of South Africa they were in, the missionaries were met with reservation. “Despite the continuing spread of a missionary presence into southern Africa during the 19th Century, by the time of the Anglo-Zulu conflict of 1879 very few converts had been won over to Christianity” and even fewer to Mormonism.[3]  Africans sometimes fled the areas in which these missionaries were, and new converts were often threatened with witchcraft and curses. This was to be expected. Many missionaries entered the area with no idea of the culture. They came with the good news of Jesus and a desire to moralize the people in Christian values. Furthermore, many missionaries measured their success based upon the people’s willingness to adopt a particular moral standard that hitherto was completely foreign to them. Unfortunately, it was an issue of innocent ignorance and putting the cart before the horse. It is an issue we see to this day. Often those evangelizing give a strong call to morality and try to project Christian values on the lost world. This is ineffective. We cannot expect the conviction we have due to the Holy Spirit to resonate with people lacking the Holy Spirit. While it might bring conviction in some cases, morality never brings conversion. We must introduce people to the Spirit then guide them to understand the Spirit’s guidance. Early Christian missionaries were introducing eternal life and abundant life in the same basket, but they are two very different things, and one does not ensure the other.

http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/missionaries-pondoland

            These missionaries were not complete failures though. More than their calls for morality, their introduction of agricultural land and practices benefitted the indigenous people and softened them toward the missionaries. In a time when whites were taking everything, the missionaries did offer desirable, materialistic opportunity. Granted, they did not realize the potential because they were still deeply focused on making the people moral.[4]

            Missionaries in South Africa brought work, education, and most importantly, the Gospel. By the late 1880’s, Christian institutions began to gain traction in South Africa. As these grew, so did the opportunity for the Gospel. Finally, missionaries were starting to see that measurable morality they so desperately wanted to see.

South Africa is now considered primarily Christian. Certainly, Christianity is a broad term, but it is an encouraging fact nonetheless. Ultimately, though these missionaries saw little immediate results, their hard work and faithfulness would bring long-term success.

             

Bibliography

Cummings, Lawrence C. “The First Missionaries to South Africa.”  Africa Southeast

(February 21, 2012). https://africase.lds.org/thefirst-missionaries-to-south-africa (accessed June 23, 2016).

Graves, Dan. “Missionary Heroes of South Africa: 1701-1800.” (April 18, 2007).

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/missionary-heroes-of-south-africa-11630223.html (accessed June 23, 2016).

South African History Online. “Pondoland: The Missionaries.” SAHO (January 13,

2014). http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/missionaries-pondoland (accessed June 23, 2016).

-----. “European Missions in South Africa: The Role of Missions.” SAHO (March 22,

2011). http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/european-missionaries-southern-africa (accessed June 23, 2016).

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[1]             Dan Graves, “Missionary Heroes of South Africa: 1701-1800,” (April 18, 2007). http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/missionary-heroes-of-south-africa-11630223.html (accessed June 23, 2016).

[2] Ibid.

[3]             South African History Online, “Pondoland: The Missionaries,” SAHO (January 13, 2014). http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/missionaries-pondoland (accessed June 23, 2016).

[4]             -----, “European Missions in South Africa: The Role of Missions,” SAHO (March 22, 2011. http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/european-missionaries-southern-africa (accessed June 23, 2016).

Outside Influence

South Africa has a checkered past with many outside influences that have often exchanged leadership with one another. Many European countries have occupied this country, and often times, it has been at the expense and suffering of the indigenous people. Sadly, the Western world often only saw South Africa as a stepping stone to the East. It was an excellent place for seafarers to resupply on journeys east.

            While there is a lack of archaeological and oral history, it is very likely that the Chinese had ancient contacts with South Africa. Certainly more new evidence is appearing to support this assertion, but more is needed to substantiate these claims. With this being said, we can feel quite certain that China did have early contacts with South Africa. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1376), trade routes were set up for accesses to Africa which included South Africa. We know this because Zhu Siben of the Yuan Dynasty had created maps that included South Africa. [1]  These maps are believed to have been influenced by previous explorations of the region; unfortunately, this cannot be substantiated as many records of Chinese exploration are partial or have been lost entirely. 

 "Ryukoku Kangnido: Europe & Africa"
http://cartographic-images.net/Cartographic_Images/236_Kangnido.html

In the 15^th century, the Portuguese began opening trade routes through Africa in order to get to Asia. This gave them frequent contact with the South Africans, which ultimately resulted in Africa being opened up to Europe and colonialism.[2]

"Circle of Joachim Patinir." WikiMedia.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portuguese_Carracks_off_a_Rocky_Coast.jpg

            By the 1600’s South Africa was primed for colonialism and the Dutch East Indies Company was ready to set up shop.[3] South Africa was the perfect place for the Dutch to provision passing ships. Colonies would soon follow. With the colonies came oppression and slavery as the demands of the colonists increased. Somewhat fortunate for the South Africans, most slaves were imported from East Africa, and the Dutch kept minimal supervision on the pastoralists in the region. However, as the colonies continued to grow into the 1700’s, their demands grew, and thus, their drain on the land.“As they intruded further upon the land and water sources, and stepped up their demands for livestock and labour, more and more of the indigenous inhabitants were dispossessed and incorporated into the colonial economy as servants.”[4]  This early colonialism resulted in war and the spread of foreign disease among the South African population. However, under Dutch rule, South Africa remained a relatively closed area.

Joseph Mudler. "The Shipyard of the Dutch East India Company in Amsterdam."  WikiMedia. 06 September 2008.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company#/media/File:Voc.jpg

            The proceeding years would see the colonial leadership change between the Dutch and the British. In the 1790’s the British occupied South Africa because it was a strategic stronghold against the French. By the 1800’s the British would have control of South African territories. “The closed and regulated economic system of the Dutch period was swept away as the Cape Colony was integrated into the dynamic international trading empire of industrialising Britain.”[5] With this being said, “Like the Dutch before them, the British were primarily interested in the Cape as a ‘stepping stone’ on the route to their expanding interests in India and the East.”[6]

Walter Crane. "Imperial Federation, Map of the World Showing the Extent of the British Empire in 1886." WikiMedia. 24 July 1886. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire

Much of the colonial period was negative. Even as the British worked to end slavery, they still took the side of the colonist in most matters. Furthermore, they brought in more Westerners who would be given more landholding in the region. One positive is that missionaries were able to enter the region and evangelize the South Africans. For better or worse, this was done under the pretense that westernizing the South African people would be the most effective way of converting them.

I believe that outside influences likely predate anything we have found archaeologically.  While there is not empirical evidence to confirm my belief, I do not believe it is a far-out estimation, especially in light of the evidences we have of later contacts.

Bibliography

New Africa. “China’s Long History in Africa.” New Africa Magazine, 11 March 2015.

http://newafricanmagazine.com/chinas-long-history-africa/ (accessed June 16, 2016).

Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. NY: Vintage Books, 1999.

South African Government. “History: The Earlier Colonial Period to British Colinial

Era,” South African Yearbook. http://www.gov.za/about-sa/history#early_colonial_period (accessed  June 16, 2016).

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[1]             New Africa, “China’s Long History in Africa,” New Africa Magazine, 11 March 2015, http://newafricanmagazine.com/chinas-long-history-africa/ (accessed June 16, 2016).

[2]             South African Government, “History: The Earlier Colonial Period to British Colinial Era,” South African Yearbook, http://www.gov.za/about-sa/history#early_colonial_period (accessed  June 16, 2016).

[3]             Ibid.

[4]             Ibid.

[5]             Ibid.

[6]             John Reader, Africa: A Biography of the Continent (NY: Vintage Books, 1999), 461.

Resources and Economy

http://www.bullionstreet.com/tag/South-Africa-gold

South Africa has very diverse resources, and the consumers of these resources use them quite differently. For instance, the United State’s number one import from South Africa is gems and precious metals. These precious items are primarily diamonds, gold, and platinum. Not surprising when we consider that South Africa is the world’s largest producer of gold and platinum, and the fourth largest produce of diamonds.[1]

http://blog.gainesvillecoins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/southafrica-gold.jpg

Comparatively, these items come in at number four on China’s list of South African imports. China’s number one imports are ore, slag, and ash.[2] It is for these reasons that South Africa is a major force in the mining industry. But these are not there only exports though; they also have resources in food and manufacturing.

As of 2015, vegetables were South Africa’s fastest growing exports while other manufactured goods were second.[3] An example of manufactured goods might be automobiles, which is its neighboring Namibia’s number one consumption and is in the top five in several other African countries. They also have strong resources in oil, which they export to many other African countries.[4] 

http://www.businessinsider.com/bbh-on-south-africas-economy-2013-11

South Africa’s vast and diverse resources have made it the second largest economy in all of Africa. Furthermore, “apart from its prolific mineral reserves, South Africa’s strengths include a high level of technical and production expertise, and comprehensive research and development activities.”[5] This is fascinating when considering the number of sanctions that hindered their development less than thirty years ago.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d6/72/42/d67242522599415006818634aedf6245.jpg

South Africa has a fast growing economy, and because it has 40% of the world’s known resources, it contributes significantly to the overall African economy. Being friends and neighbors with South Africa brings a lot of trade and interest to potentially unnoticed regions in Africa. However, despite all of their resources and economic growth, it has been reported that South Africa’s economy is not growing fast enough to create jobs and wealth for the inhabitants and is not operating at full potential.[6] Even knowing this, they are certainly learning to utilize their resources and make their mark on the world. This is a brighter picture than colonial South Africa, where their greatest resource was livestock and was often taken forcibly.[7]

It is exciting to see what is in store for the future of this resource rich nation.

Bibliography

South Africa Chicago. “Mining and Natural Resources.” WordPress, 2012.

http://www.southafricachicago.com/?page_id=1616 (accessed June 9, 2016).

South African Government. “History.” South Africa Year Book, 2016.

            http://www.gov.za/about-sa/history (accessed June 9, 2016).

Workman, Daniel. “South African Imports and Exports.” World’s Richest Countries,

2016. http://www.worldsrichestcountries.com/top-south-africa-exports.html (accessed June 9, 2016).

The World Bank. “Export Competitiveness, Regional Trade Integration Could Spur

South African Export Growth.” World Bank Group, February 2012. http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/publication/south-africa-economic-update-focus-export-competitiveness (accessed June 9, 2016).

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[1]             South Africa Chicago, “Mining and Natural Resources,” WordPress, 2012. http://www.southafricachicago.com/?page_id=1616 (accessed June 9, 2016).

[2]             Daniel Workman, “South African Imports and Exports,” World’s Richest Countries, 2016. http://www.worldsrichestcountries.com/top-south-africa-exports.html (accessed June 9, 2016).

[3]             Ibid.

[4]             Ibid.

[5]             http://www.southafricachicago.com/?page_id=1616 (accessed June 9, 2016).

[6]             The World Bank, “Export Competitiveness, Regional Trade Integration Could Spur South African Export Growth,” World Bank Group, February 2012. http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/publication/south-africa-economic-update-focus-export-competitiveness (accessed June 9, 2016).

[7]             South African Government, “History,” South Africa Year Book, 2016. http://www.gov.za/about-sa/history (accessed June 9, 2016).

History Without Words

 

Links:

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/cattle-farming-country-4288x3216_81566.html

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/part-of-human-body-3126x2013_46602.html

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/blind-human-4640x3472_81760.html

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/hunter-in-forest-2336x3504_49124.html

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/cow-in-the-farm-3924x2616_26197.html

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/funny-man-smoking-cigar-5472x3648_26588.html

South Africa: A Peak into Religion

The religious make and history of South Africa is fascinating. While we have observable and strong evidence of religious and mythological beliefs, some of our understandings come from outside testimony from Europeans, and therefore, some of what we understand about the history of South African myths and religion may be incorrectly interpreted. With this being said, there is still a lot of tradition and history that informs us.

Some of the earliest inhabitants of South Africa were the San. San people are typically recognized as hunter gatherers. Like many other religions, the San religion believes in a physical and spiritual world. Interestingly, they believe that the spiritual world can be accessed through a human Shaman.  When a powerful animal is killed, they believe a portal is open between the two worlds, and a Shaman may enter into the spiritual world by entering into a dance that leads into a powerful and spiritual trance. This trance enables the Shaman to do many incredible things such as healing the sick, controlling the weather, and even telling the future. [1]

Shaman Dancing
Source: http://thesanbushmen.blogspot.com/2011/11/san-religion.html

Among lesser deities, the San also believe in an all-important god called Kaggen, who is a trickster deity. His actions can be either good or bad, and he can take on many physical forms however his name translates to Mantis; so many San worship mantises. They also give significant importance to the Eland bull, which they believe Kaggen can inhabit. [2] In addition to venerating many animals, some San even revere the moon.

Eland Bull
Source:https://visitstothepark.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/rietvlei-18-10-2012-308.jpg

Source: http://thesanbushmen.blogspot.com/2011/11/san-religion.html

Other South African inhabitants, known as the Khoi-khoi, have a very similar culture to the San and, likely, are of the same ancestry. The explanation of their origination and split from the herdsman San can be found in myth. The myth states that there were two men, a blind man and a hunter. One day the hunter found a hole where the from which the animals came. The hunter took this blind man to this place and one day the blind man regained his eyesight and decided to trap the animals. The process by which he caught the animals included covering himself in oil—something the hunter found undoable. In the end, the hunter continued to hunt and the blind man began to practice animal husbandry. The Khoi-khoi would become the people of animal husbandry. [3] The Khoi-khoi separated from the San “probably within the last five hundred years, when they acquired cattle and stopped being hunters.”[4]

Another myth says that a traveler named Heitsi-Eibib was dancing with the king of snakes. They danced and ultimately Heitsi-Eibib jumped across a fire. The king of snakes followed suit but fell into the fire. The king’s cattle then became Hietsi-Eibib’s cattle[5].

Christianity has had a great impact in South Africa. For instance, in the 1820’s, missionaries such as John Philip successfully campaigned for improved treatment of the Khoi-khoi. This brought a favorable view of Christianity to the people.[6] Furthermore, colonization, a primarily negative event, helped Christianity take a foothold in South Africa. In fact, Christianity is now the dominant religion in South Africa with a large percentage of the population professing to be some type of Christian. This is a stark contrast to the minute percentage of Muslims in the region. Islam has had a much smaller impact on South Africa than it has on other African countries.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_South_Africa

Books

Belcher, Stephen. African Myths of Origin. NY: Penguin Books, 2005.

Harris, Joseph E. Africans and Their History. NY: Meridian Books, 1998.

Meredith, Martin. The Fortunes of Africa. NY: Public Affairs, 2014.

Links 

http://www.khoisan.org/religion.htm

http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_bushmen.html

http://thesanbushmen.blogspot.com/2011/11/san-religion.html

https://mythologycurator.tumblr.com/post/80598354224/origins-khoikhoi-man-eating-trolls

https://visitstothepark.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/rietvlei-18-10-2012-308.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_South_Africa

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[1]             http://thesanbushmen.blogspot.com/2011/11/san-religion.html

[2]             http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_bushmen.html

[3]             Stephen Belcher, African Myths of Origin, (NY: Penguin Books, 2005), 51-52.

[4]             Ibid.

[5]             Ibid.

[6]             Martin Meredith, The Fortunes of Africa, (NY: Public Affairs, 2014), 231-232.