REMEMBERING EVA (KROTOA): A TRAILBLAZING DIPLOMAT OF THE KHOISAN

Born around 1643 to the Goringhaicona near the Cape of Good Hope, Eva (Krotoa) grew up in a time of significant change. Taken into the household of Dutch commander Jan van Riebeeck at a young age, she quickly learned Dutch and Portuguese, becoming a vital interpreter and negotiator between the Dutch settlers and the Khoisan communities. Her linguistic skills facilitated crucial trade and peace agreements, highlighting her role as an early diplomat.

In 1664, Eva married Danish surgeon Pieter van Meerhoff, making her one of the first indigenous women to marry a European in the Cape Colony. They had three children before Pieter’s untimely death in Madagascar in 1668. Despite her invaluable contributions, Eva faced significant challenges, including struggles with alcoholism and ostracization from both the Dutch and her own people. She was even imprisoned on Robben Island for several years, enduring great hardship.

Eva died in 1674 at the age of 31. Her legacy lived on through her children, who were taken into Dutch care. Eva’s life, marked by resilience and the bridging of cultures, offers a profound insight into the early colonial period in South Africa. She remains a symbol of cultural exchange, adaptation, and the complex interactions between European settlers and indigenous peoples. Today, she is commemorated in literature, film, and public memorials as a testament to her significant role in South African history.

Read Eva’s remarkable story at https://www.capetownmuseum.org.za/they-built-this-city/krotoa

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Image: Cape Town Museum