AUTSHUMAYO
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Autshumayo (?-1663), also referred to as Harry, Herry, or Hadah in European documentary sources, was originally a member of the Stockless Khoi, who lived in the vicinity of Table Bay in what is now Cape Province. After the arrival of the Dutch colonists in 1652, he became an influential and wealthy middleman between the Dutch and the Khoi, before losing the confidence of the Dutch, who banished him to Robben Island.
PHOTO CAPTION: Autshumayo. SOURCE: Alchetron.com.
Two decades, before the Dutch Colony was founded, Autshumayo was a member of the Cattleless Strandlopers who were looked down upon by the Khoi stockfarmers. After he was taken or kidnapped by the English, and transported to Bantam in the East Indies in 1631, he took care of letters left by European ships’ crews.
In 1632, when he returned to South Africa, he had acquired a working knowledge of the English language. He was then placed on Robben Island to run a “post office” for passing ships. He had with him a following of some 60 men, women, and children, and his community also possessed livestock. By the late 1640s, however, he and his followers had returned to the mainland.
When the Dutch arrived in 1652 to establish their “refreshment station,” Autshumayo became their interpreter and skillfully exploited his middleman role to build a herd of over 200 cattle. A year later, when it became clear that the Dutch had come to stay permanently, Authshumayo engineered a raid which dispossessed the Dutch of cattle during the planting season when drought animals were needed. After this, however, he reestablished good relations with the Dutch, continuing his role as interpreter until he was replaced by two younger Khoi, Eva and Doman.
Eva denounced him to the Dutch for “feathering his own nest” during the first Khoi-Dutch War of 1658-1660. Autshumayo was banished to Robben Island in consequence, but escaped and rejoined his clan on the mainland. He had, however, forfeited the trust of both Dutch and Khoi, and could no longer act as the middleman. He died in obscurity in 1663.
C. TSEHLOANE KETO
