The End of Coloured Independence: The Case of the Griqualand East Rebellion of 1878

By looking at the community of Griqualand East, in the context of South Africa in the 1870s, one can see that racial, as well as economic, divisions intensified. The beginning of the subordination of Coloureds was first felt among the Griqua and other rural communities. One also sees the beginning of a change among Coloureds of their perception of themselves. Forced into the status of non-whites, the Griqua began to act like non-whites, seeking African allies and perceiving a community of interest with them. The occasion of the 1878 rebellion provides a case study of the context in which Coloured and white became disenchanted with one another. Notes.