THE SITE OF THE BATTLE OF AMALINDE

摘要

In October 1818, the long standing rivalry between the senior Chief of Xhosaland, Ngqika, and his uncle, Ndlambe, erupted in a battle of epic proportions that was to go down in Xhosa tradition as the battle of Amalinde. This exceptional battle lasted from midday to nightfall, and was fought with such unusual ferocity that it takes a special place in the history of Xhosa warfare. It resulted in the defeat of Ngqika and the death of 500 of his followers. Though events surrounding the battle are well documented and various authors have described it, many details are yet unknown (See Brownlee, 1986, p 340; Couzens, 2004, pp 64-70; Milton, 1983, pp68-9; Mostert, 1992, pp 465-6; Soga, c1931, p 165; and Thompson, 1967-8, etc). Where was the actual site? What were the numbers involved in the battle and what methods of fighting were used? How many were killed? What was it that burned on the battlefield? There are stories about the killing of survivors by firelight. The following article aims to address some of these questions and offer possible answers to them.