About the Griqua Ratelgat Village Homestay Project

Ratelgat is in the vicinity of the settlement made by the Bastards in the 1700s. The ill-named Bastards were a mix of all races with one common goal - to escape the oppression of the Dutch setllers in the Cape.

In 1813 the community, then settled at Klaarwater (now Griquatown), was renamed the Griquas after their Hottentot roots.

Image right: Cover of the soon to be released book "Children of the Mist" covering the entire Griqua history for the first time. You can find out more about the book at this link.

Some facts about the Griquas who were:

• the world's first multiracial community
• the first Voortrekkers settling large tracts of South Africa long before the Boers
• displaced by Dutch, Boer and British governments over a period of several hundred years
• a sovereign nation at East Griqualand in the 1870s before it was annexed by the British
  
  More at this link

Objectives of the Ratelgat project:

• to regroup the Griqua community.
• to redevelop and conserve the rich Griqua culture and heritage with Ratelgat as a focal point.
• to develop the farm in such a manner that the unique cultural-and eco experience can be shared by the broader community.
• to provide cultural and tourism facilities which will enable the Griqua community to become part of the main stream economy (Tourism study completed).
• to ensure training and create temporary and permanent job opportunities for the Griqua community and especially women and the youth.
• to ensure a sustainable project through proper planning, training, capacity building and implementation.