The Xhosa cattle-killing movement was a millenarian movement that took place in 1856-1857 in what is now Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was instigated by a young Xhosa girl named Nongqawuse, who claimed to receive messages from the spirits instructing the Xhosa people to kill their cattle and destroy their crops. In return, the spirits promised that the Xhosa would be resurrected, the white settlers would be driven into the sea, and a new era of prosperity would begin.
The movement had a devastating impact on the Xhosa society. Many Xhosa people, believing Nongqawuse’s prophecies, followed her instructions and slaughtered their livestock and destroyed their harvests. This led to widespread famine and starvation, decimating the Xhosa population. Furthermore, the widespread death weakened Xhosa resistance to British colonial expansion, ultimately leading to greater loss of their land and autonomy. The episode is significant historically because it illustrates the complex interactions between belief systems, colonial pressures, and societal collapse.
