Luka Jantjie: Resistance Hero of the South African Frontier

Table of Contents:
Preface; Prologue; Birth & Early Life, 1835-1858; Adult Responsibilities, 1858-1868; The Defence of the Diamond Fields, 1867-1871; The Loss of the Diamond Fields, 1871-1876; Tension & Resistance in the Colony, 1876-1878; Rebellion & the Battle of Kho, 1878; Dithakong & Capture, 1878-1879; Prison, Release & the New Morafe, 1879-1881; War, Land & the British, 1882-1885; The Land Commission, 1885-1886; From 'Murmuring' to Boycott, British Bechuanaland, 1886-1895; The Langeberg, Rinderpest & Rebellion, 1895-1896; The Gathering Storm, January-April 1897; The Battle For the Langeberg, April-May 1897; Seige & Final Stand, May-July, 1897; The Aftermath.

About the Author :
Kevin Shillington holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in African history from the University of London. He has extensive teaching experience in Africa at school and university level, and is the author of a number of historical and contemporary works.

Review :
The inner workings of the colonial system, its inexorable logic, are laid bare in Shillingtons work. Even more importantly, it also provides us with a story of a previously largely unrecognised new hero in our resistance history. Shillington in his conclusion expresses the hope that his book rectifies the omission of Luka Jantjie in the pantheon of African leaders in southern Africa, and there is no doubt he has admirably achieved this. The biography also refines our understanding of the nature of resistance to colonial penetration. As the life of Luka shows, it took on a range of subtle forms, varying according to circumstances from accommodation to resistance, thus defying simplistic categories of nineteenth-century African leaders as collaborators and resisters. Though fully cognizant of the historians need for context and the bigger canvass, Shillingtons book is written for a general readership, which hopefully will include many of Lukas descendants. The publishers have done well to provide us with such a fine representation. More than anything else, this book is a timely reminder that the history of our colonial and even pre-colonial period is by no means fully mined, and there is more to be revealed and written up. In an age of few observable heroes, we may do worse that to look for them in our past.! Andy Manson, North-West University, Mafeking 2012 "The inner workings of the colonial system, its inexorable logic, are laid bare in Shillington's work. Even more importantly, it also provides us with a story of a previously largely unrecognised new hero in resistance history." - South African Historical Journal, 2012