Xhosa cattle-killing movement and famine begins in Cape Colony

Background. The Cape Colony, a British colony in South Africa, experienced long conflicts with the Xhosa. In 1854, lung sickness spread through Xhosa cattle. The movement is viewed as a millenarian response to this disease and the stress of losing territory. Historians note that Xhosa resistance to colonial expansion, sustained for nearly eighty years, was abruptly broken by these events.

Spiritual Orders. In April 1856, Nongqawuse and another girl went to scare birds. Nongqawuse heard unearthly noises in the river, interpreted by her uncle as orders to kill more cattle. The Xhosa destroyed their own crops and cattle, believing this would cause their ancestors to wake from the dead.

Colonial Response. Governor Grey and his administration believed in a 'Chief’s Plot,' claiming chiefs deliberately starved their people to instill desperation for war. This occurred during Sir George Grey’s governorship, which began in 1854. The movement is seen as a response to the continuing loss of Xhosa territory and autonomy.