Weenen Massacre, Zulu Slaughter of Voortrekkers, 1838
The Great Trek was an eastward migration of Dutch-speaking settlers (Voortrekkers) who travelled by wagon trains from the Cape Colony into the interior of modern South Africa from 1836 onwards, seeking to live beyond the Cape's British colonial administration. The Weenen Massacre was the slaughter of Voortrekkers by the Zulu on February 17, 1838. After the killing of Piet Retief and his delegation, the Zulu King Dingane sent his impis to kill the remaining voortrekkers who were camped at Doringkop, Bloukrans (Blaauwekrans), Moordspruit, Rensburgspruit and other sites along the Bushman River, South Africa. Among the Voortrekkers, 41 men, 56 women and 185 children were killed. In addition another 250 Khoikhoi and Basuto that accompanied the Voortrekkers were killed, bringing the casualties to about 534. The town of Weenen (Dutch for crying or weeping) was established in two months after the massacre. BW print of painting by Thomas Baines, undated
