Red Ox Monument - Riebeek-Kasteel, Western Cape
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The red ox on the square in Riebeek Kasteel, with its creator, Stoffel Basson. (Image adapted). © Weskus Heritage![]()
According to local lore, this monument marks the place where a red ox belonging to the Griqua people was shot and eaten by the Voortrekkers during their early settlements. (Image adapted). © The Heritage Portal
Red Ox Monument - Riebeek-Kasteel, Western Cape
In 1938 the Red Ox Monument was erected in the Riebeek-Kasteel village square, in the Western Cape of South Africa to honour all the brave oxen during the Great Trek. From 1835 onwards, 12 000 Dutch-speaking colonists started moving from the coast of South Africa to the interior. This migration became known as The Great Trek. Most families who took part in this migration had two or three wagons which moved alongside each other, and each of them was usually pulled by a span of 16 oxen. The Wagons were heavily laden with all their household effects and tools and had to travel over mountains and cross rivers. Many of the oxen lost their lives during this migration which lasted for over 3 years.
This monument marks the place where, according to local lore, a red ox belonging to the Griqua people was shot and eaten by the Voortrekkers during their early settlements. The incident symbolized the encounters and often fraught relations between indigenous groups and European settlers moving deeper into Southern Africa’s interior during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Red Ox Monument serves as a reminder of Riebeek-Kasteel’s complex and layered history. The site reflects the deep roots of colonial expansion and indigenous presence in the area and has become a point of reflection on heritage and cultural memory within the broader Swartland region. Visitors often see the monument as part of exploring the historic town of Riebeek-Kasteel, which is known for its charm, vineyards, and picturesque setting.
Monument location: -33.38379995438145, 18.89557502041451
Verblyf Naby Red Ox Monument - Riebeek-Kasteel, Western Cape
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