Piet Retief - 6 Feb 1838 
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Geskiedkundige agtergrond
Nadat die Trekkers tydens ‘n vergadering op 13-9-1837 nie eenstemmigheid kon bereik oor die bestemming van die trek nie, swaai Retief ooswaarts omdat hy besluit om hom in Natal te vestig. Sy laer bly egter Wes van die Drakensberge by Kerkenberg terwyl hy met 15 man en 4 waens op ‘n sending na Dingane vertrek om met hom te onderhandel oor ‘n woongebied vir die Trekkers. Sy reis neem hom oor Port Natal waar hy teen die middel van Oktober 1837 aankom. Hy word hartlik deur ‘n aantal Engelse handelaars verwelkom wat verheug is oor die vooruitsig dat die binneland deur Blankes bevolk gaan word. Einde Oktober reis hy voort na Dingane en Thomas Halstead vergesel hom as tolk.
Retief berei Dingane voor op sy koms deur per brief ‘n ontmoeting aan te vra en die doel van die besoek te verduidelik. Dingane staan hom egter nie dadelik te woord toe hy op 5-11-1837 by Dingaanstad aankom nie. Na ontvangs van Retief se brief het Dingane vir Alan Gardiner, soldaat / sendeling filantroop, ontbied om hom te adviseer oor die onderhandelinge met Retief, maar daag nie op nie. Dingane ontmoet toe vir Retief in die teenwoordigheid van eerw. Francis Owen, wie kort tevore deur die einste Gardiner by die hoofkraal van Dingane geplaas is. Nadat Retief sy versoek tot Dingane gerig het, beskuldig Dingane hom dat die Trekkers sy beeste gesteel het, alhoewel hy weet dat Sekonyela, ‘n baTlòlwa kaptein die eintlike skuldige is. Retief wys hom daarop en Dingane beloof om die gebied tussen die Tugela en die Umzimvubu aan die Trekkers af te staan indien Retief die gesteelde vee aan hom terug besorg. Alhoewel Dingane se eis onredelik is, en waarskynlik gestel is met die doel om ‘n botsing met Sekonyela en Retief te bewerkstellig, stem hy nogtans in om aan die voorwaardes te voldoen.
Op 8-11-1837 vertrek Retief vanaf Dingaanstat oor Port Natal terug. Hy stuur boodskappers vooruit met die nuus omtrent sy onderhandelinge. Toe die Trekkers die nuus verneem, begin hulle dadelik en sonder om hul leier af te wag, teen die Drakensberge (Retiefpas) af te trek en versprei oor ‘n wye gebied. Retief slaag sonder veel moeite om die gesteelde beeste van Sekonyela terug te kry en neem ook ‘n boete van ‘n klompie perde en gewere. Retief besluit onverwyld om ‘n tweede besoek aan Dingane te bring en beplan aanvanklik om met ‘n sterk mag van 200 gewapende man na Dingaanstat te vertrek, maar Gerrit Maritz en sommige van die Trekkers maak beswaar daar hulle meen dat Retief hom onnodig aan gevaar wil blootstel en dat die sending ewe goed deur ‘n klein afvaardiging onderneem kan word. Retief vertrek 25-1-1838 met 70 vrywilligers, waaronder 4 minderjariges (een sy eie seun) en 30 agterryers.
‘n Aansienlike getal Trekkers asook Gerrit Maritz is egter hoogs ontevrede met Retief se handelwyse en is gladnie gelukkig met dié tweede besoek aan Dingane.
Onbewus van veral Alan Gardiner se opstokery en beskuldigings teenoor Dingane dat die Trekkers gedros het uit die kolonie, reeds voor die eerste besoek, kom Retief Saterdag oggend 3-2-1838 by Dingaanstat aan. Omdat Retief oortuig is van Dingane se goeie bedoelings vertoef hulle nog selfs nadat die grondbrief / traktaat reeds deur albei partye onderteken is, Sondag (4 Feb.). Na die ondertekening is die Trekkers weer met oorlog danse en os vertonings getrakteer, maar die res van die dag is stil deurgebring. William Wood, ‘n jong seun wat by eerw. Owen bly en die Zoeloe taal baie goed verstaan, waarsku ‘n paar trekkers gedurende die dag dat Dingane bose planne teen hulle beplan. Die Maandagoggend (5 Feb.), op uitnodiging van Dingane, is Retief en 5 Trekkers genooi om toeskouers te wees van indrukwekkende skyngevegte, bees vertonings en Zoeloe danse. Op sy beurt moes Retief sy kommando byeenkry en ‘n vertoning lewer deur rondom die arena te jaag in gelid, terwyl skote afgevuur word. Daarna is buite die stat resies gejaag met hul perde teen die vinnigste Zoeloe hardlopers. Na middagete het daar ‘n boodskapper van Dingane by Retief opgedaag om die Trekkers vir ‘n afskeid besoek die volgende oggend te nooi.
Later die middag het daar ‘n regiment Zoeloes , die “ Wildebeeste “, al singende by die stat opgedaag. Eerw. Owen het die beroeringe in die Zoeloes se houding waargeneem en hy het vir Abraham Greyling (Retief se stiefseun) die aand gewaarsku dat hulle so gou as moontlik moes padgee, aangesien daar duidelik iets aan die broei was.
Dinsdag 6 Feb. is die Trekkers reeds besig toe ‘n boodskapper Retief laat weet dat Dingane die Trekkers vir ‘n laaste bier drink sessie inwag. Die boodskapper versoek hulle ook om sonder hul gewere, bandeliere en kruithorings voor Dingane te verskyn. Die Trekkers het voor Dingane posisie ingeneem met die agterryers in die agterste geledere, terwyl Retief reg voor Dingane saam met Halstead staan. Links van Dingane staan die ellelang hoof aanvoerder Tambuza van die Swartskilde met ‘n diep frons op sy wrede gelaat. Aan Dingane se regterkant Umhlela, aanvoerder van die veterane, gekenmerk deur die klei ringe op hul kaal geskeerde koppe en wit skilde.
Dingane groet vir Retief terwyl hy die vroue las om melk en bier te bring, beweeg tussen 3000 en 4000 Zoeloe krygers net agter die Trekkers in. Terwyl bier uitgedeel word, het die naaste krygers ‘n dans uitgevoer waaraan Dingane met ritmiese bewegings en wuiwende arms meegedoen het. Die dans en dreun stampe het doller geword en stelselmatig het die kring van krygers al nouer om die Trekkers gesluit. Die honde wat saam met die Trekkers gekom het, het blaffend hul afkeur aan die swetende massa gewys. Retief het Dingane versoek om die dansende massa te laat terug beweeg. Dingane het toe ‘n skril fluit gegee en bo die rumoer herhaalde male uitgeroep : Gryp hulle “ Bambe “ en maak dood die towenaars “ bulalani abatagati.
Donderdag, 20 Desember 1838, trek Andries Pretorius se Wen kommando laer naby die smeulende Dingaanstat. ‘n Paar Trekkers is afgevaardig om die beendere van hul 10 makkers van die Vlug kommando van 11 April 1838 te gaan soek en begrawe. Dirkie Uys se beendere word nie gevind. Vrydag, 21 Des., verskuif die laer tot naby moord koppie wat deur Biggar se swartes as die plek van foltering en moord aangewys was. Piet Retief se oorblyfsels was uitgeken aan stukkies van sy satyn onderbaadjie, waterbottel met Vrymesselaar simbool en ‘n verweerde leer sak. Binne die leer sak was dokumente waarvan die binneste bladsye ongeskonde deur natuurlike verweer gelaat was. Die onbeskadigde traktaat tussen Piet Retief en Dingane wat die gebied tussen die Tugela- en Umzimvubu riviere aan die Trekkers oordra, was ook daarin. Vir Pretorius en sy mede Trekkers was dit ‘n onweerlegbare bewys dat hulle toe kon aanspraak maak op die gebied as hulle regmatige eiendom wat met onderhandeling en met Trekker bloed, sweet en trane gekoop was. Die trekkers se stoflike oorskotte is 22 Desember 1838 aan die voet van Moordkoppie begrawe.
Verkry uit Suid-Afrikaanse Biografiese Woordeboek Volume II en Bloed ,Sweet en Trane van E.J.G. Norval
Historical background
Following a meeting on 13 September 1837 where the Voortrekkers could not agree on a destination of the trek, Piet Retief turned east as he has decided to settle in Natal. However his laager remained West of the Drakensberg at Kerkenberg while he and 15 men and 4 wagons departed on a mission to Dingane to negotiate a settlement area for his people. He travelled via Port Natal which he reached in the middle of October 1837. He was welcomed by a number of English traders who was excited about the prospect of Whites settling in the interior. He proceeded on his mision to Dingane by the end of October and Thomas Halstead accompanied him as a translator.
Retief informed Dingane of his coming by requesting a meeting and explaining the purpose of his meeting by letter. Dingane however did not meet Retief straight away when he arrived on 5 November 1837 at Dingaantad. After receiving Retief’s letter, Dingane send for Alan Gardiner, soldiar/ misionary/ philanthropist to advise him about the negotiations, but he did not pitch. Dingane then met Retief in the presence of rev. Francis Owen, who was placed shortly before at Dingane’s main kraal by the very same Gardiner. After putting his request to Dingane, Dingane accused Retief of the Voortrekkers stealing his cattle whilst knowing very well that Sekonyela, a baTlolwa captain, is the real culprit. Retief pointed this out and then Dingane promised to give the area between the Tugela and the Umzimvubu rivers to the Voortrekkers if Retief brought his stolen cattle back. Even though Dingane’s request was unreasonable and was quite possibly posed with the aim of bringing about a clash between Retief and Sekonyela, Retief still agreed to the terms.
On 8 November 1837 Retief departed from Dingaanstad, back to his laager via Port Natal. He sent out messengers with the news about the negotiations ahead. When the Voortrekkers received the news, they immediately started moving down the Drakensberg (Retief pass) and spread out over a wide area. Retief succeeds without much effort in recovering the stolen cattle from Sekonyela and also took a fine of a few horses and rifles. He decided straight away to pay Dingane a second visit and initially planned to leave with a strong force of 200 armed men for Dingaanstad, but Gerrit Maritz and some of the Voortrekkers objected since they reckoned that Retief would endanger himself unnecessarily and that the mission could be handled by a small delegation. Retief departed on 25 January 1838 with 70 volunteers, including 4 minors (one his own son) and 30 attendants. A considerable number of Voortrekkers, including Gerrit Maritz, however were very unhappy with Retief’s decision to visit Dingane a second time.
Unaware of especially Alan Gardiner’s instigations and accusations towards Dingane that the Voortrekkers absconded from the Colony, even before the first visit, Retief arrived on Saturday morning, 3 February 1838 at Dingaanstad. Since Retief was convinced of Dingane’s best intentions, they stayed over even after the treaty was signed by both parties on Sunday 4 February. After the signing, Retief and his men was once again entertained with war dances and ox shows, but the rest of the day went by quietly. William Wood, a young boy who stayed with rev. Owen and could understand the Zulu language very well, warned some of Retief’s men during the day that Dingane is making wicked plans against them. The Monday morning (5 February), on invitation of Dingane, Retief and 5 men were invited to watch some impressive mock fights, cattle shows and Zulu dances. In return, Retief had to gather his commando and put up a show by riding around the arena in file while firing shots. Afterwards they had to race on horseback with some Zulu runners outside the kraal. After lunch a messenger from Dingane came to Retief to invite them for a farewell visit the next morning.
Later that afternoon, a regiment Zulu’s, the “Wildebeest”, arrived singing at the kraal. Rev. Owen sensed the unrest in the Zulu’s attitude and he warned Abraham Greyling (Retief’s stepson) that evening that they should get away as soon as possible as there was clearly something brewing.
On Tuesday 6 February, the Voortrekkers were already busy packing up when a messenger informed Retief that Dingane was awaiting them for a last beer-drinking session. The messenger also requested them to come without their rifles, bandoliers and powder horns. The Voortrekkers positioned themselves in front of Dingane with the attendants in the back rows whilst Retief stood right in front of Dingane with Halstead. To the left of Dingane stood the tall chief commander, Tambuza, of the “Black Shields” with a deep frown on his cruel complexion. To Dingane’s right stood Umhlela, commander of the veterans, identified with the clay rings on their shaven heads and white shields.
Dingane greeted Retief whilst ordering the women to bring milk and beer, between 3000 and 4000 Zulu fighters moved in behind the Voortrekkers. Whilst beer was dished out, the closest fighters started a dance and Dingane joined in with rhythmic movements and swaying arms. The dance and chants became more frantic and systematically the ring of fighters closed up more tightly around the Voortrekkers. The dogs that came with the Voortrekkers showed their objection against the sweaty mass by barking. Retief requested Dingane to retreat the dancing mass. Dingane then gave a shrill whistle and above the row he shouted out: “Bambe!” (grab them!) and “bulalani abatagati!” (kill the wizzards!)
Thursday, 20 December 1838, Andries Pretorius’ “Winning” commando went into laager close to the smouldering Dingaanstad. A few Voortrekkers were commissioned to go searching for the remains of their 10 comrades of the “Fleeing” commando of 11 April 1838. Dirkie Uys’ remains were never found. Friday, 21 December the laager moved close to “Murder hill” which was pointed out by Biggar’s blacks as “the place of torture”. Piet Retief’s remains were identified from pieces of satin from his waistcoat, his water bottle with Freemasonry symbol on and a weathered leather bag. Inside the bag were documents of which the inner pages were undamaged. The undamaged treaty between Piet Retief and Dingane which transferred the area between the Tugela and Umzimvubu rivers to the Voortrekkers was amongst them. To Pretorius and his men, this was undisputable proof that they were legally entitled to the area which was bought through negotiation, Voortrekker blood, sweat and tears.
Retief and his men’s remains were buried on 22 December 1838 at the foot of “Murder hill”.
Taken from “Suid-Afrikaanse Biografiese Woordeboek Volume II” and “Bloed, Sweet en Trane” by E.J.G. Norval
Die Skat
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The Cache
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