The Orang Cayen The great influx of easterners to the Cape of Good Hope commenced in 1667. According to historian Theal the eastern batavian empire became the chief source fr the procurement of slaves fr the Cape colonists. 1667 also saw the arrival of the first political exiles banished to the Cape. A tomb fr these exiles were erected at Islam Hill in Constantia. A plaque at the tomb reads: On 24 Jan 1667 the ship Polsbroek left Batavia and arrived here on 13 May wth three political prisoners in chains. Malays of the West Coast of Sumatra who were banished to the Cape until further orders to the understanding that they would eventually be released. They were rulers Orang Cayen men of wealth and influence. Great care had to b taken that they were not left at large as they were likely to do injury to the company. Two were sent to the companys forest and one to Robben island. Hereby illustrating the isolation policy of influential political exiles from the slave population. In 1681- it becomes clear that the Cape became a place of official confinement of political prisoners of rank. 1681 princes of Ternate arrived here. These princes were prisoners of war. With them were Macassarians - at first imprisoned at the Castle stables, thereadfter to outposts. Best known Orang Cayen was sheik Yusuf of Macassar. Sheikh Abidin Tadia Tjoessoep - born in 1626 Macassar. Noble being the nephew of king bisei of Goa (on his mothers side). A revolution broke out in Bantam 1680. Tjoessoep was eventually persuaded to surrender on a promise of pardon. This promise was never fulfilled by the dutch. Incarcerated at Batavia castle. In sept 1684 he was transferred to Ceylon, 1694 to the Cape. When he arrived here on the Voetboeg, he was royally welcomed by Simon vd Stel. His royal indonesian background necessitated tht he and his 49 followers b settled away from CT. They were housed at Zandvliet near the mouth of the Eerste river. Generally now known as Macassar. Zandvliet settlement soon became a sanctuary fr fugitives slaves. It was here tht the first cohesive muslim community was est. The life of this communkity was short lived for sheikh tjoessoep died on 23 May 1699. Almost the entire community was shipped to indonesia. Only two of his followers and his daughter remained. Another important political exile was the Rajah of Tambora,from Java.1697 He was housed at Vergelegen in Stellenbosch. He wrote the Quran from memory and gifted it to Simon vs Stel.his isolation was effective. He married tjoessoeps daughter, Sittina Sara Marouff. The children of this marriage became christian. Ibrahim Adahan was baptised on 2 Nov 1721. Assumed the name of Abraham Addehan or De Haan. Mochamat Dayan - David Sultania Mochamat Aserk - Isaak Sultania. Both became members of the church in CT. His daughter, Sittina Asia - baptised on 22 Dec 1726, Maria Dorothea Sultania. Piet Retief was a descendant of this - rajah of Tambora. (Ref Robert Shell).
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 13:22:47 +0000
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