South Africa’s Rainbow Nation title refers to the incredible diversity of its people, from the original Bushmen inhabitants of the land to the people who migrated and settled here over the years. There is hardly a nation on Earth that is not in some way represented in this diverse country.
The term Rainbow Nation of South Africa found popular appeal from the moment Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu first used it to capture the multicultural nature of our country. The original inhabitants were the hunter-gatherer San Bushmen. There are only a few of these people remaining in the Northern Cape, but their rich heritage lives on through their ancient rock art. They remain a proud part of the South Africa’s Rainbow Nation.
When the pastoral Khoi appeared 2 000 years ago they brought with them farming. Unlike the San, who did not live in a hierarchical society, the Khoi had a complex social structure. The name Khoisan is an integration of the two names of the first inhabitants of southern Africa. The next to arrive were black migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, especially from the Great Lakes and Congo regions. They settled mainly in the northern and eastern parts of present-day South Africa and where they came into contact with the Khoisan, they pushed them west into the drier regions of the Northern Cape. These new arrivals morphed into the various South African tribes that thrive today, including Sotho, Tswana, Xhosa and Zulu.
The Rainbow Nation took on more colour when the Dutch arrived in 1652 and the British in the latter part of the 18th century. The Dutch brought slaves from the East Indies, which was the start of what is called the coloured people of South Africa, added to by cross-racial liaisons. A small but influential French group escaping religious persecution in France arrived in the late 17th century and were assimilated into the Dutch population. They were followed, after the discovery of mineral wealth, by representatives of nearly every society on Earth. And mining and sugar cane farming brought Indians and Chinese, who settled mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg.
For nearly 350 years our history was defined by clashes and racial oppression. But that changed with the first democratic elections of 27 April 1994 when we all truly became people of the Rainbow Nation. Source: www.southafrica.net
Our tour with Julie was a highlight of our visit to South Africa. Along with the major scenic stops we were able to spend some time at some areas we had specific interest such a local weekend market. Additionally, Julie was very helpful with helping sort out some other areas of our trip with transportation & running down something we'd left at the hotel - going above & beyond. We'll recommend her for our friends or family visiting the Cape Town area in the future - thank you!
Claire N 20th September 2023
Julie came highly recommended, so when we decided to head to Cape Town she was our first call. She took care of getting us picked up at the airport and even booked our hotel. We spent three days with Julie seeing the sights in Cape Town. By the end of the third day we thought of her as a friend. We left the three days up to her as to what we should do and see. Her ideas for us were perfect.
Mygal56. 20th September 2023
Spent a wonderful day with Julie visiting the Stony Point Penguins and Hermanus. It was very easy arranging how we'd like to spend our day, and Julie was a very knowledgeable, enjoyable, and thoughtful guide.
1st October 2024
“5* Holiday Service” We have had a memorable holiday in a fabulous country, with fabulous people. Julie has been a true professional and has make us feel that we have made a good friend."
Ann Davies, Wales 26th June 2015
Cape Town exceeded my expectations and my many thanks and appreciation to Julie for accommodating and enhancing my travels! From my initial communications, Julie answered my questions on a timely basis and took the initiative to provided suggestions and recommendations based upon my interests. Our tour days were well planned and Julie provided excellent knowledge and tips. I hope that I will sometime have the opportunity to return to Cape Town and would look forward to more "Cape Splendour" tours!
Linda M ,Sausalito, California 13th October 2021