Notes on Some Interesting
Place Names in Namaqualand

The little village started as an police outpost and later a police station was established under a Camel-thorn tree. The first constables camped under this tree and from here they set out on their daily patrols as the region during the 1880’s were constantly raided by San (Bushmen) people. Things came to a head when two white farmers, Henning Claassens and Jan Buckle were killed by poisoned arrows in 1884. Police were brought in and it wasn’t until 1890’s when law and order were established and farms were given out for settlement.

The village have been founded in 1876 and the naming of the village remains a deep mystery. Records at the magistrates office revealed a police officer named Kunhardt and most people believe that the village was named after him. However long before the first white people have visited or lived in and around Kenhardt, an aged coloured lady lived on the site of the village. When the first whites ventured into this region they have met her and always remembered her as the friendly and hospitable old lady of the "Ageterwereld" (the land/world beyond). So kind was she that she even build a hut for her visitors and kept it clean and provided them with fresh drinking water. Soon she became well known amongst the hunters, treasure seekers, prospectors and adventurers. When she died she was buried on her land and the visitors that befriended this lovely old lady would often tell strangers "Ek ken haar graf" (I know her grave). It must be remembered that the dialects of the region differ from that of Cape Town and elsewhere and thus it is believed that "Ken Haar" (Know her) the name of the village is supposed to have been derived.

In the region during the late 1800’s lived a San (Bushmen) man with the interesting name of Klaas Velletjies (Velletjies – Little animal skins) with his wife and child. Klaas was often seen wearing only the tiniest of animal skins but proofed to be a master story teller around a campfire during the evenings. For some reason unbeknown his life was spared and thus were not chased out by the then authorities. Klaas was a very popular character and when visiting hunters and prospectors visited and when liquor was offered Klaas would often put on his favourite garment, a bowler (round felt hat) hat and a morning coat both bearing the inscription "Made expressly for H.R.H. the Prince of Wales."

When a party of the Cape Mounted Dragoons arrived here on a expedition they must have met Klaas and their reports to the Cape garrison must have stirred some interest amongst the people. When the governor of the Cape reported the interesting San (Bushmen) of the "Agterwereld" to his government in England he was summoned by Queen Victoria to send Klaas to England for a visit. On appearing before Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales in his little animal skins he was duly presented with the coat and bowler hat by the prince himself. Klaas often related his court experiences round the camp-fires, but the deepest impression he carried away from England with him was of the Smithfield market. He had never imagined that there was so much meat in the world!

PUTSONDERWATER (Well without water)

In a land where the "Trekboers" transport farmers had to make long and dangerous journeys from one source of water to another in times of drought, a well was closely guarded from everyone. Land in those days were free and few had any sort of lease or title, and should you have the good fortune to own land with water on it then you keep your secret to yourself. Such a man was the old man of colour, David Ockhuis. When David’s two sons helped him to dig a well that produced a good supply of water to the family’s needs as well as to their livestock. Thus whenever a "trekboer" arrived and asked for water, Ockhuis would tell him: "Ja meneer, ek het ‘n put, maar dit is ‘n put sonder water." (Yes sir, I have a well, but it is a well without water). A few years later Ockhuis leased the farm to a storekeeper in Draghoender who eventually bought it and Ockhuis and his family moved on the greener pastures.

DRAGHOENDER

The little village of Draghoender some 100 km from Kenhardt was named after a British cavalry regiment that formed part of the Cape Town garrison know as the Dragoons. The Khoikhoi (Hottentot peoples) corrupted it to the present name of Draghoender. When the Cape dragoneers sold their horses a hunter bought one of the horses and named his mount Draghoender. Horse and owner rode into the Karoo on a hunting expedition. After a heavy night of drinking the poor hunter woke the next morning only to discover that his horse had disappeared and eventually made his way back to Cape Town. The following year the same hunter went again on a hunting expedition and discovered his lost horse at the same place where he have lost it. The horse survived in that barren world by smelling water in a river bed and kicking up the sand until a fountain was revealed. This discovery made it possible for the hunter to settle there and started to farm on the land and named his farm in honour of his horse, Draghoender.