Colonialism & Seperation

This project will explore how colonialism led to the separation of the indigenous population in Algiers and Capetown.

Nicole Francis

March 21, 2020

Photo credit: Left (Algiers) - Georges Louis via Flickr.com (Benbouzid) - Right (Capetown) -Ian Bruce Huntley via Pinterest (electricjive.blogspot.com). Click here for full image and artist statement.

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Introduction

Many African cities have had devastating consequences due to colonization such as a change in traditions, poverty, and death. Algiers and Capetown are no exception as colonization has resulted in the separation of the indigenous community. Algiers was once a town with a mythological view of beauty and perfection but it was ruined with French colonization as the community was segregated to a specific land. On the other hand, Capetown’s community became subjected to racial segregation as they were forced into areas distant from the land they once called home. Nonetheless, colonization resulted in a loss of home and security for the indigenous community in both Algiers and Capetown. As indicated, my project will focus on colonialism in Algiers and Capetown. My historical question is: What are the historical factors that lead to segregation in Cape Town’s District 6 and Algiers, starting in the 19th century?

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Capetown

Colonization in Capetown began when the Dutch East India Company made its half-way station in its land. It was a small settlement that provided fresh meat and vegetables for the Europeans passing by on their trip. Capetown became interested by the Dutch and they began to build roads, public buildings, farms, and squares that served their own agenda. The Europeans began to bring slaves from Indonesia, India, and other parts of Africa to help in their growth in wealth from the products being produced in the land. Before the specific area became District Six in the 19th century, it was heavily populated which began to spread out that characterized the high density in Capetown. People flooded in to participate in this new urban town but as the population rose, so did its poverty and living conditions. When Capetown divided into six districts, it was the beginning of segregating the indigenous community based on gender and ultimate rule over the land for the colonizers.

Photo Source: HiltonT via Flickr.com

TimelineJS Embed

Map of District Six in 1940. Source: “The Urbanization of District Six, Capetown”

Capetown was once a simple town that flourished due to European presence and power. As they gained control, the people lost theirs as they became outcasts. The Europeans controlled their government which ultimately enacted laws that segregated the community to restricted areas. Colonization by the British and Dutch led to Capetown’s community being segregated from their homeland due to racist mentalities from the colonizers.

Apartheid, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa

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Algiers

Before the development of the Casbah and the Marine Quarter, Algiers was a vision of community and beauty. Many travelers approached Algiers from the sea and from their perspective, the city was bathed in sunlight as the beams highlighted the city of white. Its architecture of mass white and cubical structures that were unique and known for Algiers. They had their own sense of urbanization with a complex system of streets based on hierarchy. It was surreal in its view and experience as it was a magnificent landscape of perfection. The population was one with their own politics, religion, and culture. Their society had its own rules as men and women had specific roles to accomplish within the community. They valued their architecture and land as everyone cared and respected it. It was their home but this would be destroyed with the arrival of the French.

Photo Source: Marco di Leo via Flickr.com

When the French came to Algiers, they saw the street system the people had emplaced and viewed it as savage-like as they did not believe the land had been urban. With this mentality, the French began to slowly invade the land by quartering soldiers in the bottom half of Algiers. They would use churches as sanctuaries for the French. They began to rebuild buildings for the troops without sympathy for the community. As the French presence increased rapidly by the coast, the population was pushed further away from the sea. They were kicked out of their homes and had to relocate. Eventually, the French claimed the bottom half of Algiers and established it as the Marine Quarter.

Photo Source: Great History Teaching via Pinterest.com

“They have rummaged through the tombs of our fathers, And they have scattered their bones/ To allow their wagons to go over them. /O believers, the world has seen with its own eyes. Their horses tied in our mosques, And they and their Jews rejoiced because of it While we wept in our sadness”

The upper half became as many of the people were forced to live as it became chaotic. Many began to live in filth and unhealthy living conditions as there was not enough room for all the people as some apartments had over twenty people inhabitant. The casbah was “locked behind the solid rows of French structures” as their view was now a constant reminder that they were segregated from their land. French colonization forced Algerians to live in the back of their land to constantly watch their home be destroyed. They were physically separated due to the French and their imposition of destruction.

The Crumbling Casbah of Algiers - BBC News

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Conclusion

Algiers and Capetown both flourished on their own with specific orders that worked for their land. When both had colonizers, their lives were altered as Capetown faced racial segregation and Algiers faced physical segregation. These indigenous communities were separated from their comfort and home as they had to comply with unwanted guests. These case studies show how starting in the nineteenth century, colonization was a primary factor that led to the segregation of indigenous communities.

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Work Cited

Bezzoli, Marco & Marks, Rafael. “The Urbanization of District Six, Capetown” in Texture and Memory: The Urbanism of District Six. Urban Housing Research Unit: Cape Technikon, 1997.

Çelik, Zeynep. “The Casbah and the Marine Quarter.” In Urban Forms and Colonial Confrontations Algiers under French Rule, 11–58. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997.

Word Count: 1130

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