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the name Mara, which means “Bitterness” 222 . They had carved themselves
a new identity of being between black and white.
The Buys people mainly interacted with their indigenous neighbours by
constantly being visible during their extensive hunting expeditions. They
possessed guns, horses, wagons and oxen, all which made them effective,
mobile hunters. They also on occasions plundered and attacked some of
their neighbours in a commando style. The Buys people also employed
some of the African labourers, especially for domestic work. The new
identity of labourers (domestic servants) was thus created in the
Makgabeng area. However, this was done in a small scale because only
those who were impoverished could be drawn into domestic labour
relations. Evidently, the Buys traders transported and bartered their
merchandise such as ivory, hides, salt and feathers with neighbouring
communities 223 , including those as far as Makgabeng.
At the beginning of the 19 th century the Makgabeng area was mostly
occupied by stable, permanent communities which lived mainly on
agriculture and livestock-keeping. However, the San continued with their
nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering while the Khoikhoi still lived their
semi-nomadic life in which they also kept some livestock. The Bantu-
speaking communities scattered around the Makgabeng plains and
222 Ibid, p. 9.
223 S. J. Hofemeyr, Twintig Jaren, p. 70.
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