Namaqualand
/ˌnæməˈkwɒlənd/noun
A historically defined region of southwestern Africa inhabited chiefly by Nama communities, extending across parts of present-day Namibia and South Africa.
Did you know?The ending “-qua” reflects an older Dutch rendering of a Khoekhoe plural or collective form, not a mysterious suffix from an occult language.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Khoekhoe
Nama
“The self-designation of the Nama people; its deeper internal etymology is not securely established.”
17th–18th centuries
Dutch
Namaqua
“A Dutch colonial rendering referring to the Nama people or their territory; “-qua” represented a Khoekhoe plural or collective element.”
18th century
Dutch
Namaqualand
“A territorial name meaning “Nama land,” formed with Dutch land, “country or territory.””
19th century
English
Namaqualand
“An English geographical name for the Nama-inhabited region of southwestern Africa.”
Modern English
English
Namaqualand
“A historical and geographic region spanning parts of Namibia’s south and South Africa’s Northern Cape.”