Groenland mountains
Groenland mountains | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Coordinates | 34°6′40.55″S 19°6′49.18″E / 34.1112639°S 19.1136611°E |
Geography | |
Country | South Africa |
State | Western Cape |
Region | Overberg |
The Groenland (Dutch for "Greenland") is a small mountain range in the Western Cape, South Africa, and forms part of the Cape Fold Belt.
Location and geography
The Groenland mountains run from east to west. They lie between the
History
Pre-colonial history
The mountain and its surrounding areas were originally the homeland of the indigenous Chainouqua Khoi people (also spelled as Chainoqua), who inhabited a large area on either side of the
Colonial era
The name "Groenland" was given by early European colonists to both the mountains, and to the surrounding area. Meaning "Greenland" in Dutch, it refers to the lush green vegetation of the mountain and its surrounds (Although the name is also the Dutch language term for the island of Greenland in the north Atlantic, the two toponyms were coined independently of each other). The original indigenous Chainoqua names for the area's landforms are unfortunately not well recorded.
The low-lying region to the south, acquired the name "
Modern naming
By compromise, both names - Groenland and Elgin - came to be preserved. Avoiding further confusion, the term "Groenland" was kept for the high and mountainous area to the north, while the term "Elgin" remained for the low-lying
The mountains are located within the modern Theewaterskloof Local Municipality, in the far west of the greater Overberg District Municipality.
The "Groenlandberg Conservancy" was established in 1994 in the Groenland mountains, and takes its name from the Afrikaans version of the mountain range's name.[12]
Other initiatives named after these mountains include the "Green Mountain Eco Route".[13]
References
- ^ Groenland mountain within Kogelberg
- ^ Viljoen's Pass
- ISBN 978-0-9814123-2-0
- ISBN 978-0-864863119
- ISBN 0-8214-1090-3.
- ^ M.Coburn: The Overberg: Inland from the Tip of Africa. Struik, 2005. p.18.
- ^ W. Olivier, S. Olivier: Touring in South Africa. Struik. 2005. p.18.
- ISBN 978-1-77609-072-3. p.27.
- ^ Groenland - Cape Info
- ^ S. Stander: Boom van die Lewe, die Verhaal van Kaapse Vrugte. Saayman & Weber Ltd. Cape Town. 1983.
- ISBN 0-620-30967-9
- ^ Groenlandberg Conservancy
- ^ "Green Mountain" Eco Route