Home Images and media photos Black South African women on washing day

Black South African women on washing day

Black South African women, at the time often referred to by the derogatory term 'Kaffirs', balance washing on their heads outside an encampment. Photographed by Rough Rider John McGrath.

This image Appears In 1 Article:

  • General Piet Joubert and Boer soldiers, 1899
    South African 'Boer' War

Keywords

south african war
boer war
Credit

Marie Moore

How to cite this page

'Black South African women on washing day', URL: https://nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/washing-day-south-african-women, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 25-Jun-2014

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Community contributions

3 comments have been posted about Black South African women on washing day

What do you know?

admin

Posted: 21 Mar 2009

Fair comment. We have put it in quote marks to indicate this, but I will change the wording to reinforce the point you make. Thanks for the feedback. Jamie Mackay

Anonymous

Posted: 21 Mar 2009

I am appalled by the caption posted for the photograph of black south African women on washing day. The work Kaffir is extremely offensive and degrading to a race of people who have struggled all over the world for centuries. The direct translation for a Kaffir is a non believer. South Africa has progressed tremendously over the past 15 years and to refer to any race or person as a non believer or Kaffir is negligent on this website's part.