The Basters, a name meaning half-caste or bastards, trace their origins to intermarriage and extra-marital relations between European male settlers and indigenous Khoikhoi women in the northern reaches of the Cape Colony in the 18th century. As they were regarded as inferior by the white farmers they established several independent settlements where they pursued a nomadic pastoral way of life. The Basters, however, adopted Afrikaans as their language, as well as the religion and customs of their forefathers. Despite the pejorative meaning of the word Baster, the Basters are extremely proud of their heritage.

To avoid conflict over grazing and access to water with the increasing number of white farmers settling in the northern frontier area, as well as raids by the Koranna and San, a group under the leadership of Hermanus van Wyk decided to migrate across the Orange River in November 1868.

At Warmbad, just north of the Orange River, the Basters adopted a constitution and elected Hermanus van Wyk as their ‘Kaptein’ (captain). After staying at Warmbad for a short while they continued their journey further north until they reached the springs of !Anes – a Nama name meaning ‘place of smoke’ and referring to the steam rising from the springs on cold mornings. After negotiating with Abraham Swartbooi, who had abandoned the area in 1864 but retained possession of the land, they acquired a large tract of land and settled at what had earlier been named after the biblical Rehoboth when the Rhenish mission established a mission station there.

The Basters have always had a very strong sense of self- determination. The promulgation of the South African Act No. 56 of 1976 granted self-government to the Rehoboth Gebiet (area) over an area of close to 15,000 km² and the Rehoboth Gebiet virtually became an independent state within Namibia. Following independence the area was declared state land, despite a court case by the Rehoboth Baster Community and Kaptein Hans Diergaardt against the government.

The home language of the majority of Basters is Afrikaans which is spoken with a distinctive accent. This is partly due to the influence of the German language as the result of marriages between German men and Baster women during the German colonial era.

Traditional Baster attire is nowadays only worn at special occasions. Women wear long dresses, a white apron One of the interesting cultures in this area and a distinctive white ‘kappie’ (bonnet). Men wear khaki trousers and shirts, a leather hat and velskoene (hand- made leather shoes).

Small-stock farming is practiced in the rural areas while many Basters commute daily from Rehoboth to Windhoek where they are employed in various trades and industries. Many men are actively involved in the building industry.