Regionalism and the Archival Record: The Case of the Qadi in the Colony of Natal

Abstract This article focuses attention on what the archival record of colonialism in Natal reveals not only about the actual day-to-day workings of colonial rule but also about the emergence of early forms of regional consciousness among the subject African population. It is argued that the administrative system imposed on Africans, through the form of indirect rule known as Shepstonism, necessitated the elaboration of new categories and relationships that Africans were quick to exploit for their own purposes, even while acutely aware of their loss of autonomy. Moreover, the attempt to impose this administrative framework uniformly across the Colony facilitated the emergence of new forms of regional consciousness that would feed into a strong sense of regionalism in the twentieth century. These arguments are explored through a case study of the Qadi chiefdom through the colonial period.