Kaross
Encyclopedia
Bushmen's A Kaross is a cloak
made of sheepskin
, or the hide of other animals, with the hair left on. It is properly confined to the coat of skin without sleeves and used to be worn by the Khoikhoi
and Bushmen / San
peoples of South Africa
. These karosses became replaced by a blanket. Their chiefs wore karosses of the skin of the wild cat, leopard
or caracal
. The word is also loosely applied to the cloaks of leopard-skin worn by the chiefs and principal men of the Kaffir
tribes. Kaross is probably either a genuine Khoikhoi word, or else an adaptation of the Dutch kuras (Portuguese cowra^a), a cuirass. In a vocabulary dated 1673 karos is described as a " corrupt Dutch word." These days the kaross is a common tourist item, being made of various animal hides including cowhide. The term is loosely applied in modern times to fur blankets sold as bedding. These 'karosses' often have panels of different types of animal fur sewn into them in order to make a decorative pattern.
Cloak
A cloak is a type of loose garment that is worn over indoor clothing and serves the same purpose as an overcoat; it protects the wearer from the cold, rain or wind for example, or it may form part of a fashionable outfit or uniform. Cloaks are as old as human history; there has nearly always been...
made of sheepskin
Sheepskin
Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambskin or lambswool.Sheepskin may also refer to:* Parchment, a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin** Diploma, originally made of sheepskin...
, or the hide of other animals, with the hair left on. It is properly confined to the coat of skin without sleeves and used to be worn by the Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
and Bushmen / San
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
peoples of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. These karosses became replaced by a blanket. Their chiefs wore karosses of the skin of the wild cat, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
or caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
. The word is also loosely applied to the cloaks of leopard-skin worn by the chiefs and principal men of the Kaffir
Kaffir (racial term)
The word kaffir, sometimes spelled kaffer or kafir, is an offensive term for a black person, most common in South Africa and other African countries...
tribes. Kaross is probably either a genuine Khoikhoi word, or else an adaptation of the Dutch kuras (Portuguese cowra^a), a cuirass. In a vocabulary dated 1673 karos is described as a " corrupt Dutch word." These days the kaross is a common tourist item, being made of various animal hides including cowhide. The term is loosely applied in modern times to fur blankets sold as bedding. These 'karosses' often have panels of different types of animal fur sewn into them in order to make a decorative pattern.