Attaqua, plural noun

/əˈtakwə/
Forms:
Also Ataquas, Attaquas.
Origin:
Khoikhoi
historical
Collectively, the members of a Khoikhoi people formerly resident in what is now the Western Cape.
Note:
As is the case with many names of peoples and groups in South African English, this word has been found only in plural uses; however, it may be that it has also been used in unrecorded singular forms.
1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. I. 71The Attaquas are possess’d of but a very indifferent Soil, and but ill provided with Water. For which Reason they live in little Troops at a considerable Distance from one another, in Parts the most commodious.
1795 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. I. 308Farther to the northward, and near the large valley, through which one must pass in order to go to Lange-kloof and the adjacent country, occurs the district of the Ataquas Hottentots, which is mountainous and abounds in grass.
1977 T.R.H. Davenport S. Afr.: Mod. Hist. 4Others (sc. Khoikhoi) spread towards the eastern Cape coast,..into the Fish and Sundays river valleys, and then migrated either eastwards (the Gona) or westwards (the Attaqua, Hessequa, Chochoqua and others) in the direction of the Cape peninsula.
1989 Reader’s Digest Illust. Hist. of S. Afr. 227Descendants of the early white trekboers and the Outeniqua and Attaqua Khoikhoi.
Collectively, the members of a Khoikhoi people formerly resident in what is now the Western Cape.
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atjar, atchar, nounn.attorney, nounn.
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