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Huberta: The World's most Famous Hippo |
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 The Amathole Museum is the home of Huberta, the world's most famous hippopotamus. More than seventy five years after her death, young and old are still captivated by the story of her wanderings.
Huberta's probable birthplace was in northern KwaZulu Natal. In 1928 she first came to public notice and during the course of her 2 1/ 2 year journey, frequently made headline news.
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Welcome to Amathole Museum |
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 The Amathole Museum, a Natural and Cultural History Museum, has an international reputation, and is situated in King Williams Town, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It was founded in 1884.
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Xhosa Culture |
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THE XHOSA OF THE EASTERN CAPE
In excess of 5.2 million, Xhosa-speakers constitute 83.8% of the population of the Eastern Cape, the second largest province in South Africa, an area 169, 580 km2 in extent (Statistics South Africa, 1998). Literacy in the +20 age group is 79.1%.
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Xhosa Displays |
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Anthropology collects and documents Xhosa traditional knowledge, ranging from artifacts and medicines to myths and rituals.
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Anthropology acquires Bead Collection |
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The museum's sincere congratulations to Dr Manton Hirst who has managed to aquire the very important Xhosa bead collection collected by Professor Philip and Dr Iona Mayer during the late 1950's and early 1960's in the Peddie area. |
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Anthropology-Research |
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The museum's Anthropology section conducts research on a variety of topics ranging from Xhosa history and traditional healing to indigenous or local knowledge and the use of medicinal plants.
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Anthropology-Maqoma |
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MAQOMA (1798-1873)
Maqoma was the greatest Xhosa warrior, guerilla general and leader of the nineteenth century.
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History of the museum |
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 The Amathole Museum has its origins in the King William’s Town Naturalist Society founded in 1884. The Society’s collections quickly outgrew temporary accommodation in the Council Chambers and Public Library.
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Mammalogy |
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The Shortridge Mammal Collection, the second biggest in South Africa, is used mainly for research in systematics, biodiversity and geographical distribution.
Examples of most of the larger and medium-sized mammal species in southern Africa are on display.
A major attraction is HUBERTA, the famous wandering hippo, which spent 2½ years travelling nearly 1000km from northern Kwa-Zulu Natal to the Keiskamma River where she was needlessly shot in April 1931. |
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