30 – the Afrikaner Volkstaat
‘Volkstaat’ is Afrikaans for People’s state – the people in this case being the white South Africans who identify themselves as ‘Afrikaners’ (mainly descendents of Dutch settlers, speaking a language derived from Dutch and considering themselves an indigenous nation in Africa).
The idea of a ‘Volkstaat’ came about with the end of Apartheid in 1994, when the white minority finally gave in to the black majority, and handed over the reins of power to Nelson Mandela’s ANC. According to some surveys, about 30% of Afrikaners, thinking back to the independent ‘Boer republics’ that were established in the nineteenth century to escape Britsh rule over the Cape, would like to establish a similar state where Afrikaners can rule themselves. Most South Africans (and indeed most Afrikaners) are opposed to the idea, as it is essentially racist.
A practical problem in the establishment of a ‘Volkstaat’ is the fact that Afrikaners are quite evenly spread out over the whole of the country, nowhere forming a majority. Two small communities have been formed to be the nuclei of possible Volkstaat options. One is Orania, founded in 1991 in the West Cape, the other is Kleinfontein in Gauteng.
This map shows the proposal for a Volkstaat in the West Cape, which is sparsely populated and thus might more easily be ‘settled’ by Volkstaters. The idea seems to have waning support among Afrikaners, however, and therefore will probably never materialise.
This map can be found here on the website of the Vryheidsfront (’Freedom Front’), a political party advocating the Volkstaat.
You’re being terribly self-satisfied. How is that “considering themselves” not racist, if you’re so ready to apply the label? Are Quakers also racist, as they want to live by their own rules? Sure, many Afrikaners are racist, but many more Xhosas are racist (there are more Xhosas than Afrikaners, so there are more Xhosa racists that Afrikaner racists). Further, there are probably at least as many Afrikaners descended from French Hugenots (Marais, De Villiers, Jourdan, Labuschagne) as from Dutch settlers. If you’re making sweeping statements about cultures, then you have to sweat the details. This blog post comes across as a bit of a cheap shot.
Comment by Jean Jordaan — November 16, 2006 @
I am sorry for any offence caused. The purpose of this blog is not to make political comments, but solely to dig up strange maps and accompany them with a brief explanation - in my own words, while attempting to be objective. However, I disagree with your criticisms on the following points:
* Is the idea of a Volkstaat essentially racist? I suppose it would be, if the determining factor for physical separation is racial rather than cultural. I do admit I don’t know enough about the thinking behind the Volkstaat idea to make that judgment and I apologise for that.
* I suppose every ethnic group contains a racist element - Afrikaners as well as Xhosa. I haven’t heard of any attempt by Xhosa to establish a separate homeland for themselves, though.
* According to Wikipedia (not necessarily a perfect source, I admit), “Afrikaners are descended from northwestern European settlers, *mainly* coming from the Netherlands, and religious refugees who lived in the Cape of Good Hope during the period of administration (1652-1795) by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) and the subsequent period of British rule, including *primarily* Dutch Calvinists and Flemish *as well as* German Protestants, French Huguenots, Frisians, and Walloons.”
Comment by strangemaps — November 18, 2006 @
I’d like to respond to the author of this blog. Regarding “racism”: there are at least two “homelands” of Xhosa - Transkei and Ciskei. They no longer exist politically, but majorities in their respective territories are Xhosa. South Africa is a country settled by various races, so frictions are inevitable. Desire to be masters in their own house shouldn’t be condemned - people have a right of self-determination. Of course, it must accomodate interests and rigts of other peoples. So, in my opinion, it’s up to Afrikaners to exercise their right for Volkstaat. The failure to do so will probably lead to decreasing Afrikaner population in South Africa and so-called increasing “white flight”.
Regarding Afrikaner ethnic origins: I’ve come across different sets of figures, but most common state that roughly 40% is of Dutch and Flemish stock, near 40% is of German origin and between 7-14% is of French Huguenot origin. Huguenots were highly educated and very professional among the VOC settlers. That’s why their influence is disproportionately strong even today. As far as British immigrants to South Africa concerned, they formed a distinct group of so-called English-speaking South Africans.
Comment by Alex — December 20, 2006 @
I have loved my race, so because I love my people and dream of a homeland,That makes me a racist.MY AWNSER IS “SO WHAT IS YOUR POINT?!”
Comment by wayne — December 27, 2006 @
Only Xhosa may live in the ex-Transkei and Ciskei regions, any other South African Nations still need their permission to reside there, BUT may not buy any property.
The same goes for Venda in Venda, Nama-Khoi in the Richtersveld, Griqua(mixed Afrikaner and Khoi) in their settlements at Ratelgat and Plettenberg Bay, Sotho in the Qwa Qwa region of the Free State…
the list is endless…
Why is Orania the only Ethnic State to be highlighted in the media?
Comment by Cape Native — January 12, 2007 @
If you consider the Afrikaner as another African tribe and deny them a homeland, then it’s objectively difficult to justify the existence of Swaziland and Lesotho as independent nation-states.
Of course, there is the small matter of historical perspective….
Comment by Robert — March 11, 2007 @
wayne:
I don’t know what his point is, but mine is, that you seem to be a little bit too xenophobic (yes, it’s a human thing, not a “white” thing only).
A “White”
Comment by Delighted Reader — June 13, 2007 @
Wayne:
Surprise! You have a homeland*!
*You have to share it though…
Why are you running away now? You can still love your people, speak your language, and so on… just not everyone else in the vicinity will also.
Comment by Drattage — June 17, 2007 @
Hierdie kaart mag dalk in die nabye toekoms ‘n werlikheid wees.
Ons streef na VRYHEID!
Comment by Sakkie (B24) — August 30, 2007 @
The citizens of http://www.bravoland.co.za see this Volkstaat map option as a reality in the near future
Comment by Baas Jan (B24) — August 30, 2007 @
Why is it that most people are so discouraging the build of a Volkstaat? May it be that they are scared that we would succeed? Because, like everything we started, this will be a success. Why then discourage something that hasn’t been tried yet?
Comment by Christa (B03) — August 30, 2007 @
Hey
Is dit so onreedelik om dit te vra? Ons het ons kultuur die ander volke het hulle kultuur, so ver word net ons kultuur in die asblik gegooi, en verdrik, hoekom wil ons nie ons eie plekkie he nie hoekom mag ons nie ons eie plekkie he nie?
As die xhosa’s hulle eie plek mag he en die Zulu’s hulle sinne hoekom nie ons ook nie?
Ek is vir so n plekkie wat ek huis kan noem, waar ek in vrede en met gemoeds rus kan gaan slaap.
Vir n vrye boerevolk Ek stem!
En dit is nie rasisties nie!
Comment by BrapPack(B24) — August 30, 2007 @
Die Afrikaner sal sy vryheid herwin, moontlik hier, moontlik elders, maar vry sal ons wees!
Comment by B02 — August 30, 2007 @
Ek hoop SO!
Comment by B99 — August 30, 2007 @
Vry wil ons wees, en grond sal ons kry!
Comment by Jan (B99) — August 30, 2007 @
“if the determining factor for physical separation is racial rather than cultural.”
Strangemap, where have you ever found two different races with the same culture?
As Boer I define “culture” as beiing that which is left behind after you have forgotten EVERYTHING that you have been taught.
Applying that to racial terms will amount to obvious racial seperation. Specialy in Africa.
It would be to your advantage when your Volkstaatmap receives recocnition from the world. At least you would have had it as topic …
Regards from the http://www.bravoland.co.za team!
Comment by Sakkie (B24) — August 30, 2007 @
@ Sakkie & die ander SA’ers:
Ek wil hier nie verdrink in ‘n diskussie oor taal, ras en kultuur - hierdie blog handel oor landkaarte! Maar het ek die stok by die verkeerde eind vas as ek dink die onderskeiende faktor van ‘n boerestaat sal niet wees taal (daar is baie nie-blankes wat Afrikaans gesels), maar ras? Is dit niet, dan asseblief vergee my, en verduidelik die relevante standpunt. Is dit wel, dan sien ek nie hoe dit geen rassisme kan wees nie. Die belangrike kwessie dan is: kan jy rassisme anders definieer als louter negatief? Want daar is baie plekke op aarde waar ‘affirmative action’ en andere programme optree in die voordeel van agtergestelde groepe, en dit geskied op basis van raskenmerke. Dit kan jy ook moeilik anders als rassisme definieer, maar dit draag nie dieselve stigma als ‘wit op andersgekleurde’ rassisme. Hierdie vasstelling mag aantoon dat die diskussie oor rassisme baie kompleks is, en ek wil my nie meng in die uitvoerige diskussie hieroor. Ek het met my mededeling louter ‘n feit vastgestel. En nou terug naar landkaarte!
Comment by strangemaps — August 30, 2007 @
Strangemaps,
Ik bedank je wel vir die antwoord veral “die stok” gedeelte.
Ons taal (Afrikaans) was toentertyd afgemaak as een kombuistaal (vooral deur de Nederlanders) maar tog het ons geveg vir ons taal en is dit vandag wel een veel gesproke taal, ook onder nie-blankes ja.
Ons as Boere Afrikaner (ja, dit is een ras wat as konglomeraat van die weste gesien mag word) word nie net onderskei deur taal nie, maar ook deur kultuur.
Die feit dat rassisme negatief is ervaar ons as kleine groep in Afrika wel terdee en dit maak geen saak, want ons ben teen de wêreld vrij, as volk en as minderheid.
Dat ons die wil het om onsself in ‘n kleine Volkstaat te handhaaf en te vestig behoort aan die hele wêreld te wys dat ons meer is as ‘n moorbende van Afrika. Ons is immers die kern van Europa, die kleine groepie mense wat staan vir Reg en Regverdigheid - soos ons geskiedenis en ons toekoms sal wys.
Strangemaps, terug naar de landkaarte! Trek op een kaart van de Volkstaat!
Comment by Sakkie (B24) — August 30, 2007 @
ps, ek hebt je landkaart effe “geleen” as voorbeeld …. te plase in Bravoland. Kom gerus op bezoek.
Comment by Sakkie (B24) — August 30, 2007 @
First of all I would like to set the record straight concerning the origins of the White Afrikaans speaking (who are in fact a forced but loose coalition of two distinct historical groups) population.
The White Afrikaans population is about 40 % Dutch (often Frisian) origin / about 35 % German origin / about 25 % French origin & also about at least 5 - 7 % non White origin: Indian / Malay & Khoi.
The following is another ethnic origin breakdown of the White Afrikaans population.
[ Research by J.A. Heese who studied the genealogical composition of the Afrikaner looking at the period 1657 - 1867 and he concluded that the Afrikaner nation ancestry was Dutch 34.8%, German 33.7%, French 13.2%, Non White 6.9%, British 5.2%, Other European nations 2.7%, Unknown 3.5%. GFC de Bruyn used a different form of calculation and his results were: Dutch 34.1%, German 29.2%, French 24.7%, British 0.3%, Other European nations 2.4%, Non European 5.4%, Unknown 3.9% (refer to J.S. Bergh ed., Herdenkingsjaar 1988, RTJ Lombard "Die bydrae van die Franse Hugenote tot Suid-Afrika se bevolkingsamestelling"). The above reaffirms this claim, with the presence of non-white blood amongst Afrikaners in my own ancestors. The Indian element forms a major portion of the mix ancestors of Afrikaners, "In geheel is die Indiërelement by gemengde huwelike veel groter as die aandeel wat slavinne uit ander wêrelddele gehad het" Heese, Groepe sonder Grense, p 7. ] From : My Genetic Enrichment. From André van Rensburg.
Though the French origins is in fact closer to the second assessment than the first. I refer to the following.
[ The legacy of the Huguenots was however far reaching. Today thousands of their proud descendants carry with dignity surnames of which the spelling is unchanged from the original, such as De Villiers, Malan, Du Toit, Du Plessis, Du Preez and Malherbe; the spelling of others were localised, such as Viljoen, Cronjé, Pienaar, Retief and Senekal. Certain first names which the Huguenots brought with them are populat amongst their descendants, especially male Christian names such as Francois, Pierre, Etienne, Jacques and Louis. Research has shown that the contribution of the Huguenot genes to the Afrikaner people amounts to some 24%. Their descendants are proud of ancestors who sacrificed a great deal - even their country of birth - and were willing to suffer personally for their religious convictions. ] From: The Contribution of the French Huguenots.
Comment by Ron. — March 8, 2008 @
Now to complicate matters even more the true ethnic origins of a significant portion of the Dutch & even German arrivals was in fact Frisian as discovered & mentioned by the notable & former anti-Apartheid Dutch born South African journalist Adriana Stuijt. Stuijt even goes on to claim that the Frisians are the majority ethnic origin of the White Afrikaans peoples.
[ There are many similar examples where one can find the Fresian roots of Boer forebears. However, the Dutch language spoken by the masters of the VOC have always hidden the fact that most of their labourers came from regions which actually were Fresian-speaking. Tonder now is in present-day Denmark, but just like many northern German towns today, Fresian was their first root-language. ] From: Adriana Stuijt from comments at Fresians - forebears of the Boers - want their own national identity back in greater Europe.
Also.
[ I recently received an enquiry regarding the history of the Afrikaner origin as far back as their Fresian ancestors -- after I had commented that my research had shown that many Afrikaners actually descended from the Fresians who live scattered along the northern-European seaboard in Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands - but that this ethnic identity was also actually 'hidden' beneath the Dutch identity of the VOC-masters, who spoke Dutch. ] From the same person at this link.
Also from Stuijt.
[ The first settlers from Europe at the Cape of Good Hope were not "Hollanders" as ( a poster ) describe them today - on the contrary, most of these workers indeed even spoke with completely different accents than their elitist masters who came from the trading city of Culemborg, Antwerp and Amsterdam.
The Dutch VOC company settlement was not a government enterprise, it was never a formal "Dutch government settlement", instead it was a private commercial enterprise which was owned by elitist Dutch and Flemish investors: in fact it was the first such private shareholder-company in the world and the Amsterdam Stock Exchange grew from this first capitalist venture.
However the crew the VOC brought along to work in the gardens were, for the most part, except for their famous botanist Wageningen, indentured farm boys from the entire trading region of northern Europe: people who spoke an earlier version of what is called Fresian today and who lived all along the Northern-European coastline, skilled farmers who spread their wings even into the baltic regions. These hardly were what was later described in the formal version of the Afrikaner Broederbond's history as "volunteers-workers who keenly signed on for this new adventure".
These workers instead were what the Marxists today would have termed "unpaid peasants" -- and they came from Denmark, North Germany, even as far afield as the Germanic-speaking regions of the Baltic, whereever the VOC traded.
The reason the VOC got these poor farm boys to "sign on" in the first place, was because one of its wealthiest investors and landlords had "poldered in" (created new land from) a huge inland lake called the Beemster near Amsterdam. This had rendered entire fishing communities homeless and destitute within five years when their fishing resource disappeared.
Those local communities, such as Oosthuizen and Volendam had no say in the emptying out of their valuable fishing resource. They had put up a spirited defence of their own, repeatedly cutting open the dikes which were taking away their chances of any future survival. Those who were caught doing this were most severely punished by the local authorities.
The reason I write this, is because those young farm boys and indentured labourers who were then shipped to Cape Town therefore already had a very healthy disregard for all authority --and were often most severely punished by their Dutch overlords such as the elitist Van Riebeeck, even for the slightest mistakes.
Anyone reading thos odious little man's pompous diary will come to the conclusion that he saw this small group of "Dutch" farm people at the Cape as his enemy, people who "did not even speak his own tongue". These workers were indeed treated so dismally that they preferred facing the intense dangers of the wild African hinterland to trying to keep doing the bidding of the VOC elite.
The fact that the Dutch government allowed this massive abuse of this small group of workers to continue was only due to the fact that, as is usual with Dutch governments over the centuries, they preferred protecting their all-important trade routes to the Indonesian spice islands - and a few unhappy Fresian peasants weren't going to stop them.
I have researched the large body of available Dutch documentation pertaining to the emptying out of the Beemster Polder and found this to be most valuable in trying to understand the events at the Cape of Good Hope at the time of the first settlement.
One must unfortunately examine and re-examine all these formal histories which were written by the Afrikaner Broederbond 's historians such as Herman Giliomee throughout the apartheid era -- as I most certainly have found these to be very much slanted towards the Afrikaner-elitist viewpoints of history.
I will be happy to provide a list of original documents which can be researched in this regard. ]
Found at: A Stop Boer Genocide post.
Comment by Ron. — March 8, 2008 @
Now perhaps to complicate things even further -though I just want to set the record straight- the Boer people are a DISTINCT entity from the Afrikaners. The Boers are the descendents of the Trekboers / Grensboere & Voortrekkers who began to occupy the frontiers beginning in the late 1600s & throughout the 1700s when they trekked away from the Cape Dutch & colonial society in the Western Cape. The term Afrikaner was first propagated by the Cape Dutch (those who remained in the Western Cape) who were the original colonial masters of the Boers -the Boers had their first freedom struggle against the Cape Dutch in 1795. The term Afrikaner was later applied (or mis-applied rather) to the Boers as well after the Boers were conquered at the conclusion of the second Anglo-Boer War when close to 50 % of the total Boer child population died in the British run concentration camps. The surviving Boers were so destitute that they formed what is now called the proto urban poor where they were often forced to work in the mines & where they were targeted politically by the Cape based Afrikaners who effectively crushed the political aspirations of the Boers during the 1930s.
The Oriania project has been criticized as being an Afrikaner exercise (even though many are in fact of Boer descent) as Afrikaner Nationalism came to the detriment of the Boer people as it was the Cape Afrikaner’s way of co-opting & marginalizing the Boers. Theuns Cloete of Boervolk Radio notes that the Afrikaners “subjugated us (Boers) & destroyed out identity”. He went on to state: ” I am not an Afrikaner. I do not like the Afrikaners they have downtrodden us - they came & stole our inheritance by various different means.” During an interview with an American shortwave radio program on Jan 6 2007. on the 150th anniversary of the Vierkleur flag of the Transvaal: a Boer republican flag. The Orange Free State Vierkleur flag also has became 150 on Feb 23 of 2007.
Theuns Cloete notes that the Boers know were their homeland is which are the various Boer Republics the major ones of which were recognized by other counties around the world.
The “idea of a Volkstaat” came about LONG before 1994 as it was a long running theme as a plan to secure an Afrikaans self determination in the face of the drifting policies of the then Nationalist government.
Comment by Ron. — March 8, 2008 @
Furthermore concerning Boer self determination: The Boers wanted to restore their Boer Republics as early as 1914 during the Maritz Rebellion & also during the 1940s & 1950s -which is why the sly Verwoerd made the British created macro state of South Africa into a republic in order to circumvent the aspirations of the Boers in another example of Afrikaner domination of the Boers. The true issue is not this proposed Volkstaat for an undefined macro Afrikaner population but the restoration of the Boer Republics for the Boerevolk which has legal & historical precedence as their republics were recognized by the world over in the past.
Comment by Ron. — March 8, 2008 @
No it is not racist -as it is ridiculousl asserted- to want to be independent or to have self determination. What an insane meme it is to even suggest that it is. If independence is so racist then all those who strive for it are racist. This is ridiculous. Furthermore the proposed Orania based Volkstaat is in the Northern Cape not the Western Cape which is a virtual Volkstaat for the Afrikaans speaking Coloured peoples at any rate. The term racist is obviously a disparate pejorative aimed at driving people away from considering independence as a means to stave off the growing genocide. I find it incredible that people are more afraid of being labeled a ridiculous & inapplicable pejorative than in working for their survival by building the mechanisms to acquire their independence or self determination. Which is probably why this ridiculous & ubiquitous term is thrown at those who attempt to free themselves from the captivity they are under within the artificial British created macro State created in 1909 which serves the same old British based elites as it ever did in the past.
Comment by Ron. — March 11, 2008 @
The URL for the video segment of the Theuns Cloete interview is now found at this link.
The URL for the Forebears of the Boers is found at this link.
The URL for the Stop Boer Genocide post relating to the ancestors of the Boers is found at this link.
Just making a correction.
Comment by Ron. — April 27, 2008 @
Afrikaners need a Homeland now!!!
No more crimes again Afrikaner people, black rule destroy White People.
Comment by bloqueid — July 17, 2008 @