Erasing History and Shaping Future
Why Tradition Matters
The cultural and political landscape of South Africa has shifted dramatically under ANC rule. We've witnessed widespread renaming of cities, streets, and removal of monuments that once honored historical white figures. Pretoria's potential name change to Tshwane would be a crown jewel in this ongoing trend.
These changes go far beyond mere semantics or aesthetics. Place names, statues, and other cultural symbols serve as the structural pillars of a society's collective memory. They are the links to our past and identity.
By systematically erasing these markers, the current government is attempting to reshape not just South Africa's present, but its future and its understanding of its own history. This process seeks to diminish the role of whites in building the nation we know today. It's a concerning indicator of the direction South Africa is heading.
The attacks on cultural symbols also connect to the more personal aspects of holidays and family traditions. Celebrating milestones and significant historical heroes of one's cause is about more than festivities. These occasions pass down cultural knowledge, values, and identity to the next generation. They provide vital perspective on who we are, where we've come from, and where we're going. Erasing history from the public domain is a course correction from above to create a new future.
It's crucial to understand that no one else can truly preserve one's cultural heritage but its own people. It's not the government's responsibility, nor anyone else's, to ensure that a people's history and traditions endure. That duty falls to individuals and communities who understand and live that culture.
This is why initiatives like Orania are so important. Orania has already saved numerous monuments that were slated for removal elsewhere in the country. There is likely no safer place for Boer history than Orania today.
Beyond statues and street names, even traditional holidays are under threat. The ANC government has actively changed the official calendar, removing days significant to the Afrikaner community. This is why it's noteworthy that Orania maintains its own holiday calendar separate from the official South African one.
Today, October 10th, is one such important date. They celebrate the birthday of Paul Kruger (1825 - 1904), one of the most significant figures in Afrikaner and Boer history. As president of the Transvaal, the last free Boer republic, he led the Boers during the Second Anglo-Boer War.
Kruger's birthday had been celebrated since the 1880s and was used to commemorate Boer heroes until 1994, when the ANC scrapped "Heldedag" (Heroes' Day) from the official calendar.
By maintaining their traditions and remembrances, Orania ensures that their heritage lives on, regardless of the changes happening around them. Orania reminds us that it's up to each of us to keep our history and culture alive for future generations.
Best regards,
Jonas Nilsson
PS: I premiered my documentary on Orania last weekend in my Swedish newsletter. I'm just about to finish the English version and will send it out this weekend.
Im a 68yr old NZer...i dont know of any past relatives that participated in either of the Boer wars but when i read what has become of South Africa i feel a sense of shame that we along with other White countries helped in its downfall...and now those same forces targeting us....best regards..