Boer
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boere Afrikaner The Afrikaner is a nation born from its Netherlands, German, French, Swedish, British, Portuguese and Italian predecessors resident at the Cape from 1652. Professor Wiid is of the opinion that 1657 can be viewed as the birth date of the Afrikaner nation, although the birth was a process spanning many years. This is the year that “vrybriewe” was granted to 9 burgers, the first farmers or Boers (Boere) at the Cape. Although they were not known as Afrikaners it was a nation in development. They did not regard themselves as living in one or the other European country but rather that they were living in their own country, South Africa, as is evident from a 1658 quotation in reference to the “vryburgers” which stated “Wy de beschermers van ons landt.
As more and more immigrants from Europe arrived at the Cape the more inter-national marriages took place. Soon their language and culture was lost and transformed into the Dietse nation. They regarded themselves as a new nation. Paul Heyns, born 1696 christened his son Michiel Afrikanus (the Afrikaner). One Hendrik Bieslow in 1707 proclaimed in public “Ik ben een Afrikaander”.
Since the 1657’s there is a strong bond between the Afrikaner and the farmers/Boers (Boere). Even though farming was not the only trade, they soon became known in the different languages as The Boers, De Boeren, Les Boers, Die Buren. It is to be noted that they were not called “The Farmers” but The Boers. The use of the term Boere is also evident from the term Boer Republics (Boere Republieke) of the 18th centaury. The 1899 – 1902 war is also commonly referred to the Anglo Boer war (Anglo-Boere-oorlog).
As the only acknowledged church in the Cape was the Calvinistic Protestant, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde church it is also a fact that the Calvinistic Protestant believe is part of the Boere Afrikaner culture.
