Rednecks and rockspiders

Front National

Over the past few weeks I have noticed comments popping up here and there regarding the term “Afrikaner self determination outside of the New South African multiculturalist state”. Many of these comments and question deal with the issue: “But what about the English speaking part of our nation? Are we excluded because we do not speak Afrikaans as home language?”

It makes me think of the “rednecks and rockspiders” fights we had behind the school pavilion at breaktime during the 1970’s and 1980’s. How childishly innocent did we focus on what divided us, instead of what united us.

For the greatest misunderstanding in defining Afrikanerdom comes from the idea that it has to do with speaking Afrikaans. No, that is not the major defining factor. Not Afrikaans, but Africa. That is where “Afrikaner” comes from – the white man in Africa. For all practical purposes we might even spell it “Africaner”

And by that definition I identify that we have a very common purpose: To defend our right of existence and our right to determine our own destiny, our own safety and our own way of life on this continent – whether we do that in Afrikaans or English or German or Portuguese or Greek is irrelevant.

Afrikanerdom is not the only nationality where we have to deal with secondary definitions of nationalism. Many Germans would quickly point out to you that they are in fact Bavarians or Prussians, before they are Germans. Many Englishman would emphasize that they are Yorkshiremen or Cornishmen before they are English. Many Dutch would remind you that they are Frieslanders or Limburgers before they are Dutchmen. Why should it be any different with us?

We have a very common struggle – we all defend Western values and European descent in this country. And in our struggle for the preservation of who we are, we deal with a common foe. I have never heard of a farm attack where the attacker asked: “Are you Afrikaner, Boer or Englishman?” before he took out his machete. I have never heard of a black politician in this country say: “When we plan to expropriate land, we are only going to take the farms of Afrikaans speaking farmers.” Awkward then that our opponent makes no distinction, but we want to fight the battle for Afrikaner identity all over again.

I ask myself: “Was HF Verwoerd and Gé Korsten not Afrikaners? Yet they were Dutch. Was Emily Hobhouse not regarded as part of the Boer nation and by definition also of the Afrikaner nation? But she was an Englishwoman. Did we think for even one minute that Clive Derby-Lewis was not an Afrikaner? Yet he was also an English speaking Afrikaner. And Janusz Walus who was born in Poland? Villebois de Mareuil, the Frenchman? General Koos de la Rey who had more Portuguese blood than Afrikaner blood. On the flipside of the coin: Does Melanie Verwoerd and Antjie Krog and Derek Hanekom and Carl Niehaus not carry Afrikaner surnames and do they not speak and understand the Afrikaans language while doing the treasonous work of the ANC?”

Did in fact, not more than one rockspider carry a redneck on his back, or did not many rednecks drag rockspiders out of the line of fire in the Border War?

When I walk into the cornershop down the road, uncle George responds to my “More oom George” with “Kalimera.” I don’t regard him as not being part of my nation for that. Nor do I exclude old Mrs Alvarenga of the textile shop on the town square as a foreigner because she shouts abuse at little old Mr Alvarenga in Portuguese when he stands around chatting with the customers while she is running up and down!

In this Afrikaner nation who so desperately struggles for survival and so sincerely urges for the right of self determination some speak Afrikaans, some English, some Portuguese, some Greek, some German, Dutch or many other languages. Some were born in Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique or German South West Africa. Some insists on being called “Boer” before any other definition and with that nobody has a problem.

But in the end, the things that unify us as a nation of people with European values, European culture and European civilisation but rooted firmly in South Africa and here to stay, are more than the things that divide us. We might therefore not be part of the rainbow nation and we are not a rainbow nation in ourselves, but we are a nation of melodic harmony for the multitude of languages we speak. We are of Africa, we are Africaners.

And this is no new concept. As early as 14 September 1966 the new Prime Minister, BJ Vorster, stated that his first priority is to reconcile Afrikaans and English speaking South Africans. He reconfirmed this just before the election of 1977. And those who are interested enough to research the topic of “Unity” and who, so very frequently complain about “uniting and standing together” might be surprised to know that the election result of 1977 was the one and only time in the 3 and a half centuries of our existence here, where we had unity – more than 70% of the white voters united behind the National party, which is more than the voter support of the ANC today!

Let us leave the rednecks and rockspiders fight behind us. We are one nation and in that lies our survival.

Read the original article by Daniel Lötter on Front Nasionaal SA – blad
South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCEFront National