Description
Copyright infringement not intended
PC: Euronews
Context:
The United States Deputy Secretary of State recently received the first batch of Afrikaner refugees.
Who are Afrikaners?
- Afrikaners are a white ethnic group native to South Africa, molded via ethnogenesis on African soil, and are commonly referred to as "Africa's White Tribe" due to their long-standing historical presence dating back to the seventeenth century.
- The Afrikaner community began in 1652, when Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) built a resupply station at the Cape of Good Hope, which was initially occupied by Dutch Protestants.
- Over time, the newcomers added French Huguenots fleeing persecution following the Edict of Fontainebleau (1685), as well as Germans and enslaved people from India, Indonesia, Madagascar, and East Africa, adding to the ethnic diversity.
About the Afrikaner Identity
- Afrikaners make up 7% of South Africa's population but possess 70% of its land.
- The vast majority of them are farmers, and they speak Afrikaans.
- Afrikaners, who benefited from apartheid practices, lost political power in post-apartheid South Africa.
- They were exposed to affirmative action policies aimed at improving the historically disadvantaged Black population.
- Some Afrikaners claimed rising violent crime, notably farm attacks, and racial tensions as reasons for leaving.
Formation of Afrikaner Identity
- Interactions between Europeans, slaves, and indigenous Khoikhoi resulted in the formation of a distinct Afrikaner identity, characterised by paternalistic home systems, severe social hierarchies, and the emergence of Afrikaans as a separate language.
- Calvinist principles, frontier living, and a militant, self-reliant culture inspired Afrikaners, particularly the Trekboers, who pushed inland in the 18th century and frequently participated in violent battles with indigenous populations.
Source: Downtoearth
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Practice Questions
Q. Who are the Afrikaners, and what is their historical significance in South Africa?
A) Indigenous tribes of South Africa known for resisting colonial rule
B) Descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa who played a major role in establishing apartheid policies
C) African-origin laborers brought to Europe during colonial times
D) A nomadic ethnic group found in the Sahara desert
Correct Answer: B) Descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa who played a major role in establishing apartheid policies
Explanation:
Afrikaners are primarily descendants of Dutch (as well as German and French Huguenot) settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 17th century. They developed a distinct identity, language (Afrikaans), and were central in the establishment of apartheid policies during the 20th century.
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