Page 39 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

A POR TR AIT OF SOUTH AFRIC A  37

that followed the Napoleonic
Wars, dispatched several
thousand settlers to farm in
the Eastern Cape. More
(pro-British) German settlers
arrived after the Crimean War,
and many British ex-soldiers
elected to stay in South Africa,
or returned to it, after the
South African War of 1899–
1902 and the World Wars.
The British custom of a hot Women in traditional costume at an Afrikaner festival
Christ mas dinner, for example,
prevails in many quarters, times, however, just the first- Januarie, November, Titus,
despite its unsuitability in language use of Afrikaans has Appollis, Cupido and Adonis.
the local climate. become the identifying factor. The most skilled fishermen,
Franschhoek, near Cape Afrikaner men are often livery men and artisans were
Town, retains some of the associated with a love for traditionally found in the Asian
atmosphere of a French outdoor sport (es pecially and Coloured com munities,
wine-growing region, while rugby) and a passion for the and many of the Cape’s
Eastern Cape villages settled braai (barbecue). beautiful historic build ings
by Germans still carry the The tunes delivered by were created by them.
names of German cities, such a Boere-orkes (literally, a
as Berlin and Hamburg. “farmers’ band”) are played on
concertina, banjo, piano,
accordion and fiddles, and
Asian Origins
bear great simil arity to North
East Indian islanders who American “country” music.
opposed Dutch coloniza tion of
their territory in the 17th and
18th centuries were banished The Coloured People
to the Cape of Good Hope. The term “Cape Coloured”
Slaves imported from has been in use for almost
Indonesia and the Indian two centuries to define
subcontinent swelled the size members of what is some-
of the oppressed minority. times called “the only truly
Nearly all of them belonged to indigenous population”. A young Muslim girl prepares flower
the Islamic faith, while many Many of these people are decorations for a festival
others converted. descended from relationships
During the 19th century, between settlers, slaves
thousands of indentured and local tribes, and many From All Quarters
Indians worked in the sugar slave names survive in the Compared with countries such
cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal, form of surnames such as as the United States and
and elected to stay on at the Australia, South Africa offered
end of their contract. In Kwa- little scope for unskilled or semi-
Zulu-Natal, Cape Town and skilled labour from Europe.
Gauteng, the striking Eastern However, small but steady
mosques and temples are a numbers of immi grants did
noteworthy architectural fea- arrive, especially from Eastern
ture. Religious festivals are European coun tries such as
regularly observed, and the Bulgaria, Poland and the former
bustling oriental markets yield Yugoslavia.
a treasure trove of spices, South Africa has citizens from
jewellery and handicrafts. Italy, Greece, Portugal and the
Netherlands, as well as Jewish
communities. Thanks to its
Afrikaners
climate and good standard of
The term “Afrikaner” was first living, Cape Town in particular
recorded in 1706, and referred has seen a growth of European
to a South African-born, expatriates. The city is a popular
Afrikaans- (or Dutch-) speaking Temple dancing is still being taught place to live, particularly with
white person. In more recent in Durban British and German retirees.

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