Afrikaner/Boer

[Bowiefan871]

Hello!

I was born in South Africa. I am a white person however I am of Polish descent, not Dutch. Am I still considered an Afrikaner or Boer?

Also, what's the difference between a Boer and a Boet?

[admin]

Not all white people in South Africa are Afrikaners.

What language do you speak at home? What culture do you follow? Technically a boer is a farmer, are you a farmer? Technically a boet is a brother, are you a brother?

I'm of Russian, Estonian, French Huegenot, Irish, Dutch, etc. decent, so basically, I'm a South African who speaks English.

[Bowiefan871]

Originally Posted by admin

Not all white people in South Africa are Afrikaners.

What language do you speak at home? What culture do you follow? Technically a boer is a farmer, are you a farmer? Technically a boet is a brother, are you a brother?

I'm of Russian, Estonian, French Huegenot, Irish, Dutch, etc. decent, so basically, I'm a South African who speaks English.

I speak Polish and English at home. I am learning to speak Afrikaans though. An Afrikaner is basically someone who speaks Afrikaans? And what would be the Afrikaner culture? I don't really follow any culture. I pretty much live like a "normal American." I'm not strict on religion or anything like that. I eat whatever is good, I go to school, etc.

No I am not a farmer but I am a brother.

[ches]

An Afrikaner would be someone who speaks Afrikaans as a first language. Under apartheid, when we were segregated, there were a lot of community identities formed. For instance, the mixed-race descent people who were lumped together as "coloured" formed a real identity and a rich heritage. The "coloured" community has an individual dialect, foods, cultural icons, etc.

Similarly the "Afrikaners" who descended from the "Boers," which is what the descendants of the Voortrekkers. (The Voortrekkers were Dutch-descent farmers who took part in the "Great Trek" after the British took over the Cape in the early 1800s and founded the two independent "Boer Republics," namely the Transvaal and Free State.) After the Anglo-Boer War, which the Boers lost, the British formed the Union of South Africa and the "Boers" started calling themselves "Afrikaners." Somewhat ironically, "Afrikaner" translates as "African."

"Boet" translates as brother. Brothers and close friends would call each other "Boet" (or "Swaar" which means brother-in-law).

Afrikaner culture would be barbeques (braais), veldskoene, speaking ordentlikke (proper) Afrikaans, rugby, sokkiejol met 'n boereorkes, Steve Hofmeyr, biltong, boerewors, etc. Your homework is to Google all of that!

[Bowiefan871]

Originally Posted by ches

An Afrikaner would be someone who speaks Afrikaans as a first language. Under apartheid, when we were segregated, there were a lot of community identities formed. For instance, the mixed-race descent people who were lumped together as "coloured" formed a real identity and a rich heritage. The "coloured" community has an individual dialect, foods, cultural icons, etc.

Similarly the "Afrikaners" who descended from the "Boers," which is what the descendants of the Voortrekkers. (The Voortrekkers were Dutch-descent farmers who took part in the "Great Trek" after the British took over the Cape in the early 1800s and founded the two independent "Boer Republics," namely the Transvaal and Free State.) After the Anglo-Boer War, which the Boers lost, the British formed the Union of South Africa and the "Boers" started calling themselves "Afrikaners." Somewhat ironically, "Afrikaner" translates as "African."

"Boet" translates as brother. Brothers and close friends would call each other "Boet" (or "Swaar" which means brother-in-law).

Afrikaner culture would be barbeques (braais), veldskoene, speaking ordentlikke (proper) Afrikaans, rugby, sokkiejol met 'n boereorkes, Steve Hofmeyr, biltong, boerewors, etc. Your homework is to Google all of that!

Well, I do have many braais and I am a fan of rugby. I am learning Afrikaans...I'm not fluent. As for those musicians...erm...I didn't really like all that Afrikaans pop material.

So even if I was into all those aforementioned aspects, I still wouldn't be an Afrikaner because I'm not a descendant of the Boers? Is being an Afrikaner really an innate thing?

Did the apartheid government ever classify white South Africans of Slavic descent(i.e. Poles, Russians, Czechoslovakians, etc) with a particular term?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm 100% Polish by heritage and I speak the language fluently as well. There was certainly a significant Polish community in the Western Cape from what I remember. There were even Polish churches in Cape Town which I would attend for Easter.

[ches]

Originally Posted by Bowiefan871

So even if I was into all those aforementioned aspects, I still wouldn't be an Afrikaner because I'm not a descendant of the Boers? Is being an Afrikaner really an innate thing?

I think so, yes. If you'd grown up speaking Afrikaans as your first language I think you could call yourself an Afrikaner, but otherwise, no, I think you'd just be a South African.

Did the apartheid government ever classify white South Africans of Slavic descent(i.e. Poles, Russians, Czechoslovakians, etc) with a particular term?

Nope. It's almost surprising, though, because there were dozens of different racial classifications. Also, Japanese were "honorary whites" but Chinese were "non-white." It was all quite stupid, really.

The reason I'm asking is because I'm 100% Polish by heritage and I speak the language fluently as well. There was certainly a significant Polish community in the Western Cape from what I remember. There were even Polish churches in Cape Town which I would attend for Easter.

One of my school friends was born in Poland and grew up in Cape Town. She and her parents emigrated to Canada in the '90s.

[werelddwaler]

Originally Posted by Bowiefan871

Hello!

I was born in South Africa. I am a white person however I am of Polish descent, not Dutch. Am I still considered an Afrikaner or Boer?

Also, what's the difference between a Boer and a Boet?

You may be a Boer if you are a farmer, a Boet if you're someone's brother, and all people from Africa are Afrikaners, to tell the truth. To me you are a wise guy, who wants to lighten the mood on this forum. Thanks, dude! I learned this word in the US.