One of the bigger talking points in South-Africa (specifically the Afrikaans community) at present is the song De La Rey by Bok van Blerk.
I must say that I liked the song after the first time I heard it but I didn’t have a clue what it was about – it just sounded good. Since then though I have seen the video and heard the song many times and I must say it really moves me. I know I know; I am a sucker for Boer nationalism. It is strange though because I’m not what you’d call a typical Afrikaner – I’ve got too many funny ideas for that, but I am immensely proud to be an Afrikaner.
Some elements in the press thinks this song is so popular because the Afrikaners are searching for their “lost” identity, but I’m not so sure. I think this song will be popular regardless of identity issues and let’s not forget it is a very catchy song. Anyway I don’t think the Afrikaner is as lost as he was 6/7 years ago.
Hierdie quote van Bok, oftewel Louis Pepler, som dit mooi op:
Ja, Reënboognasie en al daai dinge . . . Maar ons is een van daai reënboogkleure. Jy moet saam met ‘n Zoeloe, Xhosa en Engelsman om ‘n tafel kan sit en weet wie jy is.
I urge anyone to watch the video and I challenge any Afrikaner not to get a lump in the throat when watching it. You can Youtube it here. The video is distributed in mpeg format on the CD as well.
Bravo Bok van Blerk!!
Hanlie Retief from Rapport (not usually a newspaper I read) wrote this insightful article about Bok and De La Rey.
Vir die wat meer oor De La Rey self wil weet gaan loer gerus na die Koos De La Rey wiki.
Update: A friend sent me this article by Koos Kombuis about Bok van Blerk. It is certainly worth a read.
Further Update: Die NY Times, een van die mees gerespekteerde koerante ter wêreld, het gister (27 Februarie 2007) ‘n voorbladartikel oor Bok en De La Rey gehad.
Attie Heunis's Journey 
I remember doing a school project on Koos de La Rey, he was easily the most fascinating character of the Anglo-Boer War.
Die jong mense is uit die aard van die saak die toekoms van Afrikaans en die Afrikaner. Louis Pepler jy is ‘n inspirasie!
I think the real question is what the sacrifices are that the Afrikaner nation has made for South Africa and todayÆs democracy, and why these sacrifices haven’t been acknowledged, much less appreciated.
Since 1994, when a true democracy was born in SA, public services, including health, education and justice, have deteriorated to such an extent that quality of life has changed enormously for the average “previously advantaged” person, including the Afrikaners.
Afrikaners expect the government to sympathize with their loss in quality of life and are left feeling frustrated. But to expect this from a government consisting of people that never had this quality of life themselves, is to expect the near impossible.
I don’t think you can blame the South African government or any of the other cultures/ethnic groups (English, Xhosa, Zulu, etc.) for the AfrikanersÆ frustrations. The time has come for Afrikaners to acknowledge and appreciate their own sacrifices, De la Rey leading the way.
Ek is ‘n jong Suid-Afrikaner en weier om ‘n Afrikaner in die sin van kakiedraende-moederkappie-komandotipe genoem te word. Hierdie liedjie is “sop story” en is seker veronderstel om net oor ‘n historiese persoon te gaan, maar doen ook nie…Dit herinner sterk aan die AWB se eentonige “hoor die gedreun, hoor die gedreun”. Dit skep net die idee van platkop-mentaliteit – laat die ritme jou nie dink aan ‘n trop skape wat stadig agter niks aan loop nie.
Ek het laas nasietrots gehad toe Suid-Afrikaners regtig ‘n poging aangewend het om hande te vat en om mekaar se lewens te verryk.
Skielik besing ons die “lof” van “Bok” en kla weer uit een mond oor die land. Since when moan die sogenaamde Afrikaners nou nie? Dis hoekom hulle dan oor die berg geneuk het. “Moenie dat die son op jou buurman skyn” of “vertrap jou naaste soos jy nie self getrap wil word nie”…goeie titel vir ‘n nuwe CD of hoe?
Antizef, dankie vir jou comment.
Ek is ok ‘n Suid-Afrikaner en ‘n Afrikaner, maar ek dra beslis nie kakie nie. Ek vereenselwig glad nie met die Broederbond, die AWB of die Natte nie. Ek diskrimineer nie teen gays nie. Hel man ek is nie eers ‘n Christen nie! Maar ek is ontsettend trots om ‘n Afrikaner te wees. Dit beteken geensins dat ek nie trots is om ‘n multi-culti Suid-Afrikaner te wees nie.
Hoekom is jy so bang om ons erfenis te erken? Of is dit maar net nie cool nie?
Terloops, Delarey het eintlik baklei vir vrede.
Hi Attie.
Dit het dalk geklink of ek jou aanval, maar dit was nie die bedoeling nie. Ek lees baie verskillende webwerwe en mense se opinies op die net.
Wat egter ontstellend is, is dat ek geweldig baie forums en blogs per toeval raak geloop het wat die De la Rey-song verpolitiseer. Dit is natuurlik ook die werwe wat leliewit is en hul politieke voorkeure basuin.
Ek is trots op wie en wat ek is – al frustreer die nalatenskap van die land se verlede my erg. Dit frustreer my dat ander groepe my op my vel takseer – ‘n heerlike tammel^tjie vir die hele omskrywing van ‘n “demokratiese” samelewing voorwaar…en dan is ek nog aan die jonger sy van 30 ook!
Die hele konsep van die woord ‘Afrikaner’ laat my regtig dink aan die foto van die egpaar in Sondag se Rapport – uitgevat in ‘n lang bosbaard en kakiedrag. Dalk is dit ook omdat die woord net in die ou liedjie “Afrikaners is plesierig” se konteks vir my bestaan het. Ag, ek weet nie…ek is seker net keelvol om gestereotipeer te word omdat ek Afrikaans en blank is – nevermind die feit dat ek 10/11 jaar oud was toe oudpresident Mandela uit die tronk gestap het en n=g jonger was met die finale afskaffings van die segregasiewette.
Ons betaal seker nou vir die spreekwoordelike “sondes van ons voorvaders”…
I agree with Antiezef about the fact that it is touted as a song about a historic general in the Anglo Boer War, but that it doesn’t really touch the subject. Wierd, hey? The only reference to the great man is his surname and the fact that his fellows accepted him as a general.
I don’t like the song. Just as I don’t like that Leeuloop horror so many Afrikaans speaking South Africans seem to adore.
Most people don’t even know what the leeuloop is, and when you tell them, they cringe with disgust. So why do they listen to junk?
Dis hier waar die beskrywing “platkop” dalk sal pas.
Maar die geld agter sulke platkoptreffers is alles behalwe platkop. They know that young Afrikaans speaking South Africans are searching for a place and identity all their own, without the negative connotations of Apartheid. And very importantly – that they are willing to pay for it.
I suspect that they did a bit of market research before putting thier marketing money behind this song. I would like to see who the money behind the de la rey song is. I mean, who ever heard of young Mr. Bok before this? No one.
Posted by Antiezef: “Ons betaal seker nou vir die spreekwoordelike ‘sondes van ons voorvaders’…“
Nee, Tannie Z. Jy betaal vir a goed beplande produk: Jou verbruikers identiteit.
This song is not a right-wing thing – it is a money thing. I hope Mr. Bok does not turn out to be a one-hit wonder – And that I will be able to proclaim my Afrikaans-ness in the future without being classified with the De La Leeulopers.
Nafi Nohan, when you’ve seen the video for the song the message becomes much clearer.
And you are absoulutely right! Young Afrikaners are searching for an identity of their own. It is not a right wing thing and it was written, produced and marketed like any other song.
That said, it is a very beautiful song and still brings tears to my eyes when I listen to it.
The message of this song is sacrifice. It has a very sad mood. There are still some Afrikaners out there that are too proud to admit that we make sacrifices for our country every single day. Do you think that you are too rich, civilized, priviledged, or clever to fall victim to the hardships that we face in our country every day?
BRAVO BOK – Dit is omtrent tyd dat ons afrikaanse geskiedenis weer onthou word aangesien dit verwyder is uit ons nuwe skole se Kirukilum
Ons as afrikaner nasie kan net se dankie vir jou bydrae
Hey Attie
Found this while googling for Bok’s name so thought I would say HI!!. Am doing a radio interview with him on http://www.radiosa.co.uk on 13 March at 11am London time….feel free to tune in. Hope you having a lovely time at home. My mom says you guys have done an awesome job with the restuarant – good work! Hazel Hoole
Die Leeuloop liedjie is so irriterend soos die crazy frog song. $%&ú!!! dis irriterend. Mense luister daarna, maar is skaam as ander hulle vra of hulle daarna luister! Ek dink nie mens kan leeuloop met De la Rey vergelyk nie – leeuloop is ‘n gat liedjie en De la Rey is ‘n trotse liedjie. niks minder niks meer!