Southern Africa social group gathering - Page 6

Doug_Ford · #**151** Mon 13 July 2009, 12:42

I just sent you a PM. My email address may need updating in my profile.

Doug_Ford · #**152** Mon 13 July 2009, 13:58

About 20 years ago, I bought a book on SA and the Boer War. I meant to read it but things just kept getting in the way. It was copywritten in 1900. This morning I picked it up and plowed through the first 96 pages. So far it has mainly been a discussion of the various European explorers, how the first Dutchmen started off building a place for East India ships to temporarily stop, some discussion of the Hugenot settlers, trekking Boers, discriptions of the Bantus and Hotentots and Chaka's bloody exploits.

I was wondering if the book had a pro-Boer or pro-British slant to it. So far, I can't detect any slant. However, here is an interesting quote in which the author describes a Boer Trekker: "The character of the Boer was thus formed, through the irritating interference of the Netherlands Company's officials, driving him to seek a place of perfect freedom, as that of a man accustomed to live alone and impatient of control; half wild in his strength and independence of spirit, his loss of fitness for political and social combination, and of willingness to submit to rule and restraint in the interests of true progress and civilization. His religion was the stern Calvinism of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Bible was his only book, and in that book his favorite pages were those of the Old Testament, dear, in its harsh morality and severe justice, to the English Puritans, who put to death their fallen sovereign...they were in many cases somewhat sullen and unsympathetic; seldom inhuman or depraved; generally shrewd, prudent, persevering, good-humored and hospitable."

I guess there are some aspects of that description that some men might not consider particularly complimentary but I'd be proud to be decribed in that fashion. If you substituted "American Cowboy" for "Boer" this could easily be a description of the men that settled the western US.

Alan_c · #**153** Mon 13 July 2009, 14:56

Remembering that these "settlers" had no Army, Cavalry or Government support, they entered a strange hostile land armed only with their wits, a few muskets, their Bible and the steely determination to succeed and determine their own future. This attitude is still very much alive today with all South Africans.

If that book was copyrited in 1900, the second Boer War was still on the go, only ending in 1902

Doug_Ford · #**154** Mon 13 July 2009, 20:09

Yeah Alan, I kept reading into the afternoon and I'm now into the stories about the early settlers getting massacred in Unkunkinglove in the 1830s and how they responded. Those were some tough people. Their bravery is even more impressive with you think about the fact that this small group of men and women had only muskets to use against a force that was often 20 times or more larger. I realize the Zulus only had short spears but I bet they could cover 100 meters before you could reload your musket. In that situation, your Bible and your faith become more important than your physical weapons. (I just read about the technique the Boers used. They would fire a volley, retreat on horseback, reload, fire another volley, etc. Brilliant!)

1902 wasn't that long ago and I'm sure some people still have strong feelings about what went on. Heck, the Civil War in the US ended long before that but it is still a serious subject with some people.

Gerald D · #**155** Mon 13 July 2009, 20:53

The older books tend to romanticise the settlers in opposition to the "savage" natives whose land they were invading. I always felt that there is a side of the story that's missing after reading the older books, and that's why I am enjoying Diamonds, Gold and War so much - all sides seem to be fairly represented.

Doug_Ford · #**156** Mon 13 July 2009, 21:08

My wife was just reading an article in Travel and Leisure magazine. The August 2009 issue has the 14th annual readers' top hotel picks. The Bushmans Kloof in Cedar Mountains, South Africa was #1. Numbers 3, 6, 15, 24, 25, 27, 29 (two hotels in SA were tied for 29th), 34, 58, 60, and 77 were all in SA. The Twelve Apostles (#12) and Cape Grace (#58) are in Cape Town.

Doug_Ford · #**157** Mon 13 July 2009, 21:10

Then I'll pick up a copy of Diamonds, Gold, and War. Hopefully, I'll get around to reading it more quickly than I did my current book.

Gerald D · #**158** Mon 13 July 2009, 22:57

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worl...cfm?cat=hotels

Lex · #**159** Mon 13 July 2009, 23:38

Who was the author of the book you are reading Doug?

I agree with you that there are a lot of similarities between the 'Boer' and the American 'Cowboy' I use to read all of Louis Lamour's books when I was younger.

This is what a English noble man wrote in 1902 about the Boers:

“Take a community of Dutchmen of the type of those who defended
themselves for fifty years against all the power of Spain at a time
when Spain was the greatest power in the world. Intermix with them
a strain of those inflexible French Huguenots who gave up home and
fortune and left their country for ever at the time of the
revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
The product must obviously be one of the most rugged, virile, unconquerable races ever seen upon earth.
Take this formidable people and train them for seven
generations in constant warfare against savage men and ferocious
beasts, in circumstances under which no weakling could survive,
place them so that they acquire exceptional skill with weapons and
in horsemanship, give them a country which is eminently suited to
the tactics of the huntsman, the marksman, and the rider. Then,
finally, put a finer temper upon their military qualities by a dour
fatalistic Old Testament religion and an ardent and consuming
patriotism. Combine all these qualities and all these impulses in
one individual, and you have the modern Boer. The most formidable
antagonist who ever crossed the path of Imperial Britain. Our
military history has largely consisted in our conflicts with
France, but Napoleon and all his veterans have never treated us so
roughly as these hard-bitten farmers with their ancient theology
and their inconveniently modern rifles.”
[The Great Boer War, Arthur Conan Doyle, printed Londen 1902]

Doug_Ford · #**160** Tue 14 July 2009, 07:44

Johan,

The author was Henry Houghton Beck.

That's some pretty high praise!! It feels especially good when it comes from a foe.

Doug_Ford · #**161** Tue 14 July 2009, 07:47

I checked out the websites for some of those SA hotels. Superswanky. When I finally make it down there, I doubt I'll be able to afford to stay in one of them. That's okay. I don't stay in places like that in the US and I wouldn't fit in there anyway.

Doug_Ford · #**162** Tue 14 July 2009, 13:03

Johan,

I was just rereading this thread when I found post #52 by you. In it, you asked me to forward some internet resources I had used in my genealogy research. For some reason, I overlooked it. In my opinion, the best genealogy link is: http://www.cyndislist.com/

Cyndi's List has tens of thousands of links to genealogy sites. I think there are 165 links associated with South Africa. The Mormon Church has great information also if you haven't already used them. Some of the older church members actually volunteer their time in their local church's research center assisting researchers. Don't worry, they won't try to convert you when you walk in. They just ask that you share your research results.

Gerald D · #**163** Tue 14 July 2009, 13:15

Hey, the Mormon's are great at sharing their research - look at Mike Richards!

Lex · #**164** Tue 14 July 2009, 23:26

Thanks Doug,
The Mormon and cyndislist are well know resources that I use. Thanks for the feed back. I appreciate that.
You are right, the Mormon's won't try and convert you when you walk in. Might lift an eye brow. Even more so when they see that it is a Afrikaner! Just doesn't want to go into a lengthy argument. Man, and can we argu and disagree. Even more so among ourselves!

Everyone his own boss with his own family and his own piece of land. Touch those and you start a war.

Doug_Ford · #**165** Wed 15 July 2009, 07:42

My comment wasn't intended as an insult against the Mormons and I sincerely apologize to anyone I might have offended by my imprecise use of the English language. The last person I would ever want to offend is Mike Richards who has shown nothing but kindness and selfless service to everyone on this forum. The Mormons are great people who translate their beliefs into action. My family has spent many an afternoon in our livingroom with fine upstanding young Mormon missionaries that I admired greatly.

I was simply trying to calm any fears Johan might have about whether the purpose of the research center was research or proselytism.

Now, I'm sick to my stomach that I might have offended Mike or anyone else.

Richards · #**166** Wed 15 July 2009, 08:01

Doug,

You did not offend me, in fact, your #162 post was very complimentary to our church and the genealogy research that it does.

Just like everyone else who posts on this forum, at the core, each of us is trying to help others over the rough spots in life whether it be in building a CNC machine or whether it be some other difficulty.

Doug_Ford · #**167** Wed 15 July 2009, 11:59

Whew. Thanks Mike.

Lex · #**168** Wed 15 July 2009, 23:16

Mike,
From my side. Thanks for the great work that your church are doing all over the world. My fellow researchers (and me) speak with create respect everytime the Mormon's research is mentioned in our genealogy meetings.
Kind regards

Kobus_Joubert · #**169** Tue 21 July 2009, 23:02

Just to prove that South Africa can be cold in winters...this was taken by a farmer in Harrismith apparently.

cold.jpg

domino11 · #**170** Tue 21 July 2009, 23:29

Kobus,
What temps do you get down to in winters?

Gerald D · #**171** Tue 21 July 2009, 23:58

Here are the extremes for the last 2 days:

http://www.weathersa.co.za/Climate/Extremes.jsp

Also look at the Climate Data for Selected Centres in the right hand column and pick a town, to see long term data . . . .

Kobus is in Johannesburg (high altitude)

Alan and I are in Cape Town (more or less - Alan is just behind a mountain with a different climate there)

Hennie is midway betwee George and Port Elizabeth

Lex is near Richards Bay

Kobus_Joubert · #**172** Wed 22 July 2009, 00:10

Heath, that -8 deg C that is shown is in the same province where the picture was taken.

Wow -8 for Johannesburg in certain years...I can feel it when I go and cycle some mornings around 05:00

hennie · #**173** Wed 22 July 2009, 00:40

Heath we would probably have the weather that Gerald had in Cape Town yesterday by mid day today.

Robert M · #**174** Wed 22 July 2009, 04:48

I thought I was the only one complaining

Vive_la_neige.jpg

Doug_Ford · #**175** Wed 22 July 2009, 05:00

Are those Meerkats warming themselves by the fire? Cute.

gixi · #**176** Wed 22 July 2009, 07:27

Kobus those two animals near the fire place are alive ?

Kobus_Joubert · #**177** Wed 22 July 2009, 08:25

Alive and well to my knowledge....if they stay long enough we could have a BBQ

Gerald D · #**178** Wed 22 July 2009, 09:19

Marius, some people keep meerkats as house pets - I think those in the photo are tame.

Alan_c · #**179** Wed 22 July 2009, 11:47

We are a little bit colder on average (being at about 400m ASL) with a lot more rain (this being a major catchment area) 2 weekends back we had 165mm rain in 24 hrs (dams now sitting at about 96%) Currently I am only there on the weekends as I am staying in CT during the week (to reduce traveling costs)

gixi · #**180** Wed 22 July 2009, 11:52

I want two pets like those !!!