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Dear all,

I am a third-year music student from the University of Stellenbosch and am conducting a study that concerns the music and poetry of the Second Anglo-Boer War. A research question has subsequently formed: to what degree can Afrikaans folk song written during and especially after the Anglo-Boer War be identified through its patriotic and consolidating roots (i.e., among Afrikaners)? I hope to investigate several primary texts in this regard, the foremost being the Boer Battle Song 'Boerenkrijgslied' (adapted from the 1626 Dutch 'Merck toch hoe sterck' by Valerius). I am including further explorations on the FAK anthology of songs and the anthem 'Die Stem van Suid-Afrika' in a post-war context.

Any possible help or further information on these texts/manuscripts would be greatly appreciated - even small particulars on other Afrikaans folk songs or poetic texts written during this time. Due to the rather specific nature of my study, I am having some trouble with locating substantial resources. Any little detail could be an immense help!

Thank you very much,

Marlise

Marlise,

Welcome to the Forum.

I am sorry that I have no knowledge of this area and hope that there are other who have.

Best wishes
David

Hi Marlise
Have a look at "Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902" by Fransjohan Pretorius
Henk

An interesting project, Marlise.

Have you looked at contemporary Afrikaans magazines such as 'De Goede Hoop' and 'Ons Klyntji'? They may have published poems and verses. The National Library in Cape Town has them.

There's also a series of articles on volksliedjies which N.H. Theunissen published in Die Brandwag in 1938. There might be something useful among them. Digitised copies are available at : repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/20213 .