Conceptualizing South African Cinema

Moenie almal oor dieselfde kam skeer nie: Manakwalanners and the Afrikaner Nationalist project

Seminar Essay: Afrikaner Identity

Carla Inez Espost

Email: cespost@gmail.com

Declaration I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another!s work and pretend it is one!s own. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in this essay/ report/ project/ assignment that I have taken from the work(s) of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. I have used the author-date system for citation and referencing. This essay/report/project/assignment is my own work. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as his or her own work.

Signed:Date: 20 August 2013 Moenie almal oor dieselfde kam skeer nie: Manakwalanners and the Afrikaner Nationalist Project

"In March 1707, the landdrost of the small town Stellenbosch, Johannes Starrenburg, reported that on the preceding Sunday he found four young men racing on horseback !like madmen". After causing havoc, the four proceeded in a drunken state to the Company mill and, with !many curses", they tossed the scales around. The miller"s attempts to restrain them were to no avail. When Starrenburg, a German, came upon the scene he rebuked them, hitting a seventeen-year-old youth with his cane and ordering him to leave. Hendrik Biebouw shouted: !I shall not leave; I am an Afrikaner, even if the landdrost beats me to death or puts me in jail. I shall not, nor will I be silent." (!. . . ik wil niet loopen, "k ben een Africaander al slaat die landrost myn dood, of al setten hij mijn in den tronk. Ik sal, nog wil niet swygen.") Biebouw"s public protest in Stellenbosch was the first occasion on which a European was recorded as using Afrikaner as a name for himself" (Gilliomee, 2010:68).

What do Hendrik Bibualt, Simon van der Stel and Dawid de Lange have in common? Simon van der Stel, from Dutch and Indian slave descent, arrived in South Africa as a commander for the Dutch East India Company1. As the first Governor of the Cape Colony, he founded and named the town of Stellenbosch2 after himself in 1979. It was in this town that Hendrik Biebouw, from Dutch and Khoi Khoi descent, proclaimed his identity. And then there was David de Lange, a rebel and drunk but nevertheless a very good musician and entertainer; he was the key pioneer of Boeremusiek (Vorster). These three men has become key figures in the Afrikaner history; Biebouw as the first official Afrikaner patriot, Van der Stel - the founder of Stellenbosch, the town in which the idea of Apartheid was first thought (Brink, 2006:1) and De Lange, a hero of an authentically Afrikaner cultural product.

History provides a tongue in cheek irony in light of later Afrikaner patriots' proud assumptions that these men were deliberate patriots and pioneers for the Afrikaner
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! #The megacorporation from the Netherlands that monopolized Indian spice trade (Grove, 1996: 138).! $ ! "The name "Stellenbosch" is a play on words: 'the wood of Van der Stel' (Brink, 2006:1).!

culture. This said; the assumption that all Afrikaners are conservative Calvinists and racists is the inciting juncture that leads to the topic of this essay. The assumption of a stereotypical "Afrikanerdom" is what I would like to discuss. The Afrikaners' forefathers, the Europeans, came to South Africa with seventeenth century Calvinist thought. However not all Afrikaners were from pure European descent for example Van der Stel.

"The origins of Afrikaner Nationalism and its associated racial ideologies and, thus, of the apartheid order imposed by the Nationalist party [NP] governments on South African society [my emphasis] have been ascribed to an obdulate strain of "Calvinism"" (Du Toit, 1983: 920). The Nationalist Party, founded in 1915, was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. The National Party imposed religious, cultural and political ideology on South Africans during their rule. In this essay I will focus more specifically on Afrikaner identity politics, leaning towards alternative Afrikaner identities other than that as imposed and perpetuated by the NP ideology. I will discuss the Afrikaner Nationalist project as addressed in the introductory sequence of the first episode, 'Die Stem van die Volk', of Manakwalanners (1993). This television drama series, of 26 minutes per episode, was produced and broadcasted during a very turbulent era in South Africa's recent history. The start of the 1990's was also the end of Apartheid, however, the democratic constitution that we have today was officially established only with the election of Nelson Mandela as President in 1994. From the early 1990's big changes in all sectors of the South African society was set in place. The change of Media policies sparked new media was lifted in 1993 - high Apartheid being from 1960-90. In South African Media Policy: Debates of the 1990's, P. Eric Louw writes on the future of South African media. In the preface (written in 1993) he highlights the existence of a widespread opposition that started contesting government control over the media as the elections neared, fearing that their control might affect the voters (they've been broadcasting propaganda openly before). Louw mentions "a march of 1000 people on the South African Broadcasting Coorporation!s (SABC) headquarters demanding the "opening of the airwaves' and them being freed from government domination!" (1993: 4). This would be the year that Manakwalanners, directed by Johan van Jaarsveld

and produced by Koos Roets, was released. Quantum Produksies released the series on TV 1, the main TV channel that broadcasted only English and Afrikaans. Manakwalanners, like other Afrikaans shows, were broadcasted without subtitles. This is also how the current 2013 SABC distributed DVD sells it.

Situated in this era of restive media policies, Mankawalanners can be seen as a subversive text that criticizes the history of the SABC and the part it played in the Afrikaner Nationalist project of the NP government. The first image we see is of a Mercedes-Benz W120 180b Ponton sedan3 (see fig. 1.); towering behind is a modern office block, (see fig. 2.) with a sign of the SABC at the entrance. Classical music is playing in the background. The car establishes that the series is set during the late 1950's, assuming that it is as new as it looks. The music and the image of the SABC building - this prompts me to make the assumption that the SABC is well-off at that time, as the expensive car might suggest. Then the music as it relates to radio broadcasting done under the SABC ties the story's context to the 1950's as the era when the Afrikaans radio stations started broadcasting and became popular. The camera lifts to a decorative emblem on the buildings front wall (see fig.3.), like the female figure in the center of the wall-sculpture. She is surrounded by symbols of the star signs and other smaller objects that all float around her, flowing upward, perhaps a suggestion to the NP Afrikaner Nationalist project's idealistic endeavors to unite the different aspects of Afrikaner society into a beautiful organism. Consider this quote in light of the previous description and the symbols representing the following description of the Afrikaner nationalist project: "the volksbeweging (national movement) of organized Afrikaner nationalism, charged with creating consensus and cementing unity across the broad stretch of Afrikaner and later white society. This mechanism: 'was composed of a gamut of political, cultural, economic, religious, labor and educational organizations to advance Afrikaner interest and realize Afrikaner destiny (volkseie)" (Davies, 2009:29).

Back to the introductory sequence of Manakwalanners as the character of A.L. Labuschagne, played by At Naude, walks into a room (See fig.4.). There is a painting
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! Sold new during 1952 1959.!

in the background of a house with twigs in front: It is an old Cape Dutch house, with an acorn tree in front. This painting is done in a popular romantic expressionist style similar to paintings of Stellenbosch landscapes and architecture - a hint at Stellenbosch as the beacon of the NP intelligentsia: the Stellenbosch intellectuals responsible for the ideologies of Apartheid. They also permeated the Afrikaans Academic scene, making them key figures in the construct of Afrikaner nationalism. This suggestion to the Afrikaner intellectual elite is fixed by the appearance of the character of Labuschagne; his glasses, tailored suit and tie and his gelled hair are all associated with the style and fashion of the intellectual, wealthy and elite Afrikaner of that era.

Also, Labuschagne's character walked in saying "Ek weier, ek weier Meneer" (I refuse, I refuse Sir) an off-screen voice replies, "Wat bedoel jy jy weier?" (What do you mean you refuse?). Labuschagne again, "Meneer, ek is allergies vir stof en ek is allergies vir Van der Westhuizen en nou wil jy he ek moet altwee gaan verduur in Namaqualand vir 'n maand lank" (Sir, I am allergic to dust and I am allergic to Van der Westhuizen and now you want me to go endure both in Namaqualand for a whole month). This sequence of dialogue refers to the 'other' Afrikaners in Namaqualand as the title of the radio program Labuschagne will set out to record the Namaqualanders, or Mannakwalanners as the title lightheartedly suggests; 'Met 'n Knippie Sout: Kulturele pitkos vir die fynproewer' (With a Pinch of Salt: Cultural food for the connoisseur). The expression 'met 'n knippie sout' is used derogatory in this title; it means to not take something seriously. Thus Labuschagne's endeavor to the region of Namaqualand will be one where he sets himself and us, his listeners above the subjects, the 'manakwalanners'. Finally linking the analysis of Mannakwalanners back to my initial discussion of a stereotypical view of Afrikaner identity politics; it is this distinction in the Afrikaners that beckons my interest.

In light of Manakwalanners" (1993) critique on the Afrikaner Nationalist project, it can be said that Manakwalanners provides a representation of the Calvinist Afrikaner identity as a "deliberately cultivated by the regime, state and other organizations that permeated both the public and private spheres during the apartheid era" (Davies,

2009). If we consider again the historical context of the series' production, it becomes clear that the motives for criticizing the SABC lies behind the investigation of the National Party's use of the SABC as a vehicle for National and cultural propaganda. This construction of the Afrikaner identity is clearly an important 'character', i.e. an issue that the series will presumably discuss. Manakwalanners" introductory sequence sets out to criticize the SABC as being part of the Afrikaner Nationalist construct. The series perpetuates the notion of the SABC as one of the organizations that took part in this project.

As the sequence continues The Boss appears (see fig. 5.) and replies with stature: "A.L Labuschagne sal besoek bring aan Namaqualand om die streek en sy mense deel te laat voel van die Afrikaanse radio. Dis 'n belangrike kultuursending en net jy kan dit reg doen." (A.L Labaschagne will visit Namaqualand to enable the region and the people to feel as if they are part of Afrikaans radio. It!s an important cultural endeavor and only you will be able to conduct it well). This sequence's subtext alludes to the persuasion methods that was employed by the NP (represented by The Boss) to convince individuals to conduct their 'duty' as Afrikaner - "in the interest in the volk as a whole" (Davies, 2009: 30). Persuaded by compliments from The Boss, the scene cuts to show Labuschagne in studio (see fig. 6.). In an excessively performative style, Labuschagne - portrayed as a presenter of a radio show, explains this future endeavor to his audience. This audience will then also be the audience of the Manakwalanners show. Us the viewers are spoken to as well. However within the context of this fictional narrative, Manakwalanner's use of the radio as a medium that in this story is significant for the roles it played in documenting South African culture in that era, 1950's-1960's, as classic documentary film played (Grierson et al.). This intertextual reference to the early documentary films, in turn position the critique on the Afrikaner Nationalist project parallel to critique on classical observational ethnographic documentary. This reading suggests that Labuschagne's radio show is a form of ethnographic documentary - the former allusion to responsibility (When The Boss explains to Labuschagne that this project will put a great amount of responsibility on him.) "The construction of nationality and nationalism, and the

relation of documentary filmmaking to the interests of the governments in power and

the interests of the dispossessed, of whom Karl Marx once said "they cannot represent themselves; they must be represented" - makes the "Namaqualanders! victims of the documentary tradition - women, ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians (Nichols, 2001:141). This reference becomes obvious when we consider that Labuschagne, representing the NP government will go to Namaqualand and represent these people, similarly setting out to persuade them to take part in the NP Afrikaner ideal, of which they are not part.

"Entrusted with both the practical justifications of apartheid and promoting Afrikaner interests, this increasingly unwieldy mix of organizations sank its tentacles into every aspect of Afrikaner existence" (Davies, 2009: 29). Manakwalanners is a contest to those Afrikaner voices that was lost during the mass persuasion of the NP government's utterly propagandistic Afrikaner Nationalist project. "Apartheid represented a social and political programme advanced by an already modern and modernizing Afrikaner elite" (Davies, 2009: 30). Clearly the Afrikaner Elite as represented in Manakwalanners were different to the 'other ' Afrikaners, but whether those Afrikaners were successfully appropriated in the "United Afrikanerdom" is unsure to say. I revert back to my forward appropriation of figures such as Van der Stel, Biebouw and De Lange. Apparently Hendrik Biebouw "with his tangled roots, did not use any of the existing identifications. He did not say as one would expect that he was a German, a Christian or a white. He said: I am from this continent, I am an African" (Gilliomee, 2010: 68). I thus propose that an expansion aligned to the interests and concerns of this seminar essay!s topic on alternative Afrikaner identities: Hendrik Biebouw - A case study of an alternative Afrikaner identity.

List of Figures

Fig.1. Mercedes. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Fig.2. SABC. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Fig.3. Wall Sculpture. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Fig. 4. Labuschagne I. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Fig.5. The Boss. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Fig.6. Labuschagne II. Manakwalanners, 1993.

Bibliography

Brink,C. 2006. No Lesser Place: The Taaldebat at Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch: Sun Press.

Davies, R. 2009. Afrikaners in the New South Africa: Identity Politics in a Globalised Economy, London: I.B. Tauris Publishers.

Duffy, J. L. 2005. The Politics of Ethnic Nationalism: Afrikaner Unity, the National Party, anfd the Radical Right in Stellenbosch, 1934 -1948, London: Routledge.

Du Toit, A. 1983. No Chosen People: The Myth of the Calvinist Origins of Afrikaner Nationalism and Racial Ideology, London: Oxford University Press.

Furlong, P.J. 2012. Indigenous "Africans" and transnational "Pan-Netherlanders": past and present in the "re-construction" of post-1994 Afrikaner identity. New Contree : A journal of Historical and Human Sciences for Southern Africa. 65:47-65, Dec.

Gilliomee, H. 2010. New History of South Africa. Cape Town: Tafelberg.

Grove,R.H. 1996. Green Imperialism: Colonial Expansion, Tropical Island Edens and the Origins of Environmentalism, 1600-1860. London: Cambridge University Press.

Huapt, A. Static: Race and Representation in Post-apartheid Music, Media and Film. Cape Town: HSRC Press

Nichols, B. 2001. Introduction to Documentary. USA: Indiana University Press

Manakwalanners, Episode 1: Die Stem van die Volk, SABC, TV1, 1993.

Vorster, A . Wie was David de Lange nou werklik?[Online] Available: http://www.roekeloos.co.za/ritme/klaas503.html [2013, August, 20]