<p>During the late nineteenth century a number of organiszd treks left the Transvaal. The first of these left the ZAR in May 1874. Seven years later, in January 1881, after the amalgamation of the first three treks, they settled at Humpata on the Hufla highlands in the Portuguese colony of Angola. From 1892 to 1894 three further major treks followed. After the last major trek in 1907 the Portuguese government prohibited further treks. In 1928 about 2000 Angola Boers were repatriated to South-West Africa, while 380‒470 remained in Angola. These treks were complex phenomena as a result of economic, religious and political factors. Initially, resistance to the "irreligious" and "liberal" government of T.F. Burgers were the most important reasons for the trek. New labor legislation, political uncertainty, internal dissent in the Transvaal and economic factors also contributed to the dissatisfaction. Lack of sufficient farming land, population pressure, poverty, misgivings about new taxes and the search for new hunting grounds probably played a minor role. Dread of modernization and British imperialism, the introduction of intensive farming, gold fever, drought or natural disasters and the "trekking spirit" or "trek fever" probably played no role at all.</p>

The Thirstland Trek 1874-1881

History

Stassen, Nicol

Africa

Protea Boekhuis

Like the Amish, the Boers of Angola remained caught in a time bubble. Far from their culture, this small group of Afrikaners maintained their “Afrikanerskap” under very difficult circumstances. The community of about 400 Afrikaners who remained in Angola after 1928 were left to oblivion, and were later described as a “living fossil” and victims of their own conservatism. During these Angola Boers’ stay in Angola there was little chance of farming and far too many problems: a problematic relationship with the Portuguese authorities, while inadequate economic and educational opportunities, and the resulting poverty, sometimes led to shocking decay. In 1928 about 2000 Angola Boers were repatriated to the then South-West Africa (now Namibia). Some did attempt to make a living of mixed farming, transport riding and hunting – decades after this lifestyle had died out elsewhere. After civil war broke out in Angola in 1975 the last Afrikaners fled Angola, and so the bond between the Angola Boers and Angola came to an end after almost a century. Their interesting and colorful lives are described, and the possibility that wanderlust was the reason for their peregrinations is examined.

The Boers in Angola 1928-1975

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Stassen, Nicol. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Stassen, Nicol

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Stassen, Nicol. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Thirstland Trek 1874-1881

The Boers in Angola 1928-1975