Abstract
This article focuses on the Afrikaans Language Monument on the slopes of Paarlberg, the Afrikaans Language Museum in Paarl, and other memorial structures commemorating Afrikaans. The latter are in the form of monuments, one primary school, plaques, and the like. This research highlights the fact that the Afrikaans Language Monument in Paarl is not the only commemorative structure for Afrikaans, but merely the best-known structure. One of the aims of article is to raise public awareness of the existence of several Afrikaans language memorial structures and the Afrikaans Language Museum.
The Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument (ATM) in Paarl and on Paarlberg form one entity. This entity is an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC). The ATM is funded largely by the DSAC.
In this discussion the formation of the Genootskap vir Regte Afrikaners (GRA, variously translated as Association of Real Afrikaners, Fellowship of True Afrikaners, Society of Real Afrikaners and Society of True Afrikaners) plays a central role. The GRA was founded on 14 August 1875 in Paarl with the general objective of elevating Afrikaans to a written language. The GRA’s mission was to ensure the translation of the Bible into Afrikaans, the publication of Di Patriot as a monthly newspaper, and the publication of an Afrikaans dictionary.
The research in this article shows that the Afrikaans Language Monument is still controversial, even more than 45 years after its inauguration on 10 October 1975. Historically, the controversial aspects were the choice of the site for the monument, the function of the monument (if any), its symbolism, and the initial plans to exclude certain racial and language groups from its inauguration. Recently (the first half of 2022), the minister of sport, art and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, questioned the word Afrikaanse in the name of the monument. After widespread opposition from the public, civil society and political parties, it was officially denied by the DSAC that the minister had raised this matter. This response of the DSAC is in itself controversial.
While the language monument in Paarl is widely known, many of the other Afrikaans language memorial structures have been forgotten. The first memorial structure in South Africa commemorating language was erected in Burgersdorp as a monument to the Dutch language. As Afrikaans has some of its roots in the Dutch language, some literature makes reference to this monument as an Afrikaans language monument.
Structures commemorating Afrikaans were erected during the commemoration of Die wonder van Afrikaans (The wonder of Afrikaans) in 1959, and in Taaljaar (Language Year) in 1975 and in 2014. Details of some of these memorial structures have been recorded, but this is not the case for all these structures. This research paper focuses on filling this void in the literature.
Structures commemorating Afrikaans and Die wonder van Afrikaans were erected in Kroonstad and Welkom, and a primary school (Laerskool Taaljaar) was built in Witbank (now eMalahleni). Die wonder van Afrikaans was a commemoration of the establishment of the SA Academy for Science and Arts (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns) 30 years earlier in 1909, and the establishment of the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurverenigings, or FAK (Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Societies) 30 years earlier, in 1929.
The South African government declared 1975 as Language Year in commemoration of the establishment of the GRA a century earlier in 1875, the elevation of Afrikaans to official language status in 1925, the opening of the Afrikaans Language Museum on 14 August 1975 and the inauguration of the Afrikaans Language Monument on 14 October 1975.
Other than in Paarl, structures in Aberdeen, Belfast, Burgersfort, Delareyville, East London, Ermelo, Groblersdal, Hartswater, Johannesburg, Keimoes, Koster, Lichtenburg, Makhado (Louis Trichardt), Malmesbury, Montagu, Moorreesburg, Nigel, Ohrigstad, Petrus Steyn, Reddersburg, Redelinghuys, Reitz, Riebeeck-Kasteel, Sannieshof, Springbok, Trompsburg, Touwsrivier, Vanrhynsdorp, Ventersdorp and Worcester were erected in 1975 to commemorate Language Year. There are indications that such structures also exist or existed in Ladismith (Eastern Cape), Meyerton, Milnerton, Piketberg, Postmasburg, Potchefstroom, Schweizer-Reneke, Sishen and Vanwyksvlei, of which no records exist.
The Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurbond (ATKB, or Afrikaans Language and Cultural Society) organised a nationwide torch run for Language Year, with eight language torches – one for each of the founding members of the GRA, and one torch named after each of them – which arrived at the Monument in Paarl on 10 October 1975. The torch run commenced on 14 August 1975 at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. From the Voortrekker Monument the torches travelled to the corners of South Africa, to South West Africa (Namibia today) and to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe today). The details of the torch run have received little attention in the literature, and are a subject for further research. Certain of the structures commemorating Afrikaans that were erected in the Language Year were inaugurated when language torches arrived in those towns and cities.
An Afrikaans Language Monument was unveiled on 8 November 2014 in Windhoek in Namibia. This monument was erected in commemoration of 90 years of the official language status of Afrikaans. It is not known whether there are any other commemorative structures for Afrikaans in Namibia.
Language memorial structures are also found outside of South Africa and Namibia. The most important of these is the International Mother Language Monument (IMLM) in Grangemoor Park in Cardiff in Wales. This monument commemorates International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually on 21 February, as determined by Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
The IMLM is described as a heritage for all communities, regardless of the languages they speak. The IMLM symbolises respect for and tolerance towards all cultures and also represents the pursuit of the validity and equality of all mother tongues of the world.
Further research is necessary to establish whether any other structures commemorating the Afrikaans language were erected which have not yet been documented.
Keywords: Afrikaans; Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument; commemorative structures for Afrikaans language; criticism of the Afrikaans Language Monument; Dutch Language Monument; language monuments; language museum; Namibia; Paarl
Lees die volledige artikel in Afrikaans
Verskeie Afrikaanse taalgedenkstrukture en een Afrikaanse Taalmuseum