Dorslandtrekke na Angola en die redes daarvoor (1874–1928)

Abstract

Gedurende die laat negentiende eeu het verskeie georganiseerde trekke Transvaal verlaat. Die eerste van hierdie trekke het die ZAR in Mei 1874 verlaat. Nadat die eerste drie trekke hulle verenig het, het hulle na bykans sewe jaar in Januarie 1881 by Humpata op die Huíla-hoogland in die Portugese kolonie Angola gevestig. Vanaf 1892 tot 1894 het drie verdere groot trekke gevolg. Ná die laaste groot trek in 1907 het die Portugese owerheid verdere Boeretrekke verbied. In 1928 is ongeveer 2 000 Angola-Boere na Suidwes-Afrika gerepatrieer, terwyl 380–470 persone in Angola agtergebly het. Dié trekke was komplekse verskynsels as gevolg van ekonomiese, godsdienstige en politieke faktore. Aanvanklik was teenkanting teen die “ongodsdienstige” en “liberale” regering van T.F. Burgers die belangrikste trekredes. Nuwe arbeidswetgewing, onsekere politieke toestande, interne verdeeldheid in Transvaal en ekonomiese redes het ook bygedra. Gebrek aan grond, bevolkingsdruk, armoede, vrees vir nuwe belasting en die soeke na nuwe jagvelde het waarskynlik ’n minder belangrike rol gespeel. Vrees vir die beskawing en Britse imperialisme, die koms van intensiewe boerdery, goudkoors, droogtes of natuurrampe en die “trekgees” of “trekkoors” het waarskynlik geen rol gespeel nie.During the late nineteenth century a number of organised 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 Huíla 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 2 000 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 labour 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 modernisation 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.