Suid-Afrika na dertien jaar (1994 - 2007) - met spesiale verwysing na analogieë met Litoue

Abstract

Die Ryk van Litoue sowel as kontemporêre Litoue toon talle analogieë met Suid-Afrika en die Litouers met Afrikaanses. Beide het die afgelope tyd transformasie ondergaan en beide word gekenmerk deur 'n verskeidenheid van kulture. Die Litouse ryk se beleid van verdraagsaamheid ten opsigte van diverse kulture was suksesvol. Die Litouse situasie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van taal en kulturele selfbewussyn. Dit het duidelike parallelle in Suid-Afrika. Sowel Litous as Afrikaans was by tye op die agtergrond, maar albei kulture bly behoue. Die betekenis van 'n nie-outentieke bestaan van Litoue in die Sowjet-era word behandel. Die geldigheid van sowel nasionale as internasionale waardes is by sowel Litouers as Afrikaanses van belang. ENGLISH: Several analogies exist between South Africa and Lithuania in general and more in particular between the Afrikaans and Lithuanian peoples. The article contains much history in so far as it is relevant to the analogies. Therefore it is not a historical treatment of Lithuania's history as such. Although the main point of comparison is the Empire, modern and contemporary Lithuania is also discussed, but then seen in continuity with the Empire. In both Afrikaner and Lithuanian cultures, the important role of heroes in the past is obvious. In South Africa well known examples are Racheltjie de Beer, Piet Retief, Paul Kruger, General de la Rey and many others and in Lithuania these include Gedeminias, Jonas Basanavicius and Roman Kalanta, amongst others. In times of crisis convergence of expressions are noted between hortatory expressions of, for example, Gedeminias and Voortrekker women.