Death, cremation and columbaria in the culture of Dutch Christian Calvinist South Africa

Abstract

From the earliest days of South African colonisation - through the offices of the VOC - there was the hegemony of Calvinist belief as it manifests in Dutch Reformed Protestantism in which death was preordained, inevitable and not treated lightly. At that time the Christian practice was to bury the dead, cremations being seen as doing the Devil's own work. The practice of cremation came late to the shores of South Africa particularly for Christian burial. One of the first to design for the practice was Gerard Moerdijk. This article presents a concise history of the traditions and practices of South African Dutch Reformed Protestant Calvinists in dealing with mortal remains along with some anomalies and the changes over time.

Aan die begin van die koloniale tydperk in Suid-Afrika is daar deur die VOC se alleenmag 'n oorheersende eenheid van Calvinistiese geloofsuitdrukking in die vorm van die Nederduits-Hervormde Protestantisme gevestig waardeur die dood as voorafbepaald, onafwendbaar en met die grootste erns bejeen is. Die stoflike oorskot van Christene is begrawe omdat verassing as duiwels beskou is. Verassing bereik gevolglik eers laat aanvaarding binne die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing, veral binne die met oorheersend Christelike oortuigings. Gerard Moerdijk was een van die eerste argitekte uit eie bodem wat vir dié gebruik ontwerp het. In hierdie artikel word 'n oorsigtelike geskiedenis van die dode-praktyke en tradisies van die Nederlands-Calvinistiese Christendom gegee, terwyl die veranderinge sowel as uitsonderlike afwykings bespreek word.