Orania Celebrates its Distinct Approach to Reconciliation Day
Orania – On Monday, the residents of the Afrikaner-only town of Orania in the Northern Cape celebrated “Promise Day,” a date recognized by the rest of South Africa as the “Day of Reconciliation.”
The program for Promise Day in Orania featured local church leaders delivering sermons and leading the singing of Christian hymns.
As President Cyril Ramaphosa gave his speech advocating for reconciliation and unity in the Western Cape, the Afrikaner community of Orania gathered to reflect on “the pledge made by our ancestors at Bloedrivier in 1838.”
Once known as Dingaan Day among Afrikaans-speaking South Africans, December 16 was officially designated as Reconciliation Day following the end of apartheid in 1995.
This day serves as a national holiday aimed at fostering unity among South Africans of all racial backgrounds.
For the residents of Orania, it is commemorated as a triumph over black individuals and a significant point of reference for advancing Afrikaner nationalism.
On December 16, 1838, warriors under King Dingane kaSenzakakhona Zulu attacked Afrikaner settlers at the banks of the Ncome River in KwaZulu-Natal.
However, the Afrikaners’ gunfire overpowered Dingane’s warriors, resulting in the deaths of at least 3,000 of them.
This confrontation caused the river to run red with the blood of the slain warriors, hence the name Blood River.
As indicated on Orania’s official Facebook page, the day holds a religious significance.
“Yet, the day also carries a national significance as we, the Afrikaners, have commemorated this date due to the vow made every year since the events of 1838.
“Annually, we give glory to God for the miraculous victory bestowed upon that group of Tractors [voortrekkers] against the overwhelming might of the Zulus.
“In Orania, we observe the day as a Sabbath, with celebrations that include a worship service and a festival speech.”
Orania was established in 1990 by Carel Boshoff, son-in-law of apartheid architect Hendrik Verwoerd, along with other Afrikaner families.
Boshoff passed away in 2011.
Wynand Boshoff, Boshoff’s grandson, currently serves as a Member of Parliament for Freedom Front Plus (FF+) in Northern Cape.
Boshoff’s grandfather envisioned a community for Afrikaners seeking self-determination and autonomy to reside together.
Statues of apartheid leaders like Verwoerd and Paul Kruger are prominently displayed in Orania, and the old South African flag flies across the town’s buildings.
Orania has its own currency known as the Ora.
The ANC-led government has thus far tolerated Orania’s existence, and the town and its history have never been referenced in the government’s Reconciliation Day speeches.
Ironically, about 700 km away in Vredendal, the Valley of Peace, President Ramaphosa was advocating for unity among all South Africans in his address.
He remarked that Reconciliation Day was an “occasion to remember and celebrate our journey towards nation-building, healing, social justice, and forgiveness.
“This Day of Reconciliation is dedicated to ‘healing historical wounds and forging new futures’.
“Historically, this day – the 16th of December – has symbolized the wounds of our past.
“For some, it was a celebration of triumph.
“For others, it served as a painful reminder of conquest and dispossession.
“Since democracy was established, we have endeavored to eliminate symbols that divide us.
“We have chosen to commemorate the 16th of December as a day of reconciliation, a celebration of our unity in diversity.”
Yet in Orania, the more things change, the more they remain the same.