I guess I’d better say something about the whole Bok van Blerk thing.

For those readers of thecages in countries other than South Africa some background; Bok, or as the dominee calls him, Louis Pepler, is an Afrikaans musician[1] around whom a media-cultural storm has developed related to the hit song De La Rey.

It has been discussed, sms’ed, journalesed and blogged in all directions by anyone and everyone interested in the marginalisation of the formerly almighty white Afrikaner(hereafter YWAs – young white Afrikaners) population[2].

Here’s why:

Long story short, the song is a tribute/whatever to Second Boer War general Koos de La Rey and has been widely embraced by YWAs of all persuasions as a matter of identity.

They’ve kicked and screamed and written angry letters to the editor decrying the fact that their heritage is being painted with the evil-brush blah blah blah.

Koos de La Rey

A lot has been said about how YWAs are variously tired of feeling guilt about Apartheid[3], are embracing De La Rey as a heroic figure who pursued peace over war, are simply expressing pride in their heritage etc. etc. etc.

And they have gone to great lengths to point out that they are not venting at black South Africans or affirmative action, but are just embracing ‘something, something to believe in‘ now that the church has turned out to be a bit on the boring side.

I’m tired of minorities who want to defend their place in society by shouting from soap boxes rather than by chatting up chicks in taxi’s and smiling and laughing a lot.

more Koos

And along with this a nasty side has developed in so far as disenfranchised, conservative(i.e. right wing) YWAs have jumped on the bandwagon and have been chanting the song while waving the Apartheid-era South African flag with tears of remorse and regret over their lost beautiful land streaming down their cheeks.
The media loved this and before you could say ‘O Boereplaas!‘ a racism-fueled controversy had developed.

Bok sings Koos

And on the back of all of this chit-chat Mr. van Blerk (or try wikipd) has built a career.
Bok is now the new new thing in Afrikaans music, YWA-intellectuals have something to talk about over their cappucino’s[4] and the spectre of a right wing Afrikaner takeover has proven itself to be an flacid, wrinkly penis again. ‘Boeremag se moer – hulle kan nie eers ‘n proper braai organise nie’.

Bok in action

The story has even been picked up by the New York Times.
If you have some bandwidth to burn there’s also the video.

And so now, the reason you pay me the big bucks – my opinion on van-Blerk-gate.

Firstly I think that people who are getting into the cultural impact/repurcussions of De La Rey and the danger of denying the YWAs their heritage and place in this land are missing a crucial fact.
The song was written (not by BvB but by a songwriter at his record label) with only one thing in mind – sales.
The songwriter has commented (in a television interview) that he chose the character of de La Rey primarly because the name rhymes and sings easily.
The song has been a massive commercial success and the writer, publisher and producer of the song don’t give a fuck about YWAs – they care about YWAs’ wallets.
And they’ve done a superb job of knowing their market, producing a hit for that market and selling it.
Well done to the record label; they found van Blerk, dressed him up, positioned him in a Kobain-like pose and turned the credit card machines white-hot with Afrikaner passion.
And that’s the truth.

The second thing is this, and I don’t understand how the YWA shouters are missing(or ignoring) this.
The black population of South Africa[5], upon being told about the De La Rey drama are going: ‘who?‘
In South Africa the reality is all about Kabelo, HHP and DJ Sbu.
B van B and his boys have lit a fire, but it’s like lighting a match in a burning building.
The real South Africa has moved on beyond Afrikaner angst (was never interested in Afrikaner angst) – and no amount of posing will make it relevant to the reality of this country.
And from the crappy links I just posted for these kwaito/urban artists another truth.
They don’t do ‘the internet’ or ‘blogs’ or ‘cappucino’ – the three things that have made Bok what he is today.
They do cellphones and fast cars and kasi jols.

And the whities just can not keep up.

[1] Perhaps the term is a bit generous – how about ‘entertainer’? Or even ‘model/actor/singer’.
[2] Of which I am a member
[3] With which, in all fairness, we/they had nothing to do
[4] Other than the square-meterage of their lock-up-and-go townhouses
[5] The ones with the real vote, the real power and the real influence