Figure 1.-- The Youth movement of Voortrekkers developed its own identity, represented in what they called their ABC: Afrikanerskap, Burgerskap, Christenskap (Afrikanership, Citizenship, Christianity). This image here shows a group of Transvaal Voortrekkers

We know of only one South African nationalist youth group at this time--the Voortrekkers. The Voortrekkers are an Afrikaner youth movement founded in South Africa (1931). It was an Afrikaans-language alternative to the English-speaking Boy Scout movement. They took the name by the Voortrekkers (Afrikaans for pioneers), the white Afrikaner farmers, then known as Boers, who in the 1830s and 1840s emigrated from the British Cape Colony into the areas north of the Orange River. The Youth movement of Voortrekkers developed its own identity, represented in what they called their ABC: Afrikanerskap, Burgerskap, Christenskap (Afrikanership, Citizenship, Christianity). The Penkopss are the Cub-level Voortrekker group.

Original Voortrekkers

The Voortrekkers were the white Afrikaner (Dutch ancestry) farmers, then known as Boers, who in the 1830s and 1840s emigrated from the British Cape Colony into the areas north of the Orange River. They are best known for leaving the Cape Colony and British control behind to make the Great Trek into the interior between 1835 and 1854. The Great Trek was not one single event, but rather a seies of migrations. A mass Boer movement developed to resist British control. It a the covered wagon treks out of the Cape Colony was organized by several different Boer leaders including Louis Trichardt, Hendrik Potgieter, Sarel Cilliers, Pieter Uys, Gerrit Maritz, Piet Retief, and Andries Pretorius. This movement resulted in the creation of independent Boer Republics in the interior north of the Orage River. Several different republics were founded. At the rime of the Boer War, they had evolved into the Orange Free State and the Tranvaal. They were developing into stabel independent countries until diamonds were discovered. This resulted in a flood of immigrants and British renewed British interest.

Boer War (1899-1902)

The Boer War, or South African War as it is sometimes called, is today an obscure footnote in history. At the time it was a major turning point in history. Not only did it occur at the transition from the Victorian to the Edwardian era, but it helped to confirm the growing opinion in England that it was the rising power of Germany under the mecurial Kaiser Wilhelm II that posed a danger to Britain rather than the traditional English enemy--France. This was a major transition in English thinking that had enormous repersusions in the 20th century. The War also convinced many that major reforms were needed to modernize the Army. The Boer War brought the term concentration camp" to the 20th century. A more happy impact was indirectly the War was involved in the founding of the Scouting movement. The British casualties were much higher than anticipated and the civilian casualties were even higher. European public opinion was incensed and the British began to see their Empire in a new light.

The Penkiops

There were Boer child soldiers who fought the British during the Boer War. There were known as the Penkiops. Hopefully our South African readers will provide some information to us.

Voortrekkers

The Voortrekkers is an Afrikaner youth movement founded in South Africa (1931). It was an Afrikaans-language alternative to the English-speaking Boy Scout movement. They took the name by the original historical Voortrekkers (Afrikaans for pioneers). The Youth movement of Voortrekkers developed its own identity, represented in what they called their ABC: Afrikanerskap, Burgerskap, Christenskap (Afrikanership, Citizenship, Christianity). This image here shows a group of Transvaal Voortrekkers (figure 1). The Penkopss are the Cub-level Voortrekker group. They seem to be a coed movement with both boy and girl members.