To pay Pretoria a visit was one of the highlights when I was in South Africa in April this year. We had booked a tour with a local guide. The first stop was the Voortrekker Monument. I don’t exactly know what I had expected, but it was much bigger than what I had guessed. The guide revealed to us a part of South African history I hadn’t known about. The Voortrekkers were Boers / Dutch settlers who in the 1830s started a movement called «The Great Trek». This was a migration from the Cape Colony to the interior Highveld north of the Orange River. These Boers / Afrikaners left with everything they owned on an ox-wagon to escape the British who was in control in the Cape Colony. The result of the migration was new communities: The colony Natal, but also independent Boer states, like the Orange Free State. This migratory movement is considered a major event in South African history.

Our tour started at here. While our guide went to get the tickets, we had a look at the wagons and read the information boards. When she got the tickets, we walked up to the monument itself.

WHAT KIND OF MONUMENT IS THE WOORTREKKER MONUMENT

It's a huge, 40-meter-high granite structure. It’s located on a hill surrounded by a round wall. The wall has 64 carved ox-wagons all around. The Voortrekkers usually placed their wagons in a circle – a «laager» as our guide called it. In 2011 this monument was added to the list of National Heritage Sites. The construction of the monument started in 1938 when the first stone was laid by some of the descendants after the Voortrekkers. The statue of the woman with children is a tribute to the women. As our guide said. The men wouldn't have made without the women.

Leaving with everything they owned

When we enter the monument, we enter a large hall. The walls are covered with a large marble frieze on each. These friezes depict the story of The Great Trek. It depicts everyday life of the Voortrekkers, but also what they experienced. Usually, they left in groups of families. The used ox – wagons. When they camped for the night, they would release the oxen and place their wagons in a laager / they placed the wagons in a circle for protection and defence.

THE GREAT TREK

This migratory trek was going on from 1835 to 1845. It is estimated that 12.000 to 14.000 Boers migrated during this period. The Boers were called Voortrekkers meaning something like «early migrants in Afrikaans. They left in different parties. Most of them were farmers. Not all of them would take the same routes. After crossing the Orange River, they divided into different groups, depending on where they wanted to settle. During the trek they experienced battles with Zulu warriors armed with spears. But because they had guns, horses, skills, and defensive laagers they were able to defend themselves.

Many of those who set out on this journey never reached the Orange River. The journey was arduous. Occasionally they had to defend themselves. Both people and cattle were exposed to diseases that caused death to many of them. Our guide took us from the first frieze to the last one. A tour that tells the story of the Voortrekkers.

Our guide mentioned a few names of leaders several times. Piet Retif (1780 – 1838) was one of the Boer leaders. Before he went on the trek, he was known for experience in war against the Xhosa. The British put restrictions on slavery and gave land back to the Xhosa. Because of this sympathy from the British, he made his decision to migrate north. When his group was north of Orange River, they got together with other trekkers who made him their leader. After crossing the Drakensberg mountains (1837) he had to negotiate with Dingane, a Zulu leader, about the right to get some land. I am not quite sure about the story, but it had something to do with Retief helping the Zulus to get some cattle back. When he returned the cattle to Dingane, both he and many in his group were murdered. But only aprox. half a year later, the Voortrekkers mananged to defeat the Zulus at Blood River. Both Retief and Dingane were mentioned by our guide many times. So were a few other important leaders. These marble friezes do depict visually the story about all these people had to cope with.

On the ground floor there is a small museum. After the visit to the top floor, we went to the ground floor for the exhibitions here. I have only added a few photos, but the exhibitions here are extensive. Relics from some of the trekkers. An embroidery of several meters depicted the Voortrekkers story from the beginning to the end. Art exhibitions etc. There is plenty to look at down here too. The building does look impressive from the outside, but the inside was just as impressive.

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All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)

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