The English South African, His History, Culture and Achievements
Thus, although it is true that a distinctively English South African culture is somewhat more difficult to identify in South Africa today than the cultures of other South Africans, this is not because it does not exist. It certainly does, as we have seen. But there are at least two reasons why it is not as immediately apparent as various others within the borders of South Africa:
The first reason, as we have now seen (and it is a positive one), is the sheer dominance of the English way of life. The rest of the country has adopted so much of what was the more distinctively English South African way of life, that the distinctiveness of English culture has been diluted!
Think carefully about this. The English language is not unique to English South Africans. It is now the first language, the home language, of millions of other South Africans who are not English at all. The English language, then, is something that English South Africans have given to millions of their fellow-countrymen.
English cuisine is today the standard fare of millions of non-English South Africans. And English dress, which is essentially European dress with certain local adaptations, is the preferred dress of millions of South Africans who are not English. One does not see the English South African adopting the dress of his Indian or Zulu fellow-countrymen! But they most certainly have adopted his.
Thus, a distinctively English South African culture has been diluted, to a large extent, by the fact that so many other South Africans have, as it were, become English in so many ways! The English South African does not aspire to sound, look and act like a Zulu South African or an Indian South African; but these people groups most certainly aspire to sound, look and act English, in so many ways. Which means, then, that far from the English South African having lost his cultural identity, he has in fact shared it with the whole country! Therefore it is not surprising that a distinctively English culture is not always easy to discern. When almost everyone else looks and sounds and even acts English, the English South African is not going to stand out. Nor is he going to feel the great need others feel, to emphasise his “tribe” the way they do. For his has been the dominant culture, and has thus not been threatened, whereas people of other cultures, not being dominant, felt that theirs was under threat and that they must protect it by emphasising whatever is unique and special about it.
This is actually a worldwide phenomenon, not a uniquely South African one. Worldwide, the English language and culture is the dominant one today. And this is not just for historical reasons, as some might think. The truth is that many diverse peoples aspire to that culture. They desire it, they work hard at adopting it; they view it, in fact (dare I say it), as superior in many ways to their own.
But things are different now. No longer are the English, along with the Afrikaners, dominant in South Africa. They are now just two of the minorities within the borders of the country. And they are under immense threat. And as this threat against them grows, the English, just like the Afrikaners, may start pulling the “tribe” together. They may start emphasising their “Englishness” in a way they have not felt the need to in the past.
Which brings me to my next point.
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Filed under: History without the humbug