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Racial /s Africa / Boer
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Racial /s Africa / Boer
A Boer postman in the Transvaal rides his horse urgently across the veldt, uncertain whether strangers are friend or foe
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Media ID 610271
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10117854
Boer Friend Rides Strangers Transvaal Uncertain Urgently Veldt Racial
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the tense atmosphere of the Transvaal region in South Africa during the early 1900s, a time marked by racial tensions and uncertainty. In the image, a Boer postman rides urgently across the vast, open veldt, his horse's hooves kicking up clouds of dust as he scans the horizon for signs of approaching strangers. The Boer, dressed in the traditional garb of the Afrikaner farmers, clutches a rifle in one hand, his face etched with concern and determination. The Boer Republics of South Africa, including the Transvaal, had been under British rule since the Second Boer War (1899-1902), and the region was still reeling from the aftermath of the conflict. The Boer population, resentful of British rule, lived in constant fear of reprisals and raids. The presence of strangers on the veldt could mean anything from a peaceful trade caravan to a hostile British patrol. The Boer postal service played a crucial role in maintaining communication between the scattered Boer communities, and postmen like this one were often the only contact the farmers had with the outside world. Riding alone and unarmed, they relied on their wits, their horses, and their rifles to keep them safe. The photograph, taken circa 1905, is a poignant reminder of the historical tensions that once defined the South African landscape. The Boer flag, visible on the postman's saddle, adds a sense of national pride and identity to the image, underscoring the complex and often fraught relationships between the different communities that inhabited this land.
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