The cenotaph inside the Voortrekker Monument as seen from above. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Thousands of Afrikaners flocked to the Voortrekker Monument to celebrate what was formerly known as Geloftedag, or Day of the Vow, to witness the sunspot at noon on the cenotaph in the amphitheatre in the Voortrekker Monument. Yesterday, visitors arrived at the monument at 6am for early morning singing, a scripture reading, prayer and an address and then waited until midday to witness the sunspot at 12 noon on the cenotaph in the amphitheatre.
Monument spokesperson Du Preez de Villiers said last year, Day of the Vow was attended by over 30 000 people. “This year we had just under 40 000 visitors,” he added. There were 230 vow festivals countrywide on the day, with people as far as London livestreaming the event, De Villiers said.
Cultural centre chief operating officer Dawid Brand said this year’s commemoration was different – not just in scale, but in the intensity of the communal participation and the sense of shared historical remembrance it created for each visitor. “The Afrikaner has been in the international spotlight again this year, which has certainly translated locally into a renewed surge of pride, cultural identity and a sense of community belonging,” said Brand. AfriForum’s Kallie Kriel said the vow thevoortrekkerstook in 1838 is still important and called on its members to remember it and tell their children why they commemorate Day of the Vow.
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“A vow is a promise made to the Lord. This vow was repeated every night as a prayer until the Battle of Blood River took place to make the commando members’ commitment to the vow clear. “Every time has its own challenges. In 1838, many voortrekkers may have felt that they had no future.” Betereinders cofounder pastor Johan Erasmus said they were doing something different this Reconciliation Day by taxing taxis from the church to Tarlton, where they will braai, pray and play.
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