The Pioneer Podcast

How the Battle of Blood River and the Vow of 1838 shaped the Afrikaner way of thinking In this week’s episode of the Pioneer Podcast, I spoke with Ernst van Zyl, Head of Public Relations at AfriForum about the origin story of the Afrikaner people. Obviously, it would be an oversimplification to claim that a nation could trace its origin back to only one event. The Afrikaner people – with our unique language, culture and traditions – have been shaped by a variety of events that could collectively be described as the historical experience that shaped our nation. There is however one event in particular that had such a significant impact on the Afrikaner way of thinking that it is celebrated to this very day. Every year on 16 December, Afrikaners gather at hundreds of events not just in South Africa, but all over the world to celebrate the vow of 1838. In Afrikaans, we call this day Geloftedag (The Day of the Vow). This is because a group of 470 Afrikaners (at the time known as the Voortrekkers) were surrounded and attacked by a Zulu force of about 12 000 soldiers in December 1838. In the run-up to the battle, the Afrikaners made a vow to God that if He were to protect us in the looming battle, that we would commemorate this day in future as a day of thanksgiving like a Sabbath – a tradition held to this very day. Watch my discussion with Ernst van Zyl about the significance of this event, and also why the celebration of the Day of the Vow has become increasingly popular among the Afrikaner people over the last few decades.

In this week's episode of The Pioneer Podcast, Ernst Roets engages in a discussion with Daan Goosen about the 'Great Books' program at Akademia, a higher learning institution in South Africa. Together, they delve into Homer’s Odyssey, a timeless work that has influenced nearly 3,000 years of thought and culture. They explore the insights and enduring lessons that this epic masterpiece offers, drawing connections to both ancient and modern contexts. Tune in for this great conversation on one of the most iconic texts in Western literature. If you like this podcast and like to support it, you can visit https://afrikaner.org/support/ to make a donation.

In this episode of The Pioneer Podcast, listen to Ernst Roets’ recent speech delivered at the International Conservatism Summit in Bratislava. Titled “Safely Through the Crowd: Building Resilient Institutions in Hostile Circumstances,” the speech addresses the extent to which South Africa is faltering due to government overreach. More importantly, it highlights the remarkable efforts of the Afrikaner community in building resilience through the Solidarity Movement's network of institutions. If you would like to support this podcast, you can visit https://afrikaner.org/donate/ to make a donation or sign up as a member of The Afrikaner Foundation.   #thepioneerpodcast

In episode 21 of The Pioneer Podcast, Ernst Roets spoke with Jeremy Carl, a Senior Fellow at the Claremont Institute and author of The Unprotected Class, about racism in the United States. What are your thoughts on how societal structures contribute to or combat this problem?