Inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument

Inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument (1949) was a series of tableaux performed in 1949.

The original text

The title given above refers to an historical enactment of Afrikaner history from 1839 to 1949, presented as part of the festivities surrounding the annual commemoration of the Great Trek and the inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria.

It took the form of a series of five tableaus:

(a) Retief se tog na Dingaan ("Retief's journey to Dingane")

(b) Die 1880-periode ("The 1880 period").

(c) Die routoneel, 1901 ("The mourning scene, 1901")

(d) Unie, 1910 ("Union, 1910")

(e) Die hede, 1949 ("The present, 1949")

The performance took place in the new Amphitheatre of the Monument, on Thursday 15 December, 1949 at 8:30 pm.

Apparently another production, consisting a number of scenes from Deur stryd tot oorwinning (Adèle Jooste) was performed by Volksteater as part of the festivities that year.

Sources

Marisa Keuris. 2013. "J.R.L. van Bruggen (Kleinjan) se eenbedryf “Bloedrivier” uit Bakens: Gedramatiseerde mylpale uit die Groot Trek (1938/1939) – ’n terugblik vanuit 2013", LitNet Akademies 10(3)[1]

Programme of the Inauguration ceremony (as cited by Keuris).

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