Bloedrivier ("Blood river", or "the river of blood") can be a reference to the physical river in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, to a historical event that rtook place on the river (and give it its name), or to a number of works bearing the title about or referring to the event.

The historical event

Bloedrivier (English: Blood River) is the most commonly found reference to the seminal Geveg van Bloedrivier (i.e. the Battle of Blood River) of 1838, in which the Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius and his Boer fighters fought off and conquered the Zulu forces ("impis") of Dingaan (or Dingane).

The victory is commemorated annually on the 16th of December, a public holiday long known as Geloftedag (the Day of the Vow or the Day of the Covenant), and since the transition to the new dispensation in 1994 known as the Day of Reconciliation.

Numerous works of fact and fiction have been produced about this event and the story has attained mythical and symbolic value in the history of the Afrikaner community.

Dramatic works using Bloedrivier as title

Bloedrivier ("Blood River"), a one act documentary drama by J.R.L. van Bruggen (1895-1948)

The original text

Dealing with the so-called Battle of Blood River [1] between the Voortrekkers[2] and the Zulu impi's of Dingane, it forms part of a collection of Afrikaans one-act documentary plays by Van Bruggen entitled Bakens: Gedramatiseerde mylpale uit die Groot Trek, aimed at commemorating the Great Trek of 1839. (Published in Johannesburg in 1938/9 by A.P.B., some of the plays performed in 1938)

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): pp.629-650.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Trek

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blood_River

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