Maimane admits to having problems with Die Stem

[JStrike]

When it was only 'Die Stem' and a source of actual pride in the country? Quite often actually.
Once it became a sad rendition of a religious song copied by many other nations that has sweet f-all to do with our nation? Less than once a year.

You sung Die Stem with pride????

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

He was asked whether he did indeed tell the EFF that asking black people to sing Die Stem was like asking Jews to sing songs expressing support for Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Which specific words in 'Die Stem' expresses support for any kind of racism or for apartheid? It expresses support and pride for the country, nothing else.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

You sung Die Stem with pride????

Do you find pride in your motherland to be a strange concept????

 

[Pitbull]

What does it matter?
Language shmanguage.

Afrikaans is something we as South Africa should be proud of. It's the youngest language in the world. It's my heritage as much as it's yours as an Englishman. It should be recognised and appreciated. Just like I recognise and appreciate your language and your culture. I have no issues with English being in the anthem. Why would you have an issue with Afrikaans?

 

[saor]

Which specific words in 'Die Stem' expresses support for any kind of racism or for apartheid? It expresses support and pride for the country, nothing else.

From our plains where creaking wagons, cut their trails into the earth

While not racist, it does tend to highlight the Voortrekker history as being the only one worth mentioning.

 

[AstroTurf]

SA has possibly the best anthem of any country. No way we should chuck it.

Never mind that I don't think fairy-tales should be a part of our national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika is 5 different countries anthem.

We need our own and it should be about our country, not about a continent.

 

[saor]

I have no issues with English being in the anthem. Why would you have an issue with Afrikaans?

No issue with Afrikaans, I just don't care what language the anthem is.

 

[JStrike]

Do you find pride in your motherland to be a strange concept????

Undeserved pride? Absolutely. The pariah state we were deserved no pride.

I also find patriotism to be a bit strange. Why would I have pride in where I was born or where I currently live. Does it change depending on where I live at any given point in time? Is it based on where I spend most of the year? Where I pay taxes?

 

[Geoff.D]

You sung Die Stem with pride????

Yes of course we did! See what happened at the 1995 Rugby World Cup!

The song itself is completely neutral. But it is the association that is the problem.

The new one? A hymn? Please it is not a national anthem at all.

So if anyone wants to change it, write another one ensuring it is neutral, that can be translated into all 11 languages and then change.

Before that I reserve the right to only sing the parts of the anthem that I associate with.

 

[dualmeister]

Well I couldn't sing the current National anthem.

Can't even spell it

 

[Sinbad]

A politician is allowed to have personal beliefs that are in conflict with the beliefs of his constituency or party. It comes down to what he does about it.
Just because he doesn't like Die Stem doesn't mean he's going to actively try to change it... Just because he's a priest doesn't mean he's going to actively try to ban abortion...

He must respect the law of the land - and if he really wants to change the law of the land, he must also respect the process that is involved in doing so, and respect the outcome.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Take it out, but allow me to be able to sing it publicly if I want.

Times have changed, I'm open to suggestions. But remove Afrikaans from the anthem completely and I personally won't take it sitting down.

I agree, and are also open to suggestions. By removing the language, it is a clear message that a select culture and tradition are unwelcomed by The Call. To quote the article,

While he had views about singing Die Stem, consensus had to be reached.

“The issue for me is that we can build a common consensus and agree about an issue like Afrikaans because I’m always at the forefront of trying to build a negotiated consensus for South Africans.”

It is more than Die Stem.

Like many had suggested in this thread, it is time to write a new national anthem, whether it will be all inclusive is another story.

 

[Geoff.D]

and BTW, show us where he admitted anything to do with the anthem? He did say the matter could be debated at constitutional level.

 

[Pavan]

Tough one. I like the fact that we have a mix of culturally significant languages in our anthem. I hope we keep it this way if we decide to introduce a new anthem... Afrikaans should definitely be a part of that anthem.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

While not racist, it does tend to highlight the Voortrekker history as being the only one worth mentioning.

Written by an Afrikaner so there is some tendency perhaps, but it certainly doesn't claim Voortrekker history is "the only one worth mentioning".

In the exact same fashion one could say the current anthem hints that only Africa and African culture is worth mentioning. Which I guess is reasonable because the song is not an anthem of South Africa, it says nothing at all about South Africa or South Africans, only Africa.

Anthems are meant to be unique to the country and instill some country-specific pride, that disqualifies our national anthem entirely, we might as well sing "Cumbaya my Lord", which is not to say we HAVE to sing 'Die Stem', but it was at least country specific, it was a real anthem. We should have replaced it with a real anthem, but we didn't.

 

[ponder]

Scrap the whole thing and get a fresh one in english.

 

[saor]

Scrap the whole thing and get a fresh one in english.

English makes sense on an international stage - it allows us to tell a story about our country that others can understand.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

Undeserved pride? Absolutely. The pariah state we were deserved no pride.

Agree to disagree, the old South Africa achieved many great things that are worthy of pride, the mistakes it made doesn't cancel that out. I can feel pride and shame for my country at different times for different reasons.

I also find patriotism to be a bit strange. Why would I have pride in where I was born or where I currently live. Does it change depending on where I live at any given point in time? Is it based on where I spend most of the year? Where I pay taxes?

I've heard that before from people. Pride is something you feel or don't feel, of course nothing compels you except yourself. One can understand people who are born in the same country and deal with the same challenges and overcome those together might feel a sense of belonging and togetherness right? That is pride.

 

[TheChamp]

In the exact same fashion one could say the current anthem hints that only Africa and African culture is worth mentioning. Which I guess is reasonable because the song is not an anthem of South Africa, it says nothing at all about South Africa or South Africans, only Africa.

False

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa, South Afrika, South Afrika .

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land!

 

[Gnome]

I can easily see it being a problem for many people.
Coloured, Indian, Black, White. It is a reminder of Apartheid.

As a White person you may not have attached any significance to it other than Afrikaans
Although I'm sure there are plenty of people that sing it and reminisce about the "Good old days"

Fact is when a large majority of the country hears that song, they are reminded of a time when they had to carry a pass book.

Just like that song you listened with your first relationship can remind you of what once was.

It is holding the country back.
I honestly feel we should have removed it a LOONG time ago.