The Great Trek grew out of the unsettlement on the Eastern Frontier of
the Cape. The unsettlement that the frontier farmers, made up mainly of Dutch
Colonists and French Huguenots, felt arouse from conflicts between them and the
Xhosa people of the region, who where both contending for land. There was also
a feeling of political estrangement between the frontier colonists and the
British government.
The frontier farmers felt a lack of confidence in the British
government, who originally was not strong enough to support and protect the
farmers. The farmers had to fend for themselves. As the British government
became stronger British authority and military became increasingly felt in the
region. This resulted in the curtailing of the Burgher commando’s, which had a
large contribution to the feeling dissatisfaction and insecurity amongst the
farmers.
The frontier farmers felt much damage and loss of property especially
during the 6th Frontier War, in which they had to provide their own
horses and equipment. The British government promised compensation, but this
promise was never fulfilled.
Overpopulation and overgrazing on the Eastern frontier was another factor contributing to the Great Trek. Both the frontier farmers and
the Xhosa where stock farmers and therefore needed vast amounts of land in
order to adequately satisfy the needs of their livestock. As the need for land
increased so did the conflict and the feeling of insecurity.
After the 6th Frontier War (1834-1835) the Frontier farmers
felt their existence on the frontier was intolerable resulting in the mass
emigration of the Great Trek. The Frontier farmer (who became known as the
Voortrekkers) broke their ties with the Cape Colony to journey into the
interior of South Africa in order to find their own state based on their own
ideas of freedom and justice. The farmers divided themselves into Trek groups,
who loaded as much of their possessions as would fit on to ox wagons and left
the Cape Colony. Emigration did not take place simultaneously but in stages
over the period between 1835-1836.
Throughout the entire journey the Voortrekkers had to contend with the
forces of nature and continuous attacks from native African people, whose land
they crossed.
(An Illustrated History of South Africa p127-139)
THE BATTLE OF BLOOD RIVER
On the 15th December 1838 a group of
Voortrekkers, under the leadership of Andries Pretorius, received word that the
Zulu forces where approaching. Pretorius ordered the group to create a laager
(a protective circle formed out of ox wagons) between what is now the Blood
River and a ditch on the opposite side. On the morning of the 16th
December, 10 000 zulu warriors led by Dambua and Ndela attacked. The 470
Voortrekkers succeeded in repelling the attacks, only three Voortrekkers were
wounded, while 3 000 Zulus were killed in the Battle.
The Voortrekkers attributed the victory to divine
intervention; the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria is a testament to that
divine intervention.
(An Illustrated History of South Africa
p134-136)
Gerard
Leedert Pieter Moerdijk was born on the 4th March 1890, on the farm
Zwaershoek near Nylstroom in the then South African Republic. His father, Jan
Leendert Moerdijk, a teacher, emigrated from the Netherlands in 1888 and
married Cornelia Dorst (also from the Netherlands) in Nylstroom in 1889.
During
the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Gerard Moerdijk was kept in the Standerton
Concentration camp with his mother, two brothers and two sisters. After the
war, the family lived in Pretoria where Gerard was a pupil at the school, which
later become Pretoria Boys High. He matriculated with honours in 1909 and
qualified as an architect at the Architectural Association in England. He also
studied in France where he was exposed to and studied classical Roman and
Renaissance architecture in Italy. He was the first South African to become an
Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Gerard
Moerdijk returned to South Africa in 1913. He started his own practice and
during his time as an architect, received more than eighty commissions for
churches. Other commissioned works for which he was famous are the Merensky
Library at the University of Pretoria, and the Voortrekker Monument, both of
which were in some way influenced by The Zimbabwe Ruins.
The
South African Academy for Arts and Science awarded him an honorary membership
in 1936 and in 1950 the University of South Africa awarded him and honorary
doctorate.
Gerard Moerdijk
died in Nylstroom on the 29th March 1958 at the age of sixty-eight.
(http://www.voortrekkermon.org.za/VTMEnglish/E15.00_architect.htm)
THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT

FIGURE 1: Photograph
of the Voortrekker Monument.
The Voortrekker Monument (Figure 1) set on Monument Hill in
Pretoria pays tribute to the Voortrekkers who as a result of the Great
Trek laid the foundation for a white civilisation in the interior of South
Africa. The foundation stone was laid in 1938 the monument was completed and
inaugurated 11 years later in 1949. the inauguration ceremony was attended by
nearly 250 000 people (Figure 2).

FIGURE 2: The
inauguration Ceremony.
The monument, designed by Gerhard Moerdijk, was opened on
the day of the Covenant, 16th December 1949. The Monument comprises
of a massive 40m-high block ringed by a laager of 64 synthetic granite
ox wagons (Figure 3), the same number as those used in the Battle of Blood
River. At the monument's entrance is Anton van Wouw's sculpture (Figure 4) of a
Voortrekker mother and children. This sculpture pays tribute the women
Voortrekkers for their bravery in the Great Trek and their role in insuring the
survival and increase of the Voortrekkers in the interior of South Africa.

FIGURE 2: Granite
ox wagons surrounding the Voortrekker Monument.

FIGURE 4: Anton
van Wouw’s sculpture of a
Voortrekker mother and children.
The Wildebeests on either side of the statue symbolise the
dangers of Africa. Above the Sculpture is the entrance to the monument, which
is defended by a buffalo. Above the entrance is an arched window zigzagged with
lines in granite(Figure 5), this zigzag line in cuneiform writing symbolises
water, essential to fertility of Africa.

FIGURE 5: Windows
with zigzag lines in granite.
The four corners of the monument are accentuated with
statues of the four leaders of Voortrekkers During the Great Trek, Piet Retief,
Adries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgiter and an unknown leader.
The interior of the main block consists of two chambers. Firstly the domed, 30m-high Hall of Heroes, its walls lined with a frieze of 27 marble panels (their combined length is 92 m) depicting the Great Trek's main events (Figure 6). The frieze forms an integral part of the monument’s structure, symbolic of the integral role the Voortrekkers played in the development of white civilisation in the interior of South Africa. In the dome 30m above the hall of Heroes a hole allows a ray of light to penetrate the building. The floor has been laid out in increase circles leading from a focal point a hole in the centre of the floor over looks the cenotaph below.

FIGURE 6: Photograph
of the frieze in the Hall of Heroes.
Below the Hall of Heroes is a second hall which
features a granite cenotaph, the focus of the monument, so situated that a ray
of sunshine falls on the inscription, “Ons vir jou Suid Afrika” (Us for
you South Africa) every noon on 16 December every year to commemorate the
Battle of Blood River. The ray of light symbolises the divine intervention,
which the Voortrekkers believed allowed them victory in this battle. Many of the
descendants of the Voortrekkers still to this day gather at the monument on
this day to pay tribute to their ancestors. This hall also contains a marble
niche holding burning flame, which was lit by a flame carried in the opening
procession, an ox wagon procession that began in Cape Town and ended at the
monument. The flame has been lit ever since.
A spiral staircase leading off the Hall of Heroes gives access to the Hall below it and to the of the monument which is surrounded by an arched walkway, providing views in every direction of the surrounding environment, which includes Salvo Kop (Figure 7).

FIGURE 7: Photograph
of Salvo Kop taken from the top of the Voortrekker Monument.
RESOURCES
CAMERON, T. 1986. An Illustrated History of South Africa. Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball Publishers.
HARTDEGEN, P. 1988. Our Building Heritage: An Illustrated Guide. Halfway House: Ryll’s Publishing Company. GERARD MOERDIJK (4 March 1890 - 29 March 1958) Architect of the Voortrekker Monument! http://www.voortrekkermon.org.za/VTMEnglish/E15.00_architect.htm
(7 February 2003)