Thursday, September 9, 2010

A brief history of South Africa Part I

I got a review that suggested I need to discuss myself and my home country a bit more in this blog because it’s “interesting” but really, that’s just ignorant. Living in South Africa is just like living in America but with more bugs and less white people.
So I thought I’ll give you guys a nice historical overview.

I live on a wine farm in a small town called Wellington. It’s quite a big farm and the wines are quite popular so if you recently got a nice Chenin Blanc from South Africa, chances are it’s from the same vineyard my cat pees in every single day.

South Africa is located to the South of about 5 countries that have gone to shit in the last 10 years, so we are super psyched about that.


Our president is Jacob Zuma. He’s got 5 wives, a fiance, and 21 children. Our taxes are really, really high.
Here’s the three first wives rocking some hats. As you can see, he’s clearly going to score with at least 2 of them.


Anyway, South Africa was discovered by Vasco de Gama. When the locals were very surprised but they had a big orange flag and awesome pantaloons so they let them hang around. A couple of other Portuguese guys sailed past the place and then in 1652 the teenaged Jan van Riebeeck arrived and opened a refreshment station. In Afrikaans apartheid schools we learnt that Jan van Riebeeck was a national hero but when you think about it he really was like, the manager of the Cape Colony Wendy’s.

He kinda looks like one of the Jonas brothers.

For a long time we had his face on all our money but then the historians said the guy in this picture isn't even really Jan van Riebeeck but we already printed the money, so we just ignored that little fact.

Now our money has a sheep on it. Probably better that way.

11 comments:

  1. Haha, and I was going to do extensive research before my trip to South Africa in January! You saved me some hassle there ;)

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  2. 1.) That map was genius.
    2.) Those are the best wives he can get?
    3.) Total Jonas brother.

    This was better than anything I ever learned it school.

    You are my hero Estelle. :)

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  3. hahahah i love this post. LOL.

    i dont know i have much to say bout history if i were to make a post about my country ....

    Im ignorant, sorry, it that for real bout your president? lol

    great work essie, well written :)

    love the sheep money. haha :)

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  4. fuckin' south africa ...
    i dunno why im so fascinated with your place, but i will be there in due time (mark my words)
    kinda a fucked mentality but such a place that has so many ups and downs to it ... why not go???

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  5. I wish you had posted this when my African International Politics professor made me do a report on South Africa. I obviously would have just cited this in my presentation. "As you can see in this map here, the political situation in South Africa is complicated by the Star Wars nation to the north..."

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  6. This is not Jan van Riebeeck but is Bartholomew Vermuyden.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/hilton-t/16056832308

    Jan van Riebeeck here:

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/hilton-t/16218478776/

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