BOEREGEINTERNEERDES IN PORTUGAL TYDENS DIE ANGLO-BOEREOORLOG (1899-1902) EN HULLE TYDVERDRYWE

Abstract

Boer internees in Portugal during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and their leisure activities The British advance during the Anglo-Boer War forced a group of Boers over the Mozambican border where they were interned by the Portuguese. Lourenço Marques did not really have the necessary accommodation for the interned Boers. Consequently the Portuguese authorities decided to transfer them to Portugal, where the Boers were interned in Abrantes, Alcobaça, Caldas da Rainha, Oeiras, Peniche and Tomar. The Boer internees did not organize many leisure time activities although a few concerts were presented and religious festivals observed. As the internees enjoyed considerable freedom of movement, long walks and excursions were popular. They often played cricket and football, while target shooting was a popular pastime. In Caldas da Rainha the internees could frequently attend bull fights. A few dexterous ones made trinkets, but this pastime was not practised on a large scale. The relationship between the Boers and the Portuguese was very cordial, so it was only natural that close friendships were formed. The Boer internees were repatriated in July I902. In I913 the government of the Union of South Africa had a central monument erected in the English cemetery in Lisbon for those internees who were laid to rest in Portugal.

Die Britse opmars tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog het 'n groep Boere gedwing om die Mosambiekse grens oor te steek, waarna hulle deur die Portugese geïnterneer is. In Lourenço Marques was daar nie voldoende huisvesting beskikbaar nie, sodat die Portugese owerhede besluit het om die Boere na Portugal oor te plaas, waar hulle in Abrantes, Alcobaç, Caldas da Rainha, Oeiras, Peniche en Tomar geïnterneer is. Die Boeregeïnterneerdes het weinig georganiseerde tydverdrywe beoefen, maar enkele konserte is wel gehou en godsdienstige feeste is gevier. Aangesien die geïnterneerdes 'n groot mate van bewegingsvryheid gehad het, het hulle graag op lang wandelinge gegaan en ekskursies onderneem. Hulle het dikwels krieket en voetbal gespeel, terwyl skyfskiet 'n gewilde tydverdryf was. In Caldas da Rainha het hulle dikwels stiergevegte bygewoon. Enkele handvaardige Boere het snuisterye vervaardig, maar dié tydverdryf is nie op 'n groot skaal beoefen nie. Die verhouding tussen die Boere en Portugese was hartlik, sodat hegte vriendskappe gesluit is. Die Boeregeïnterneerdes is in Julie 1902 gerepatrieer. In 1913 het die regering van die Unie van Suid-Afrika 'n sentrale monument in die Engelse begraafplaas in Lissabon laat oprig vir daardie geïnterneerdes wat in Portugal begrawe is.