Bepalende faktore met betrekking tot die voorkoms van sport en spele in die konsentrasiekampe tydens die Angloboereoorlog, 1899-1902

Abstract

This investigation is derived from an earlier project that dealt with sport and games in the prisoner-of-war camps during the Anglo-Boer War. Against all expectations, the findings revealed that the "Burghers" in the concentration camps did amuse themselves with a variety of sports and games, like football, track and field athletics (called 'Sports' in those days), cricket, tennis, swimming, marbles, croquet, quoits, drilling and physical exercises, and other rural or indigenous games. In this article the focus is on external factors that either hindered or made these activities possible. Hindering factors include the trying camp-life (boredom, lack of space, subjection to extreme cold and heat, and the conscientious of some inhabitants, etc.), while the factors that promoted sport and games were the camp school system, the British authorities and camp superintendents, and British imperialism. The camp school system was used to submit the Boer children to British influence, of which their sporting culture was predominant. The British government and the camp authorities also promoted sport by providing funds and sports equipment.



Keywords: Anglo-Boer War, South African War, Concentration camps, Sport, Games, British imperialism


South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol.26(2) 2004:117-130