Volkspele
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Volkspele is a
South African __NOTOC__ South African may relate to: * The nation of South Africa * South African Airways * South African English * South African people * Languages of South Africa * Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the Afric ...
folk dance tradition. Directly translated, ''Volkspele'' means "folk-games" and can be translated to folk-dance. Folk-dance was the brain-child of South African Dr. SH Pellisier, who was visiting
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
in 1915 with a friend to become more proficient in carpentry. After finishing their day's work they met with other young people in their respective countries' national dress to practise their folk-singing and -dancing. The South Africans were the only ones left out as they did not have any traditional dances. Back in South Africa, Pellisier translated four Swedish dances and taught them to pupils at the Afrikaans High School in Boshof where he was Deputy Headmaster. During a Sunday School picnic on the farm Vuisfontein near Boshof on 22 February 1914 they performed the dances for the first time. The picnic games became known as volkspele. With the help of the Reddingsdaadbond, an organisation which was established to assist poor Afrikaners after the Anglo Boer War, groups of dancers called ''laers'' were established throughout the country. Get-togethers called ''saamtrekke'' are usually organised where all the ''laers'' get together to sing and do folk-dancing. The folk-dancers also present displays and have courses on different levels, seniors: people out of school, and juniors: learners in school, for either a weekend or longer. During the June school holidays there are also courses for grade 5-7 pupils (known as the ''Judith Pellissierweek'' - named after the wife of Dr Pellissier), grade 8-9 pupils (known as the ''Vormingsweek'' - Formative) and for grade 10-12 pupils (known as the ''Pellisierweek''). From time to time there are overseas tours; or a folk-dance group or two will tour with South African folk-dancers in South Africa, giving displays at various towns. At these ''saamtrekke'', displays, tours and courses the dress (''volkspeledrag'') is as the photos below show. Tours have been conducted to Europe, Namibia, The United States and Turkey, with groups from Italy, Germany, Belgium and others touring South Africa. The dress originated from the formal dress the pioneers or Voortrekkers wore. It is called national dress, as in the European countries. All folk-dancers in South Africa must use the same style with only the colours differing. Each ''laer'' has its own colours for the ladies' dresses as well as for the men's waistcoats - these are embroidered with indigenous flower designs.


External links

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SOUTH AFRICAN FOLK DANCING
1958. AP Archive - British Movietone News footage.
Afrikaanse Volksang en Volkspele Beweging
South African culture Afrikaans words and phrases South African English