British ballads in South Africa

Subject: Folklore: British ballads in South Africa
From: banjocircus
Date: 12 May 11 - 03:30 PM

When the British settled North America, settlers brought ballads with them which naturalized into the new culture.

Was there a similar phenomenon in South Africa? Are there collections of South African versions of Childs and other British ballads?

Thanks,

Jonathan Leiss

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 May 11 - 09:29 PM

Interesting question!

The Hugenots and Dutch were the first white settlers of South Africa, but the British took over in 1795, gave it back for a few years, then took over again in 1806 (handy-dandy Wikipedia).
There should be old ballads of both groups there.

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 May 11 - 09:31 PM

A large archive of Boer songs on the net, but I haven't seen anything devoted to the settlers from the British Isles.

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: GUEST,John MacKenzie
Date: 13 May 11 - 04:13 AM

Previous thread

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: MartinRyan
Date: 13 May 11 - 04:47 AM

Interesting question. As a gross simplification, I'd have thought the North American survivals happened in part because of the development of self-sufficient, conservative, isolated English/Scots/Irish communities which survived for a variety of different reasons and preserved some folk traditions. I'm not conscious of that having happened in South Africa which, in a sense, was primarily a maritime service station at the crucial period.

That said, I have a picture in my mind's eye of a small book consisting of "simplified" versions of English/Scots ballads intended to be taught to schoolchildren in British African colonies. Not what the original poster is asking about but indicative of their later use on that continent.


Regards

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: banjocircus
Date: 13 May 11 - 08:20 PM

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. More or less what I expected.

Jonathan

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 May 11 - 08:06 AM

Maybe generations of transportation to America and Australia contributed to this. So far as I know there was never transportation to South Africa.

Subject: RE: British ballads in South Africa
From: banjocircus
Date: 15 May 11 - 08:44 AM

Perhaps not, but there were soldiers and sailors. Of course they both had their own repertoires, but perhaps a Barbara Allen or Froggy Went a Courtin slipped in there? That was my hope in asking, any way.

Jonathan