| dc.description.abstract | As draught animals, oxen played a key role in the economic and cultural fields of the developmental history of South Africa. Although the use of oxen as draught animals is no longer a part of the majority of people in South Africa, the history of South Africa without the inclusion of oxen is unthinkable. The problem statement underlying this study is that, in contrast with the wagon and wagon-builder’s industry, which have both been extensively documented in literature, the draught ox and the tackle used with ox-wagons have not been fully documented in a complete publication. Because there is a dwindling pool of individuals who have first-hand knowledge of the use of oxen as draught animals, this knowledge occurs in fragmented form in the available literature, and the present generation is largely ignorant of the topic, and therefore it is considered essential to document this as a significant part of our culture-historical heritage for the sake of future generations.
The aim of the study was, from a culture-historical perspective, to look at the development of the ox as source of power in the developmental history of South Africa, to assess it in terms of the cultural value it represents, and to discuss the equipment in detail. This is done by way of the following research question: How did the use of the draught ox develop historically as a source of power in South Africa, and what contributions did it make to the general development of activities within the societal context?
As background, the descent, distribution and utilization of the draught ox as domesticated animal and the use of the draught ox as working animal in South Africa are investigated in historical terms (chapters 2 and 3).
Further on, in chapters 4 and 5, the profiles of the draught ox and the ox-wagon driver in South Africa are carefully analysed. With regard to the ox, its phenotypical and non-phenotypical qualities are analysed and it is indicated how this is situated in the name-giving of draught oxen. As regards the driver, his skills and ethics are described and a focus is put on the contribution that this made to the Afrikaans language.
The material culture associated with the draught ox is described and analysed in fine detail. A detailed analysis is also done of how the by-products of the ox were utilized and processed as resource to make articles used by people (chapter 6). The design, methods of manufacture and the use of the draught equipment are analysed carefully (chapter 7). This includes, amongst others, yokes, yoke pins, whips, thongs and strops. In the process the working routines and equipment of the draught ox with regard to the use, manufacture and preparation of the relevant components are analysed in detail. The draught positions (chapter 4) and the inspanning or yoking and outspanning or unyoking of a span of oxen are also analysed (chapter 7). In the final instance (chapter 8) the processing of hides and the softening of rawhide thongs are analysed step by step.
In conclusion (chapter 9) reference is made to the role of the draught ox in the economic development of the country, there is special concentration on the adjudication of the culture-historical contribution of the draught ox, the driver and the draught equipment or tackle. The cardinal contribution of the culture of the draught ox to the material and spiritual culture of the local societies are underlined. On the one hand the different physical components of the draught equipment manufactured as by-products of the ox are stressed as being indispensable objects in agriculture and transport. On the other hand there was the technological development, and the acquisition of skills in the creation and application of draught equipment which were equally significant, as well as the considerable contribution made by the language of the ox-wagon drivers to the Afrikaans language and other local languages.
As trekdiere het osse 'n sleutelrol op ekonomiese en kulturele gebied in die ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis van Suid-Afrika gespeel. Hoewel die gebruik van osse as trekdiere lank nie meer 'n deel van die bestaan van die meerderheid mense in Suid-Afrika is nie, is die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika sonder inagneming van die bydrae van die trekos ondenkbaar. Die probleemstelling waaruit hierdie studie voortvloei, is dat in teenstelling met die ossewa en die wamakersbedryf, wat ekstensief in die literatuur gedokumenteer is, die trekos en sy trektoerusting nie volledig in 'n omvattende publikasie geboekstaaf is nie. Omdat 'n krimpende poel van individue oor eerstehandse kennis oor die benutting van osse as trekkrag beskik, hierdie kennis gefragmenteer in die literatuur weergegee word, en die huidige geslag grotendeels onkundig is oor die onderwerp, is dit noodsaaklik om dit vir die komende geslagte as betekenisvolle deel van ons kultuurhistoriese erfenis te boekstaaf.
Die doelstelling van die studie is om vanuit 'n kultuurhistoriese perspektief die benutting en ontwikkeling van die os en die gepaardgaande trektoerusting, met spesifieke verwysing na die trekos as kragbron, in die ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis van Suid-Afrika te ondersoek, dit na waarde te skat en die os en sy toerusting breedvoerig as kultuurhistoriese entiteit te beskryf. Dit word aan die hand van die volgende navorsingsvraag gedoen: Hoe het die benutting van die trekos as kragbron histories in Suid-Afrika ontwikkel en watter bydraes het dit tot die algemene ontwikkeling van aktiwiteite in die samelewing gemaak?
As agtergrond word die herkoms, verspreiding en benutting van die trekos as gedomestifikeerde (makgemaakte) dier en die aanwending van die trekos as werkdier in Suid-Afrika histories nagespeur (hoofstuk 2 en 3).
Verder word die profiel van die trekos en die osdrywer in Suid-Afrika noukeurig ontleed (hoofstuk 4 en 5). Wat die trekos betref, word sy fenotipiese en nie-fenotipiese kenmerke ontleed en aangedui hoe dit neerslag vind in die naamgewing van osse. Wat die osdrywer betref, word sy vaardighede en etiek omskryf en gefokus op die bydrae wat hy tot die Afrikaanse taal gelewer het.
Die materiële kultuur geassosieer met die trekos word in fyn besonderhede beskryf en ontleed. 'n Gedetailleerde analise word gedoen van hoe die neweprodukte van die trekos verwerk word as grondstowwe om gebruiksartikels te vervaardig (hoofstuk 6). Die ontwerp, vervaardigingsmetodes en benutting van die trekgoed van die trekos, beide die trektoerusting en die dryftoerusting, word noukeurig ontleed (hoofstuk 7). Dit sluit onder meer jukke, skeie, swepe, rieme en stroppe in. In die proses word die werksroetines en toerusting van die trekos met betrekking tot die gebruik, vervaardiging en bereiding van die tersaaklike komponente in besonderhede ontleed. Ook word die trekposisies (hoofstuk 4) en die in- en uitspanroetine van 'n span osse (hoofstuk 7) beskryf. Laastens word die verwerking van velle en die brei van rieme stap vir stap ontleed (hoofstuk 8).
In die gevolgtrekking (hoofstuk 9) word verwys na die rol van die trekos in die ekonomiese ontwikkeling van die land, maar word veral gekonsentreer op die beoordeling van die kultuurhistoriese bydrae van die os, die drywer en die trektoerusting. Die kardinale bydraes van die trekoskultuur tot die stoflike en geestelike kultuur van die plaaslike samelewing(s) word uitgelig. Aan die een kant was die verskillende fisiese komponente van die trekgoed en die artikels wat uit die neweprodukte van die os vervaardig is onontbeerlike voorwerpe in die landbou en vervoerbedryf. Aan die ander kant was die tegnologiese ontwikkeling en die aanleer van vaardighede in die skep en aanwending van die trektoerusting ewe betekenisvol, asook die aansienlike bydrae wat die osdrywerstaal tot die Afrikaanse taal en ander plaaslike tale gelewer het | en_US |
