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Bok van Blerk (born Louis Andreas Pepler; 30 March 1978) is a South African singer-songwriter who sings in Afrikaans. He became famous in 2006 for his rendition of "De la Rey" by Sean Else and Johan Vorster.

Though controversy attended the release of "De la Rey," South Africa's Department of Arts and Culture examined the debate and then wished van Blerk well with the song, writing officially that the Department saw "no problem."

Early life and career

Van Blerk went to school at Hoërskool die Wilgers in Pretoria. After his study, he spent time working abroad.

In March 2006, Bok van Blerk and the Mossies released the album Jy praat nog steeds my taal (You still speak my language). The same album was rereleased in October 2006 under the name De La Rey and solely credited to Bok van Blerk. According to Van Blerk "and the Mossies" was removed because his fellow singer, Tanya van Graan, was too busy modeling. Van Blerk is accompanied by Jaco Mans (and occasionally Manie van Niekerk) on lead guitar, Francois Coetzee on bass guitar, and Nathan Smit on the drums.

"De la Rey" controversy

On 6 February 2007, the South African Department of Arts and Culture issued a statement regarding "De la Rey" (ostensibly a tribute to 19th Century military leader Koos de la Rey) and its then popularity with some Afrikaners, some of whom were claimed to interpret the song as a call to armed conflict. (See "Bring Me My Machine Gun" for additional historical context.) At some of van Blerk's concerts, audience members were seen flying the Apartheid-era South African flag and the Transvaal flag, the Vierkleur, also associated with the Apartheid era. The Orange Free State flag (a historical Afrikaner state) is shown in a period scene in the music video. Huisgenoot, a widely read woman's magazine, asked Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan to comment. In its statement, the Department lamented that the song could be hijacked by right-wingers, but wished the singer good luck. The Department also stated that it had no problem with protests or mobilisation from the opposition, as long as they occur within the framework of democratic law.

Van Blerk says that he himself does not identify with the old South African flag, nor does he want to be associated with old South Africa. He is, however, proudly Afrikaans, and has refused to participate in concerts organised by 94.7 Highveld Stereo, a radio station that declines to play Afrikaans music.

Van Blerk is also clear that he does not align with the Boeremag: he does not believe violence to be a solution, and believes that General de la Rey was pro-peace. Famed Afrikaans musician Koos Kombuis points out that van Blerk's rugby song "Habana!" is about a heroic Coloured athlete, Bryan Habana, thus differentiating van Blerk himself from the subjects of his music. Van Blerk printed a disclaimer on the sleeve of his second album, Afrikanerhart: "Afrikanerhart does not call for any kind of revolution or uprising. It comes from the musical 'Ons vir Jou', and we simply wish to say that Afrikaners also shed blood while building South Africa. If we respect all our cultures and history, we together will make this country stronger". (Translated from the original Afrikaans)

Discography

Filmography

• Platteland (2011)
• As jy sing (2013)
• Vrou Soek Boer (2014)
• Leading Lady (2014)
• Blood & Glory (Modder en Bloed, 2018)

References

1. ^ Tanya de Vente (Vrouekeur) "Bok van Blerk, 'n bok vir sports Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 23 February 2007
2. "Ministry of Arts & Culture on Bok Van Blerks's Supposed Afrikaans "Struggle Song," De La Rey and Its Coded Message to Fermenting Revolutionary Sentiments". Archived from the original on 5 September 2022.
3. ^ Rapport, Hanlie Retief gesels met Bok van Blerk Archived 19 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 23 February 2005
4. Song Wakens Injured Pride of Afrikaners, Michael Wines, The New York Times, 27 February 2007
5. Afrikaans singer stirs up controversy with war song by Chris McGreal in Johannesburg, The Guardian, 26 February 2007
6. DKK, Ministry of Arts & Culture on Bok van Blerks’s Supposed Afrikaans “Struggle Song,” De La Rey and Its Coded Message to Fermenting Revolutionary Sentiments. Archived 2012-02-20 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 23 February 2007
7. Die BurgerBok sê aikôna vir ou landsvlag én 94.7, accessed 23 February 2007
8. Litnet Bok van Blerk en die bagasie van veertig jaar Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 23 February 2007
9. "SA Top 20". SABC. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
10. "SA Top 20" (in Afrikaans). Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
11. "SA Top 20" (in Afrikaans). Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
12. "SA Top 20". SABC. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
13. "SA Top 20". SABC. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.

External links

• "Bok van Blerk". bokvanblerk.co.za. Bok van Blerk. 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023. Bok van Blerk's homepage.
• Linderman, Aaron (21 July 2007). "Between Pride and Prejudice: The Problem of History". quincyhouse.blogspot.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023. About van Blerk's song De la Rey.
• De la Rey Song - with English subtitles on YouTube. Video duration 5 min 6 sec. Uploader MasakhaneSA 2008.

• South African pop singers
• South African singer-songwriters
• 1978 births
• Afrikaans-language singers of South Africa
• Afrikaner people
• Living people
• South African people of Dutch descent
• 21st-century South African male singers