Upon hearing Die Antwoord, I was inspired to write a little bit about what the band represents...
Die Antwoord is fake, but a South African will quickly point out that what they represent is very real. In their video "Zef Side," the question is posed: What does "Die Antwoord" mean? "The Answer," replies band front man Waddy Jones. "The answer to what?" the query continues. "Whatever, man. Fuck." In South Africa, zef is a word meaning something resembling the American redneck. However, in a nation still grappling with the transition from apartheid to African leadership, zef means more. Zef culture represents the ignorance that allowed an apartheid regime to govern South Africa for sixty years. Yet, the Afrikaaners value culture, tradition and heritage above all else. Zef culture is very important to Afrikaaners - it is a homage to their pastoral roots, a reminder of the simpler life and still today an accurate representation of the way many Afrikaaners live.
Die Antwoord's tackling of zef culture in the form of rap is beautifully ironic. An explicitly African medium is used to communicate explicitly white culture. Die Antwoord thus highlights the contradictions of the modern Afrikaaner. Any attempt to harken back to Afrikaans roots invariably involves invoking racial overtones. The Afrikaaners have yet to arrive at an appropriate answer to their cultural legacy. When Jones is asked "answer to what?" he very appropriately does not have an answer. His response, "Whatever, man. Fuck," is a familiar one for Afrikaaners. After all, perhaps the most common phrase in the Afrikaans language is "Ja, Nee," meaning "Yes, no." Ja, Nee is an interjection that is entirely based on the context. It could mean "of course," "I don't know," or "Oh well." Above all, however, it represents confusion. Confusion about the Afrikaaner's place in modern South African. Confusion about where the zef will go, and whether an attempt should be made to save him. Die Antwoord does not provide an answer to these important questions for Afrikaaners. But it does a masterful job of illustrating the questions Afrikaaners must answer for themselves.
This line is a good illustration of what I mean
Die Antwoord is fake, but a South African will quickly point out that what they represent is very real. In their video "Zef Side," the question is posed: What does "Die Antwoord" mean? "The Answer," replies band front man Waddy Jones. "The answer to what?" the query continues. "Whatever, man. Fuck." In South Africa, zef is a word meaning something resembling the American redneck. However, in a nation still grappling with the transition from apartheid to African leadership, zef means more. Zef culture represents the ignorance that allowed an apartheid regime to govern South Africa for sixty years. Yet, the Afrikaaners value culture, tradition and heritage above all else. Zef culture is very important to Afrikaaners - it is a homage to their pastoral roots, a reminder of the simpler life and still today an accurate representation of the way many Afrikaaners live.
Die Antwoord's tackling of zef culture in the form of rap is beautifully ironic. An explicitly African medium is used to communicate explicitly white culture. Die Antwoord thus highlights the contradictions of the modern Afrikaaner. Any attempt to harken back to Afrikaans roots invariably involves invoking racial overtones. The Afrikaaners have yet to arrive at an appropriate answer to their cultural legacy. When Jones is asked "answer to what?" he very appropriately does not have an answer. His response, "Whatever, man. Fuck," is a familiar one for Afrikaaners. After all, perhaps the most common phrase in the Afrikaans language is "Ja, Nee," meaning "Yes, no." Ja, Nee is an interjection that is entirely based on the context. It could mean "of course," "I don't know," or "Oh well." Above all, however, it represents confusion. Confusion about the Afrikaaner's place in modern South African. Confusion about where the zef will go, and whether an attempt should be made to save him. Die Antwoord does not provide an answer to these important questions for Afrikaaners. But it does a masterful job of illustrating the questions Afrikaaners must answer for themselves.
This line is a good illustration of what I mean
"I represent, South African culture. This place, you get a lot of different things.
Blacks, Whites, Coloreds, English, Afrikaans, Zulu.
I'm like, all these different things... fucked into one person."
Blacks, Whites, Coloreds, English, Afrikaans, Zulu.
I'm like, all these different things... fucked into one person."
Also one of their songs "Dagga Puff," meaning Weed Puff is ridiculous if you have a basic understanding of Afrikaans slang.
Dagga Puff
Could you please translate me a whole lyrics of Dagga puff? Maybe also with some cultural notes, I don't know a thing about Afrikaan slang or culture and civilization. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAnd what about the song Evil Boy? Is that a joke? I don't really understand their music, but I kind of like it - a lot.
ReplyDelete"Zef culture is very important to Afrikaaners - it is a homage to their pastoral roots,"
ReplyDeleteBullshit.
Zef "culture" means nothing to Afrikaners. When we see people with mullets, we point and laugh.
Die Antwoord doesn't represent any Afrikaners. It's a joke. A very small minority of South Africans are like that. They are the ones who live in trailer parks and bang their sisters. And end up in prison.