Die Burger is the most important newspaper for Afrikaans people. To read Die Burger gives valuable insights into the lives of Afrikaans people, though obviously you have to be able to read Afrikaans, since the paper is not published in English. However, a glance at the pictures on the front page help, most frequently showing images of fishing trawlers (it is compulsory for the front page to carry a fishing story), Steve Hofmeyr, the current Springbok coach and powerboats. These are all things very important to Afrikaans people and therefore common headline news in Die Burger. If you wish to impress Afrikaans people, at your next gathering say something like, “You know, I was reading Die Burger the other day. Did you know the first editor was D.F. Malan?” At this they will be astonished, since even most Afrikaans people didn’’t know this, and thought D.F. Malan was just an airport.

Hermanus is an important place to Afrikaans people. Many have second homes in this small seaside town in the Cape, and plan to retire there. It is not clear exactly what first attracted them, though perhaps the large number of rocky areas to fish off might be part of the explanation. Or because the coastal town is home to a Cubana. Or maybe it is because all previous Springbok rugby coaches come here for their December holiday. Whatever it is, Afrikaans people love nothing more than telling you about how they are ‘going to’ or ‘just got back from’ a visit to Hermanus. For them, this is the perfect way to make them feel slightly better than you. This is unless you tell them you just spent time in the bush, which surpasses even Hermanus for most Afrikaans people.

Afrikaans people like the bush very much. The bush encompasses game reserves, nature reserves, deserts (such as the Karoo) and pretty much anywhere a days drive from the nearest town that isn’t just a church and post office. Afrikaans people love the bush since they can go there to “get away from it all.” The bush also allows them to pursue some of their favourite activities, such as braaing, game viewing, hunting and off-roading amongst others. Afrikaans people also like the bush since it reminds of what their Voortrekker ancestors would have experienced: wide open landscapes, starry nights and mosquito bites. It is also the perfect place to wear khaki, since this is where it was created to be worn. If you ask Afrikaans people what they like about the bush, they may often say “I can’t describe it in words, but it’s beautiful.” This may also be because there is often nothing out there in the bush at all, and it is difficult to describe nothing.

Veldskoen are the footwear of choice for Afrkaans people. Veldkoen are made from tough leather uppers, sewn onto a very rugged sole, sometimes made from old car tyres. They are as indestructible a shoe as can possibly be manufactured. In fact, it is said that if there were a catastrophic nuclear war, the only things that would survive on earth would be cockroaches, Riaan Cruiywagen and veldskoen. Afrikaan people really like veldskoen because of this toughness, something Afrikaans people always like in products. They will often be seen wearing their veldskoen with hiking socks, rolled down. Some elder Afrikaans people also prefer veldskoen because the ankle-high leather upper makes it easier to store their black comb. If you’re thinking of purchasing a pair of veldskoen, best ask the store assistant (Cape Union Mart and hiking stores are safe bets to find veldskoen) how long it will take to “break them in”. Their answer might be anywhere from “a couple weeks” to “if you start today the blisters will stop by next year Christmas.”

Afrikaans people really like bakkies. The bakkie, known as a pick-up in other countries,  represents Afrikaans people’s desire to be rugged and in touch with the outdoors. Their driving a car that could go anywhere is natural when one remembers they descend from the Voortrekkers, the original Afrikaans people, who trekked across of half of South Africa several hundred years ago. Afrikaans people also like bakkies because a lot of them are farmers, and the bakkie is undoubtedly the best vehicle for a farmer. Afrikaans people especially like double-cab bakkies, where they can throw the kids in the back seat and the dogs, camping equipment, fishing rods and other luggage in the tail area. Bakkies are also usually powerful, so good at towing caravans or Venter trailers, two other things Afrikaans people like. The ultimate bakkie is the Toyota Hi-Lux, which represents the pinnacle of bakkie capability and luxury.

Afrikaans people do like brandy a lot. They consume it on ice, with ginger ale or lemonade, as a shooter mixed with various liquers and in many other ways, but by far the most frequent method is brandy mixed with coke. What Vodka is to the Russians or Whisky to the Scots, brandy & coke is to Afrikaans people. Usually served as a double measure in a tall glass, and drunk as if the brandy wasn’t there, this drink goes by a number of other names. For example, ‘Fighting Juice’, due to the propensity for people to fight after drinking too much brandy & coke. Or the ‘Karoo Martini’, due to the high number of Afrikaans people living and consuing brandy & coke in the Karoo region. Afrikaans people are also fiercely loyal to the brand of brandy & coke they drink. Klipdrift and Richelieu are two of the biggest brands, but there are many others. In fact, South Africa is not the largest brandy-consuming country in the world, but you’d think this if you spent much time there. Brandy & coke is so popular in South Africa, they have even introduced premixed bottled brandy & coke into the market. However, genuine Afrikaans people would rather drink beer than premixed brandy & coke.

The braai is sacrosant to Afrikaans people. Braaing is the number one favourite activity of Afrikaans people. Whether with friends or just for a midweek dinner, the braai is always the preferred choice. Known as the ‘barbecue’ or the ‘grill’ in other countries, it is not actually the same thing. Firstly, braais can be made using anything (halved oil drums, halved  gas cylinders, a few bricks, etc) and anywhere (at the cricket, on the beach, in the lounge, etc). Braaing is also not just about cooking your meat over a fire, for this would be ‘grilling’ or ‘barbecuing’. A braai begins when the host or ‘braaimaster’ lights the fire – anytime from late afternoon to early evening. For the next few hours, the Afrikaans guys stand around looking at the flames, drinking beer/brandy and discussing the previous/upcoming rugby game. Though the Afrikaans girls don’t interfere with this (they gather elsewhere during this time), eventually one will come out and complain about how long the fire is taking, at which point much discussion will take place amongst the Afrikaans guys about the state of ‘readyness’. A standard braai, though the fire will be lit in the afternoon, could see the meat only going on around 9pm-10pm.  At this point most guests are very drunk, and the quality of meat is assumed to be uninviting, but nobody has ever stayed sober at a braai to report the truth in this.

Biltong is to Afrikaans people like rice is to the Chinese. They love biltong. They eat it while watching rugby, driving to Hermanus or as an afternoon snack. Biltong is not to be confused with ‘droewors’, a cheaper, inferior substitute made from lower grade meat. Real biltong is made from either beef or game. And real Afrikaans people would never buy biltong from a regular shop, like Woolworths. It either comes from a specialist butcher, ideally in a small town in the middle of nowhere (e.g. Ladismith), or it comes from a recent hunt they or a friend were involved with. In fact, the more out the way they obtained it, the more authentic an Afrikaans person it is eating it. Though it can be cut by the butcher, it is also a sign of a more authentic Afrikaans person if he cuts his biltong with his own knife.