[1] In earlier years, music-making was an activity that involved the entire household, including servants of different races, reflecting the colonial tradition of outsourcing musical entertainment.
This tension was evident during debates about the genre in the 1930s, with some criticizing the "coloured" origins of popular songs like David de Lange’s "Suikerbossie" (1937), while others viewed Boeremusiek as a symbol of Afrikaner pride.
A more sophisticated, radio-friendly style, sometimes called "light Afrikaans music," emerged through musicians like Hendrik Susan, who led a polished "boer orchestra" that performed Boeremusiek with jazz influences.
This divide was institutionalized in the 1980s with the founding of two rival organizations: the Traditional Boer Music Club of South Africa (TBK) and the Boeremusiek Guild (BMG).
The BMG, formed in 1989, allows for greater musical experimentation and embraces a more modern interpretation of Boeremusiek, incorporating electric guitars and drum kits into performances.
Bands like Radio Kalahari Orkes and Beeskraal have explored fusions of Boeremusiek with rock, while the concertina sound remains a nostalgic symbol in mainstream Afrikaans pop culture.
For example, Steve Hofmeyr’s song "DKW" (2010) evokes nostalgic imagery of Afrikaner farm life, with the concertina sound serving as an affective marker of a romanticized past.
[9] Boeremusiek is a genre steeped in the history of Afrikaner identity and politics, but it also reflects the complex intersections of race, class, and culture in South African music.