Die Beeld – 27 Mei 2015

George Germishuys

Die Springbokke, Bokke, die groen-en-goud……Amabokoboko.

Dit was 26 Mei 1995 toe Sowetan dié term vir die eerste keer gebruik het.  Dit was trouens die eerste keer dat Sowetan op sy voorblad oor rugby berig het.

Die gebeurtenis was die Springbokke se oorwinning oor Australië in die openings wedstryd van die Wêreldbeker-rugbytoernooi in 1995.

Amabokoboko is afgelei van die bynaam vir die Orlando Pirates-sokkerspan, AmaBakabaka.

Mike Siluma, destyds dagredakteur van Sowetan, was uit die veld geslaan toe hy Dinsdag oor die naam uitgevra is.  “Jy vang my effens op die agtervoet,” het Siluma laggend gesê.

“Dit was maar ‘n weerspieëling van die oorgang wat besig was om plaas te vind.  “Sowetan sê lesers is swart en ons het tradisioneel nie oor rugby geskryf nie.  Rugby is as ‘n Boeresport gesien en baie swart mense het as gevolg daarvan nie van die spel gehou nie,” het Siluma gesê.

Die doel met die gebruik van Amabokoboko was nie om hul lesers se denkrigting oor rugby te verander nie, het hy gesê.  “Sport is in daardie tyd as ‘n verenigende medium gebruik en die Sowetan was deel van daardie beweging.”

Die gebruik van Amabokoboko was ‘n keerpunt, maar hy het eers bedenkinge daaroor gehad.

“Dit het vir my ‘n bietjie lomp geklink, maar dit het soos ‘n veldbrand onder die mense versprei.”

Dat Amabokoboko sy weg na die volksmond gevind het, getuig van die paradigma-skuif wat toe besig was om plaas te vind.

‘Hierna is die skeiding tussen swart en wit sport afgebreek, in so ‘n mate dat die Springbokke later jare toetse in Soweto gespeel het,” het Siluma gesê.

Siluma is trots op die naam, maar wens meer mense het van die naam se oorsprong geweet.  “Maar wie gee om, solank die Amabokoboko wen?”

Article translated with Google Translate:

Amabokoboko born!

Die Beeld – 27 May 2015

George Germishuys

The Springboks, Bokke, the green-and-gold……Amabokoboko.

It was 26 May 1995 when Sowetan used this term for the first time. In fact, it was the first time that Sowetan reported on rugby on its front page.

The event was the Springboks’ victory over Australia in the opening match of the Rugby World Cup in 1995.

Amabokoboko is derived from the nickname for the Orlando Pirates football team, AmaBakabaka.

Mike Siluma, then day editor of Sowetan, was taken aback when he was asked about the name on Tuesday. “You catch me a bit on the back foot,” Siluma said with a laugh.

“It was just a reflection of the transition that was taking place. “Sowetan story readers are black and we have not traditionally written about rugby. Rugby was seen as a Boere (White Afrikaner) sport and many black people did not like the game as a result,” said Siluma.

The purpose of using Amabokoboko was not to change their readers’ way of thinking about rugby, he said. “At that time, sport was used as a unifying medium and the Sowetan was part of that movement.”

The use of Amabokoboko was a turning point, but at first he had reservations about it.

“It sounded a bit clumsy to me, but it spread like wildfire among the people.”

That Amabokoboko found its way into the public eye is testament to the paradigm shift that was taking place at the time.

“After this, the division between black and white sport was broken down, to such an extent that the Springboks played tests in Soweto in later years,” said Siluma.

Siluma is proud of the name, but wishes more people knew about the name’s origin. “But who cares, as long as the Amabokoboko wins?”