Majuba Day Explained

Holiday Name:	Majuba Day
Date:	27 February
Scheduling:	same day each year
Duration:	1 day
Frequency:	annual

Majuba Day (Afrikaans: Majubadag) was a major annual national celebration on 27 February in the South African Republic in the period between the First and Second Boer Wars.^{[1] [2] [3]} The day was named after the Battle of Majuba Hill (near Volksrust, South Africa) where on 27 February 1881 the main battle of the First Boer War took place.

During the Second Boer War, the surrender of Piet Cronjé to the British after the equally resounding Battle of Paardeberg took place on 27 February 1900,^[4] leading Paul Kruger to declare, "The English have taken our Majuba Day away from us".^[5]

After the Second Boer War, with the Transvaal Colony (1902–1910) under British rule, Majuba Day was replaced by Victoria Day (24 May).^[6]

The day is still, however, celebrated by some Afrikaners; such as those in the town of Orania.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Book: Ferguson, Niall . 2008 . Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power . Basic Books . 105 . 9780465013104 . 15 June 2014 .
2. Book: Black & white illustrated budget. 1899 . Black and White Pub. Co.. London. 32. 17 June 2014.
3. Book: Gore. St. John. The green horse in Ladysmith. 1901. Sampson, Low, Marston and Co.. London. 133. 17 June 2014.
4. Book: Morris, Jan . 2010 . Farewell the Trumpets . Faber & Faber . 9780571265985 . 15 June 2014 .
5. Book: Judd . Denis . Surridge . Keith . 2013 . The Boer War: A History . I.B.Tauris . 168 . 9781780765914 . 15 June 2014 .
6. Web site: [SOUTH-AFRICA] 2 Oct 1950 - article on Public Holidays]. RootsWeb. 24 July 2014. October 2007.
7. Web site: Voorgrond. Orania Beweging. 5 January 2014. Afrikaans. February 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040309/http://www.orania.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/orania-voorgrond-mrt-09.pdf. 6 January 2014. dead.