Orania

Afrikaans name: Orania

Orania

Photo © Johan van Zyl

The town of Orania has existed in a number of forms and names over the years. The origins of the town, as it is now, are from 1990 when a group of 40 Afrikaner families bought the town with a plan to establish a town to preserve the identity and culture of the Afrikaans community.

Orania only accepts new residents after going through an application process which has led to it being populated only by white people, virtually all of whom are Afrikaans. This has created a lot of attention to the town and it has had to fight off legal cases to preserve its identity. Residents of Orania run a variety of businesses and a lot of farming activity takes place. There is a very large pecan nut plantation on the towns lands.

Beer loving visitors should visit the Grootrivier Brouery which is a craft beer brewery. Their main beers are named "Jan" (after Jan van Riebeeck), Piet (after Piet Retief) and Koos (after Koos De La Rey). The brewery is located in the Stokkiesdraai Adventure Park.

Succulent plants thrive in this semi-arid environment

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References and further reading

On Route - Explore South Africa region by region - 3rd edition - Author: B.P.J. Erasmus - Published: 2014 - Page: 159

On Route - A region by region guide to South Africa - Author: B.P.J. Erasmus - Published: 1995 - Page: 313

For more info: Orania Beweging

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