"Sal julle hom aanvaar net soos hy is?": Faan (Faan se trein) en Lambert (Triomf) as filmiese destabilisering van hegemoniese Afrikanerman-likheid

797 “Sal julle hom aanvaar net soos hy is?”: Faan (Faan se trein) en Lambert (Triomf) as filmiese destabilisering van hegemoniese Afrikanerman likheid “Will you accept him as he is?”: Faan (Faan se trein) and Lambert (Triomf) as filmic destabilisation of hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity Rickus Ströh Skool vir Taalonderwys Fakulteit Opvoedkunde Noordwes-Universiteit (Vaaldriehoekkampus) Vanderbijlpark Suid-Afrika E-pos: Adéle Nel Tale en Literatuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe Noordwes-Universiteit Potchefstroom Suid-Afrika E-pos: Rickus Ströh Adéle Nel Rickus Ströh is ’n dosent aan die Noordwes- Rickus Ströh is a lecturer at the North-West Adéle Nel (DLitt) is emeritus professor in die Adéle Nel (DLitt) is emeritus professor in the subject group Afrikaans and Dutch (North West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus), and is extraordinary professor in the Research Unit: Languages and Literature in the South African Universiteit (NWU) se Vanderbijlparkkampus waar hy Afrikaans doseer in die Fakulteit Opvoedkunde. Hy het in 2017 die MA-graad in Afrikaans met die titel Destabilisering van hegemoniese Afrikanermanlikheid deur middel van die randfiguur in drie onlangse Afrikaanse films by dieselfde instansie behaal. Hy is tans besig met ’n PhD oor die onderrig van Afrikaanse letterkunde aan die Noordwes-Universiteit. vakgroep Afrikaans en Nederlands (Vaaldriehoek kampus, Noordwes-Universiteit), en is buiten gewone professor in die Navorsingseenheid: Tale en Literatuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, Datums: Ontvang: 2019-12-11 University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus where he teaches Afrikaans in the Faculty of Education. In 2017 he obtained a MA degree in Afrikaans with the title Destabilisation of hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity by means of the outsider in three recent Afrikaans films at the same institution. He is currently a doctoral student, on the teaching of Afrikaans literature, at the North West University. Goedgekeur: 2020-06-25 Gepubliseer: September 2020 Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, Jaargang 60 No. 3: September 2020 doi.10.17159/2224-7912/2020/v60n3a14 798 Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe, Noordwes-Uni versiteit (Potchefstroomkampus). Sy is skrywer en medeskrywer van akademiese artikels en etlike hoofstukke in boeke. Haar huidige navorsings belangstelling sluit visuele tekste en films in. In die mees onlangse navorsing val die klem toenemend op die poëtika van relasionaliteit waarin sterflikheid, ontologiese gelykmakende analogie, visie en kunstenaarskap asook geslagte likheid en die liggaam ’n bepalende rol speel. context, Faculty of Humanities, North West Uni versity (Potchefstroom Campus). She is author and co-author of academic articles as well as several chapters in books. Her current research interests include the study of visual texts and films. In her most recent research, the emphasis is increasingly on the poetics of relationality in which mortality, ontological equalisation ana logy, vision and artistry as well as gender and the body play a decisive role. ABSTRACT “Will you accept him as he is?”: Faan (Faan se trein) and Lambert (Triomf) as filmic destabilisation of hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity In her influential book, Masculinities, R.W. Connell (2005) formalised the term hegemonic masculinity. She explains that the term refers to the type of masculinity that dominates other forms of masculinity whereby society defines masculinity as social construct. Hegemonic masculinity gave rise to a plethora of research on masculinity. Morrell (2001), Swart (2001) and Du Pisani (2001, 2004) worked within the South African context and focused specifically on Afrikaner masculinity. They clearly show how hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity is deeply rooted in the Apartheid ideology and has significantly been influenced by puritanical values. Contrary to the hegemonic power that occupies a central role in society, the outsider emphasises the interdependent dialectical relationship between the hegemony and those who are excluded. Van Rensburg (2010:120) points out that the outsider, due to his feeblemindedness and exclusion, often comments honestly and directly on contemporary social order and structures. In other words, the author of a literary work (written or visual) uses the outsider character in a distinct way to comment on or criticise the community, albeit the community within which the character finds himself or the larger community and society. Despite obvious differences, the unifying factor of two recent Afrikaans films Faan se trein (2014) and Triomf (2008) is the fact that it includes an outsider who finds himself within a patriarchal, hegemonic Afrikaner order under the apartheid regime. This article examines the way in which the outsider in the film versions of Faan se trein (2014) and Triomf (2008) challenges and destabilises hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity. Firstly, the focus will be on the discourse regarding masculinity, hegemonic masculinity and hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity, as well as the concept of the outsider to determine its relevance in film. An investigation into hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity in the era in which the narrative is set, inevitably exposes connections with the Apartheid era in South Africa. The re-visiting or reactivation of the past is therefore also discussed in order to highlight its possible value for the contemporary South African viewer. The analyses of the two films show that the ideologies of hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity and apartheid are at the centre of the relevant settings. The outsider destabilises these ideologies in different ways. In Faan se trein, Faan destabilises Afrikaner masculinity in two ways. Firstly, he unmasks male sexuality and desire. Through his ignorance of social conventions, Faan explicitly references and gazes at female characters’ breasts and makes offensive and inappropriate remarks. The sergeant, doctor and reverend who can be seen as exemplars of Afrikaner Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, Jaargang 60 No. 3: September 2020 doi.10.17159/2224-7912/2020/v60n3a14 799 masculinity, regard Faan’s actions and statements as insignificant and “normal” for a man. This incidentally demonstrates Afrikaner masculinity’s belief that a woman’s sexual desire manifests itself as a natural response to a man, and that women serve as objects of male desire. Secondly, Faan exposes the injustices of racial segregation and associated racism that are characteristic of the Apartheid era and Afrikaner masculinity. He does so through his friendship with Stinkhans, who is ultimately Faan’s only true friend. Faan regards Stinkhans as his equal and treats him just like all other “important” authority figures. Faan is the embodiment of innocence that exposes the injustices residing in hegemonic Afrikaner masculinity and Apartheid. He also becomes the scapegoat and must unfairly bear the burden of others’ sins. Nevertheless, through his innocence and feeble-mindedness he indi (...truncated)