Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Afrikaans frontier farmers are called Boers (from Dutch boer, "farmer/peasant"). Originally Dutch settlers arriving in the 17th century, they established independent republics – the Transvaal Republic and Orange Free State. Defeated by the British in the Second Boer War (1899–1902), their republics were annexed. Yet they retained a strong cultural/ethnic identity and continue to shape South African society.