Steampunk is ʼn nuwe sub-genre van wetenskapsfiksie wat sy oorsprong in 1987 gekry
het toe skrywer KW Jeter die term vir die eerste keer gebruik het. Vandaar het
Steampunk as ʼn subkultuur ontwikkel in ʼn magdom manifestasies wat onder andere
literatuur, grafiese werk, musiek, politiek, kuns, ontwerp, mode, kulturele teorie,
strokiesverhale, films en virtuele realiteit insluit, veral deur die gebruik van die
internet.
As gevolg van die uiteenlopende manifestasies van die Steampunk-subkultuur, is daar
tans nog geen klinkklare definisie van Steampunk nie. Daar ís egter ʼn menigte
beskrywings van wat Steampunk is, asook verskeie opinies binne die Steampunkgemeenskap
van wat Steampunk behoort te wees, maar geen duidelike riglyne
waardeur Steampunk gedefinieer kan word nie.
Hierdie verhandeling se doel is om duidelike riglyne daar te stel waardeur Steampunk
gedefinieer kan word. ʼn Kort oorsig word verskaf oor die chronologie van Steampunk,
die oorsprong van die term self, die heersende wêreldbeskouings en definisies, die
Steampunk-gemeenskap, asook die invloed van die internet op die subkultuur. Daar
word verwys na oorhoofse temas soos politieke en sosiale kwessies, alternatiewe
geskiedenis en teenkultuur, invloede vanuit die Victoriaanse era en veral elemente
soos neo-Victorianisme, tegno-fantasie en retro-futurisme wat eie is aan die
Steampunk-subkultuur.
ʼn Oorsigtelike beskrywing word verskaf ten opsigte van die verskillende
manifestasies van Steampunk, en sluit die literatuur, strokiesverhaalboeke, kuns,
kunstenaars, skeppers, mode, musiek, byeenkomste, films, televisie en ander verwante
manifestasies van die Steampunk-subkultuur in.
Daar word ook gekyk hoe die begrip Steampunk manifesteer in die teks Clint
Eastwood van Wyk en die Moordenaarsklok, en ten laaste word ʼn definisie vir
Steampunk daargestel en word ʼn Afrikaanse woord vir die term Steampunk geskep.
Steampunk is a new subgenre of science fiction that can be traced back to the coining
of the term in 1987 by writer KW Jeter. From that point forward, Steampunk
developed as a subculture through a wide variety of manifestations including
literature, graphic design, music, political issues, art, design, fashion, cultural theories,
comic books, films and virtual reality, to name a few, and mostly through the use of
the internet.
Due to the many manifestations of the Steampunk subculture, there is, at present, no
clear definition of Steampunk. There are however many descriptions of what
Steampunk is, and especially opinions within the Steampunk community of what
Steampunk should be. There are, however, no clear guidelines to define Steampunk.
This dissertation looks at creating definite guidelines to define Steampunk. The
dissertation investigates the chronology of Steampunk’s history, the origin of the word
itself, the current worldviews and definitions of Steampunk, the Steampunk
community, as well as the role of the internet on the Steampunk subculture. Particular
attention is given to certain Steampunk themes such as political and social issues,
alternative histories, influences from the Victorian era and especially Steampunkspecific
elements such as neo-Victorianism, technofantasy and retrofuturism.
Furthermore, the dissertation investigates, in short, the various manifestations of
Steampunk, including the literature, comic books, art, artists, makers, fashion, music,
conventions, films, television as well as other lesser-known manifestations of the
Steampunk subculture. Attention is also given to the manifestation of Steampunk in the text Clint Eastwood
van Wyk en die Moordenaarsklok, and finally, a definition is presented for
Steampunk, as well as a possible Afrikaans translation for the word Steampunk.
