‖baaken, noun

/ˈbɑːkən/
Forms:
baken, bakkenShow more Also baken, bakken, barcon.
Origin:
DutchShow more Dutch, beacon.
historical
1. beacon noun sense 1.
1796 E. Helme tr. of F. Le Vaillant’s Trav. into Int. I. 35 (Pettman)We were told this morning that somebody had planted a baaken (a stake) upon our estate.
1801 J. Barrow Trav. I. 78If one farmer is supposed to have put down his baaken, or stake, or land-mark, a little too near to that of his neighbour, the Feld-wagt-meester or peace-officer of the division, is called in, by the latter, to pace the distance, for which he gets three dollars.
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 157Mounting a pony, I rode with Brother Leitner up the hill towards the Jagersbosch, to see the boundary-stones or baakens.
1833 Graham’s Town Jrnl 3 Jan. 1That no person may plead ignorance of the boundaries of the Estate of Cradock’s Town, independant of the Bakkens required by Law, large whale-bones are placed on the most conspicuous parts of the property.
1838 J. Collett Diary. I. 8 JuneBusy to day defining the Line and planting Barcons with Botha.
1847 J. Barrow Autobiog. Memoir 161It appeared to me so lovely a spot..that I was tempted to declare I would erect there my baaken, or landmark, and solicit from the Governor possession of it, either as a free gift or by purchase.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 38Baaken,..In addition to its general sense of ‘beacon’, this word was also applied to the stake which, in the early days of the Colony, was driven into the ground by the applicant for a farm, at the place where he proposed to build his homestead.
2. beacon noun sense 2.
1809 R. Collins in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1900) VII. 20It is within half an hour’s ride of Governor Van Plettenberg’s baaken, a stone which yet contains part of the inscription made on it in the year 1778.
3. Transferred sense, and figurative.
1979 M. Parkes Wheatlands 37The name ‘Baakens’ was given to the dam after a certain labourer had been thrown off a mule in the vicinity and the other man, as a joke, built a ‘baaken’ (beacon) to mark the spot.
1988 ‘K. De Boer’ in Frontline Apr. 26Majubadag. An inspiring baken in the Afrikaner history when the Boer forces surprised and routed the English column on Majuba.
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17961988

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figurative or allusive
Baai, nounn.baar, nounn. & adjectiveadj.
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