Identities in the Ducktail Youth Subculture in Post-World-War-Two South Africa

Abstract

Post-World-War-Two South Africa not only witnessed the rise of Apartheid, but the phenomenon of both black and white youth subcultures (Tstosis and Ducktails) became part of its social landscape. This paper limits itself to the white youth gang subculture. It tackles the question of identity and its application to the historical case study of the Ducktails. There has been a tendency in subcultural studies to avoid using identity as an analytical tool. This has not only led to the homogenisation of members of subcultures, but has also resulted in the elevation of one identity such as class over and above others. While the Ducktails displayed a collective identity embodied in their own unique style and argot, it is argued here that the subculture was constituted by multifarious and inter-related identities including, gendered, racial and ethnic ones. It will be shown further that, in certain instances, some identities were more salient than others. It urges subcultural scholars to allow for difference and heterogeneity in their accounts of subcultures (both historical and contemporary) and to perceive them as a space in which youths experiment with and express their identities. It will be suggested that the most reliable way in which to achieve this is through the collection of ethnographies and oral testimonies.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to my supervisor Professor P. L. Bonner for his guidance with this paper, to History Workshop members for reading a draft version and to David Muggleton and Mark Cieslik for their useful comments.

Notes

The term ‘Ducktail’ was originally used to denote a hairstyle; where all the hair is swept back with brylcream and moulded into a point (reminiscent of a duck's tail) at the back. Usually a quiff was pulled down onto the forehead, which was accompanied, in most cases, with side-burns.

Informants were traced by placing an advertisement for information on the Ducktails in South Africa's most popular motorcycle magazine Bike SA. From there it had a snowballing effect. Most respondents were men and when women were approached they were hesitant and cautious to share their experiences. Both male and female members were reluctant to engage in discussions on sexuality, hence its exclusion from this paper.

For a detailed account of ducktail masculinity, see Mooney (1998).

Rufus maintains that he was not involved in this, it was something that he had heard about.

Shebeens were illegal bars and alcohol outlets usually run by members of the African community in townships.

Sibley in Westwood and Williams (1997, p. 9).

Slang was obtained from interviews, press cuttings and from L.F. Freed, Crime in South Africa.

One result of marginalisation has been emigration; however, more research needs to be undertaken into these new subcultural forms to fully understand them.