of a Council, and together they formed the Executive government of Rehoboth. The Paternal Laws also provided for a Peoples Council (Volksraad) which was elected every five years; it formed the Legislature of the Rehoboth government. The Basters have had seven Kapteins since the Paternal Laws were enacted: 1872–1905: Hermanus van Wyk 1905–1914: Germans suspended the Kapteinship position and instead established a Basterrat () 1914–1924: Cornelius van Wyk 1924–1925: Albert Mouton 1925–1975: The South African administration transferred all power from the Raad and the Kaptein to the Rehoboth Magistrate 1977–1979: Ben Africa 1979–1998: Hans Diergaardt 1999–2020: John McNab since 2021: Jacky Britz Every male burger (citizen) of Rehoboth had the right to apply for a free piece of land at the age of 18. Although the size of this erf was decreased from to about , due to land shortage and servicing costs, Basters continued to honor this provision until 21 March 1990, when the new socialist government took over the lands. The newly independent Namibian government passed legislation about land use and title that took precedence over Baster traditions. Basters can no longer allocate land to their young men. The land is controlled by the local town council, which replaced the Chief's Council. Religion Basters from Mainline churches are mostly Calvinist. They sing traditional hymns almost identical to those of the 17th-century Netherlands; these songs were preserved in the colony and their group during a period when the Netherlands churches were absorbing new music. Traditional leadership The first Kaptein was Hermanus van Wyk, the 'Moses' of the Baster nation, who led the community to Rehoboth from South Africa. He served as Kaptein until his death in 1905. After his death, the German colonial government established a separate council. The Rehoboth Basters did not elect another Kaptein until the United Kingdom took over the territory as a British Protectorate in 1914 during World War I. Basters elected Cornelius van Wyk as Kaptein. He was not officially recognised by the South African authorities, which administered the territory from 1915 to Namibian independence in 1990. Other Baster communities Similar terms are used for unrelated mixed-race Dutch and native communities in South Africa and elsewhere. For instance, a mixed-race community in the Richtersveld in South Africa are known as the 'Boslys Basters.' In Indonesia, the people of mixed Dutch and Indonesian descent are called Blaster(an). See also Griqua people Oorlam people Métis Quadroon