War-time Chess

A HUGE thank you to Anton Roetz, who visited my blog a little while ago. Anton made me aware of this piece of interesting history. I absolutely love to know that this is what some soldiers did during the Anglo-Boer War to entertain themselves and even more to know what one farmer did. Read this interesting piece of information. Information from the site of Cradock-info.

During the early 1900s, British soldiers created a chessboard or chequers board on the top of Saltpeterskop, a 1514m high koppie (hill) in the Park. While using the peak as a lookout point during the Anglo-Boer War, they played chess or chequers with their fellow soldiers on the next lookout point, the Old Fort in Cradock, transmitting moves by means of a mirror, which had the official purpose of communicating warning signals.

The story goes that a certain farmer – unbeknown to the soldiers – picked up the signals and started a game against the soldiers while sitting on the stoep of his farmhouse.

The chessboard and the names of the soldiers are etched onto a flat slab of rock at the top of Saltpeterskop, which is the first koppie on the right as one drives into the Park.

Names recorded include Corporal Pegram of the 1st Coldstream Guards, Corporal Hutchinson, Private W. Chambers of the 5th Lancaster Fusilliers, and many others with dates in 1901 and 1902. The chessboard is still visible today and can be accessed on a guided hike with a SANParks guide.

Salpeterkop was supposedly named after a cave on the hill which provided a supply of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), a substance used in the manufacture of gunpowder for firearms in the early days. The cave was reported to have collapsed and its location is not known today.

Salpeterkop Graves Image: Cradock-info.co.za

Salpeterkop image: Thegreatkaroo.com

Twitter – SANParks

Mountain Zebra National Park – Chessboard — It is believed that the chessboard was created
during the early 1900s by British soldiers. They created the chessboard or draught board on a rock on top of Saltpeterskop, a 1 514m high hill.

Names of the British soldiers engraved on the chess board on Salpterkop

Resource link: https://www.cradock-info.co.za/town/article/1270/mountain-zebra-national-park-cultural-heritage-sites

https://www.thegreatkaroo.com/listing/cradock_excursions_salpeterkop_hike

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Springbok in the sky

A video about the history of South African Airways

Image: Planespotters

I’m on my way to South Africa for a 3-week holiday and yes, I’m travelling SAA – one of the best airlines – rated the highest on Expedia when a booking was made, so well done to SAA! It’s great to know you’re still the ‘Springbok in the sky“.   For part of the three weeks, I’ll be on the beach – so looking forward to sandy beeches. As we will be about 4 hours drive from Cape Town, we might just pay a quick visit to the Mother City. Photo below: This is where I’ll be for a whole week.

An amazing instagram photo of Cape Town with Table Mountain covered in  its cloth!

Photo: traveller24 Photographer:unknown

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The desert garden

A video to enjoy on a Sunday evening. Have you been to this place? 

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Memories are made of this

Femme à Côté d’un Échiquier, by Henry Matisse -[credit:chessbase]

Images: http://www.pbase.com/arnomeintjes/drakensberg

Missing ‘The Berg‘ today! Wish for a mountain – a proper mountain – to climb.

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Bygone Times

On THIS LINK you can watch some short clips about Cape Town but also take a virtual tour! This link is worth visiting.

Do yourself a favour and take a look at Etienne’s Flickr photos  – even if you are from the US or the UK you will find pics you will appreciate. On this image you can see the cable car on Table Mountain being inspected – 1977. He has pictures that cover a variety of topics and you will surely find something to your taste. This next pic is Adderley Street – Cape Town  – 1960.

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Let’s ride the wind

Cape Town – with its surrounding beaches – is the place to go – for many tourists. If you haven’t been to South Africa, everybody will encourage you to go to Cape Town first.  There are various reasons why people will tell you to go to CT first. Of course I will suggest it too, as it is a touristy city, lots of activities for tourists, beautiful historical sites to visit, beautiful views and Table Mountain to enjoy on a picnic outing. – My next stop for anyone that’s been to South Africa before, will of course be my favourite: The Drakensberg Mountains! There are various hotels in the Mountain range and the most beautiful spots for anyone that loves hiking. Back to Bloubergstrand. If you search Bloubergstrand, you will find the most beautiful pictures, some of which you can see in this entry. Laurika Rauch sings the song  Op Blouberg se Strand, but this time I have the song as sung by Juanita du Plessis. I’ve roughly translated the song for English readers. This song describes some of the activities at Bloubergstrand. I’ve also found a very interesting piece of reading about Bloubergstrand. Do enjoy it.

If you’re in Cape Town and desperate to play chess, do visit the Goodwood Chess club…see their website for a map and details. They exist since 1963.

http://goodwoodchess.tripod.com/

http://goodwoodchess.blogspot.com/

 Organised club league chess is over 100 years old in Cape Town. Cape Town chess club, the oldest in South Africa (founded in 1885) together with Woodstock, Tokai and the YMCA club formed a union of clubs in 1907.

At Bloubergstrand

The waves know where the billows break
They think they’re free
The clouds drift in the sky
but they must ride the winds
It’s early in the day, at Bloubergstrand
The wind will be blowing, the sun will be burning
But it’s cool after the long night
and we greet the day

Choir

Good morning my sunshine
Good morning my child
Let’s jog alongside the beach
Let’s ride the wind
The sun will scorch us
and the rays will burn
But it’s early in the day
At Bloubergstrand

There are lime-washed houses
and old Table Mountain
There are anglers with rod and hat
pestering fish from early on
Daddy says: my child, we must find black mussels
we love the sea, I love my child
Yes, it’s cool after the long night
and we greet the day

Choir

Good morning my sunshine
Good morning my child
Let’s jog alongside the beach
Let’s ride the wind
The sun will scorch us
and the rays will burn
But it’s early in the day
At Bloubergstrand (2x)

Image: New York Times

Op Blouberg se strand

DIE GOLWE WEET WAAR BREEK DIE BRANDERS –
HULLE DINK HULLE’S VRY
DIE WOLKE WENTEL IN DIE HEMEL MAAR
OP DIE WINDE MOET HUL RY
DIS VROEG IN DIE DAG, OP BLOUBERG SE STRAND
DIE WIND GAAN NOG WAAI, DIE SON GAAN NOG BRAND
MAAR DIS KOEL NA DIE LANG NAG
EN ONS GROET DIE DAG
KOOR:
GOEIE MÔRE MY SONSKYN
GOEIE MÔRE MY KIND
KOM ONS DRAF LANGS DIE STRAND
KOM ONS RY OP DIE WIND
DIE SAND SAL ONS SKROEI
EN DIE STRALE SAL BRAND
MAAR DIS VROEG IN DIE DAG
OP BLOUBERG SE STRAND

DAAR IS WITGEKALKTE HUISE
EN OU TAFELBERG
DAAR IS HENGELAARS MET STOK EN HOED
WAT VROEG VISSE TERG
MY PA, SÊ MY KIND, ONS MOET SWART MOSSELS VIND
ONS IS LIEF VIR DIE SEE, EK IS LIEF VIR MY KIND
JA DIS KOEL NA DIE LANG NAG
EN ONS GROET DIE DAG

KOOR ( X2)

Its pristine beaches and modest lime-washed historic fisherman’s houses have been immortalised in song. Its spectacular, classic view of Table Mountain across Table Bay has been captured on countless photographs, postcards and brochures, which are used to lure tourists to nearby Cape Town.

Yet Bloubergstrand (which is Afrikaans for ‘blue mountain beach’) itself has always had much to offer those willing to make the approximately 25 kilometre journey north of the Mother City to pay it a visit and linger for longer than the amount of time it requires to take a snapshot of the mountain.

Incidentally, one would be forgiven to assume that Bloubergstrand’s name comes from that world famous postcard view of Table Mountain, but one would be quite mistaken. The suburb is actually named after Blouberg, a hill located not too far inland from the coast.

The consistent summer winds sweeping across the bay stirs up the waves, making Bloubergstrand a watersport heaven. In fact, Big Bay – home to the annual, recently held Oxbbow Big Bay Classic windsurfing championship event – is arguably the premier windsurfing and kiteboarding spot in the world.

Strollers and shell collectors can be seen meandering up the wild stretch of Milnerton Beach which lies between the city and Bloubergstrand.

But Blouberg’s beaches and ground are blood-soaked. History buffs will be intrigued to know that a small but significant battle was fought here in1806. It was called the Battle of Blaauwberg and it established British rule in South Africa.

During that time, the Cape Colony belonged to the French controlled Netherlands (then called the Batavian Republic). But the sea route around the Cape was important to the British, so in order to prevent that from also coming under French control, they decided to seize the colony. A British fleet was despatched to the Cape in July 1805 to forestall the French troopships sent by Napoleon to reinforce the Cape garrison.

At the time, the colony was governed by Lt Gen Jan Willem Janssens (Blaauwberg House is located in Gen Janssens Str). He was also commander-in-chief of the colony’s military forces. The forces were small and of poor quality and backed up by local militia units.

The first British warship reached the Cape on Christmas Eve 1805, marking its arrival by promptly attacking two supply ships off the Cape Peninsula. When the main fleet sailed into Table Bay on 4 January 1806, Janssens mobilised his garrison, declared martial law and called up the militia.

Two British infantry brigades, under the command of Lt Gen Sir David Baird, landed at Melkbosstrand on 6 and 7 January 1806. Janssens moved his forces to intercept them with the intent of attacking them right there on the beach and then to withdraw to the interior where he had hoped to hold out until the French troopships arrived. He knew that victory against the stronger and bigger British forces wasn’t possible, but he thought the honour of his fatherland demanded a fight.

However, on 8 January 1806, Baird’s brigades reached the slopes of the Blaauwberg mountain before Janssens and his troops did. Janssens halted and ordered his men to form a line across the veld.

The battle began at sunrise. At the onset, Janssens had 2 049 troops. They were far outnumbered by Baird and his 5 399 men. At the end of the battle, Janssens had lost 353 in casualties and desertion. Baird had 212 casualties.

Following the battle, Janssens and his remaining men moved inland to Elandskloof in the Hottentots-Holland mountains.

The British forces reached the outskirts of Cape Town on 9 January. To protect the town and its civilian population from attack, the commandant of Cape Town, Lieutenant-Colonel Hieronymus Casimir von Prophalow sent out a white flag. He handed over the outer fortifications to Baird, and terms of surrender were negotiated later in the day.

However, Janssens, who was still the Batavian Governor of the Cape, still refused to surrender himself and his remaining troops. He was still sticking to his original plan to hold out as long as he could in the hope that the French troopships for which he had been waiting so long for would still arrive and save him.

Eventually, on 18 January, he finally agreed to capitulate. The terms of the capitulation were reasonably favourable towards the Batavian soldiers and citizens of the Cape. In March 1806, Janssens, along with other Batavian officials and troops, were sent back to the Netherlands.

The British forces occupied the Cape until 13 August 1814, when the Netherlands ceded the colony to Britian as a permanent possession. It remained a British colony until it was incorporated into the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910.

Much to our relief, the only battles taking place in Blouberg these days are the ones between the windsurfers, kiteboarders and other athletes.

Source:www.malatabeach.co.za/Info.html

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Afrikaans! Afrikaans! Afrikaans!

You can click on this mosaic for a larger view.

English readers: This poem in this entry is about South Africa. I dedicated the 14th August 2008 to Afrikaans, the language I love and my mother tongue. This is, in our history, used to be an important day as we celebrated Afrikaans as our language. Afrikaans was forbidden to use by Afrikaans speaking people in the Cape when the English occupied the Cape. A sign/tag was placed around children’s necks in schools saying, “donkey”, if they had dared to speak Afrikaans.

On 14th August 1875 the GRA was founded. Their task was to promote Afrikaans. They also requested – on the 24th August 1878 – for the Bible to be translated into Afrikaans.

In this poem I refer to some places and nature.  On the link of my 2008-entry, you can see the Afrikaans Language Monument. Good news for Afrikaans too: WordPress and Facebook have gone Afrikaans! If you choose Afrikaans as your language in the settings in WordPress, you will find most terms on your dashboard in Afrikaans. 

Hoogenhout, a famous South African poet, said the following after Afrikaans was forbidden in schools in the early 1920s.

“English! English! All is English! What you see and hear

In our schools, in our churches, our Mother tongue is killed”

Was dit Hoogenhout wat in ‘n gedig gesê het:

“Engels! Engels! Alles Engels! Engels wat jy sien en hoor;
In ons skole, in ons kerke, word ons moedertaal vermoor.
Ag, hoe word ons volk verbaster, daartoe werk ons leraars saam.
Hollands nog in seek’re skole: is bedrog, ‘n blote naam!
Wie hom nie laat anglisere, word geskolde en gesmaad.
Tot in Vrystaat en Transvaal al, oweral dieselfde kwaad.
‘Dis vooruitgang’, roep die skreeuwers, ‘dis beskawing wat nou kom!
Die wat dit nie wil gelowe, die is ouderwets en dom…’.”

 I‘ve been to a few countries and many places in the UK. I still think South Africa is the most beautiful country in the world. We have such an abundance of beauty and  diversity in nature. We have the greenest canyon in the world- which is also the 3rd largest in the world, we have the highest waterfall in Africa and the 2nd highest in the world, the 3rd longest Tufa waterfall, the deepest mines, the largest zoo, the smallest butterfly, the largest diamond, the second largest amount of windmills on farms (280 000), the largest impact crater on earth, white lions, the largest ostrich population and much more.

On this link of the  The Drakensberg Mountains, you can read about my hiking trip in the Mountain when I was 15. I was on top of Mount Aux Sources, the highest peak of the mountain range in South Africa. The actual highest peak of this mountain range is in Lesotho and the peak is called, Thaba Ntlenyana (which means: beautiful little mountain). “Thaba” means “mountain” – the attributive “yana” means “little”. 

You can see a pic of one of the two chain ladders you have to go on to reach the summit. At the bottom of this post I have included an Afrikaans song by the Art teacher in my Secondary school. He was one of the two teachers on our hiking trip! He sings about “sidewalk people” and I’ve translated it roughly for you to understand.

More interesting facts – from quite a few years ago:

*Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world after Washington, D.C.
*The University of South Africa – UNISA – is a pioneer of tertiary distance education and is the largest international correspondence university in the world with 250,000 students.
*Afrikaans is the youngest official language in the world.
*The Singita Private Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park was voted the best hotel in the world by the readers of travel publication, Conde Nast Traveller.
*Stellenbosch University was the first university in the world to design and launch a microsatellite.
*South Africa houses one of the three largest telescopes in the world at Sutherland in the Karoo.

South Africa is the first country to host a Fide rated Chess tournament where players from different countries played their games online! See my entry about the South African Open Chess Championships that took place in Cape Town.
Read HERE my post dedicated to Afrikaans only- last year 14th August. 

This stamp was issued October 1975. It was issued on the Inauguration of the Afrikaans Language Monument  and features the 1st edition of the Arikaanse Partiot (January 15, 1876), one of the first newspapers in Afrikaans rather than Dutch.
On this link you can see more stamps of South Africa.

Met die stigting van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners op 14 Augustus 1875 in die Paarl is ‘n tydvak van georganiseerde stryd om die Afrikaanse taal ingelui. In artikel IX van die Genootskap se bepalings word beoog om ‘n Afrikaanse maandblad uit te gee. Op hierdie dag in 1876 verskyn die eerste uitgawe van die maandblad Die Afrikaanse Patriot, wat die orgaan van die GRA sou wees. C.P. Hoogenhout was die eerste redakteur onder die skuilnaam Oom Lokomotief, wat deur die redakteurs na hom oorgeneem is. In Die Patriot dek die GRA die terreine van hul doelstelling, naamlik die van land, volk en taal. Daarin is leiding gegee ten opsigte van landsake, die Afrikaanse taal, geskiedenis en belangrike nuus. —lees meer op die link!

LEES HIER!!

Jan 2015 –Indien jy beplan om my eie gedigte te ‘leen’ vir jou Facebook bladsy of jou privaat blog of website, kan jy asseblief so vriendelik wees om my daaroor in te lig en daarna ook my skryfnaam ‘Nikita’ daarby te publiseer -soos dit by al my eie gedigte hier op my blog is! Dit is ‘n klein en simpel versoek. Ek vind my eie gedigte op heelwat ander websites and dit is vir my aangenaam om te weet dat ander mense my gedigte waardeer, maar daar is kopiereg reëls en ek sal dit waardeer indien jy dit sal respekteer en erkenning gee aan die skrywer van die gedig. Dan — vind ek ook my gedigte op internet bladsye van mense met sekere politieke sieninge en oorweginge waarmee ek nie saamstem nie. Ek het herhaaldelik gevra om my gedigte te verwyder en my versoeke word bloot geignoreer. Dit wys dat daar mense is wat nie ander se werke (eiendom) respekteer nie. Dit is die groot rede waarom ek die boodskap hier plaas.

Suid-Afrika: my land

Jy’s indrukwekkend, manjifiek
jou sondeurdrenkte landskappe
weerkaats helder beelde in my siel
jou pragtige wonders flikker oneindig
lank in die stilte van jou nagrus

Mount Aux Sources – so elegant en grasieus
verrys jy vanuit die voetheuwels, soos
‘n fakkel by die Spele ets jy lekkende
beelde teen die muur van my geheue
en voel ek jou hitte gloeiend teen my hart

O Blyde! ek fantaseer oor jou
magiese kragte wat jy sorgloos
en galant in die galery van my
stille gemoed stilletjies uitpak terwyl
my dawerende applous eggo
oor die velde van my gedagtes

Moederstad! hoe inskiklik laat jy my
telkens hakkel wanneer ek my herinneringe
sagkens koester – jou fasades!
waar ek jou gambiet betree
en gewillig my pionne oorgee

En saans voel ek jou fluweelagtige
skoonheid van elke sonsondergang
stadig neerdaal in my gemoed terwyl
ek stadig drink van jou geloofs-fonteine
wat borrellend bruis in oorvloed

Fragmentaries vier ek feeste
ek dans en omhels jou en jy –
jy blus my gees telkens met jou
magiese heildronke: een-vir-een
op ‘n toekoms – wat mag wees!
–Nikita –14/8/09 14:00

Sidewalk People

Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move like shadows in the street past me
Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move faceless past my heart

Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move like shadows in the street past me
Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move faceless past my heart

I wish I could look at a photo
to see what your world deep inside is like
borrow a piece of your dreams
I wonder who you are

I wish I could understand the language
in which you channelled your thoughts
I wish I could for a moment
share your path of life

Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move like shadows in the street past me
Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move faceless past my heart

perhaps it’s best for sure
‘cos if we know all of all
the sadness maybe
too hard too much
the love too beautiful

walk past one another
I stay I and you stay you
a single road leading somewhere
I wish I could understand

Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move like shadows in the street past me
Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move faceless past my heart

Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move like shadows in the street past me
Sidewalk People Sidewalk People
Move faceless past my heart

—translated–nikita

image: google

Sypaadjie Mense

Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg soos skimme in die straat verby
Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg gesigloos voor my hart verby

Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg soos skimme in die straat verby
Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg gesigloos voor my hart verby

ek wens ek kon ‘n kiekie kyk
hoe jou wêreld diep daar binne lyk
‘n stukkie van jou drome leen
ek wonder wie jy is

ek wens ek kon die taal verstaan
waarin jy jou gedagtes baan
ek wens ek kon ‘n oomblikkie
jou lewenspaadjie deel

Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg soos skimme in die straat verby
Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg gesigloos voor my hart verby

miskien is dit dalk beter so
want as ons iets van almal weet
die hartseer dalk te swaar te veel
die liefde dalk te mooi

stap maar bymekaar verby
ek bly ek en jy bly jy
‘n enkelpaadjie iewers heen
ek wens ek kon verstaan

Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg soos skimme in die straat verby
Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg gesigloos voor my hart verby

Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg soos skimme in die straat verby
Sypaadjie mense Sypaadjie mense
Beweeg gesigloos voor my hart verby

Sypaadjie Mense – Johan vd Watt

Sonja Herholdt, Ek verlang na jou.

Herman Holtzhausen – Transkaroo

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Saturday Morning Thoughts

Namakwaland/Namaqualand image: trekearth.com

I’ve received these next three images of Namaqualand via email and when looking at it, I realised again what a wonderful and beautiful country South Africa is! October/November is Spring time in South Africa and that’s when you will find Namaqualand covered in these beautiful flower blankets. You can also go on Namaqua-trips to see the flowers! Many tourists go on these trips and will tell you they are going to “see the flowers” and then you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about. It’s just amazing! I haven’t been to Namaqua during the “flowering-time”, but would love to go one day! On the map you can see exactly where Namaqualand is and follow the link to “Namaqualand” to make sure you don’t miss out next time! The link will open in a new window. The youtube video about Namaqualand is unfortunately in Afrikaans, but you will see a donkey chart, some beatiful images about South Africa and some flowerbeds too… the artist sings about Namaqualand.

map image: namaqualand.com

http://www.namaqualand.com/index.htm

 

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Afrikaans 14 Augustus 1875

The Afrikaans Language Monument, Paarl, Cape Province, South Africa

The Afrikaans Language Monument…from a different angle

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Africa/South_Africa/photo600228.htm

The original idea behind the Afrikaans Language Museum in the 1970’s was to honour the members and work of the society – GRA – founded in 1875 in Paarl. Their aims were to establish Afrikaans as a written language, to standardise the language and to start publishing in Afrikaans. Gideon Malherbe was one of the founders.

This post will be mainly in Afrikaans…You can enjoy the images with the captions in English. As 14th Aug is an important day for Afrikaans, the language, -the most beautiful language in the whole wide world! -I would like to dedicate this post to Afrikaans, the language of my mother tongue, the language I love and the language I cherish! I do write many posts in English, as I have chess players on Chess World that come here often to read and the whole idea of my blog in the start was to blog about South Africa- the country I love – and to introduce them all to the most beautiful country in the world!  On this link – on my blog – you can see magazine covers in Afrikaans and also read some bits from the family magazine – “Huisgenoot” dated 1916 – Advertisements in English.https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/huisgenoot1916/
Here’s an extract of Steve Hofmeyr’s song…”Gatvol”

Net een ding irriteer  my meer as ‘n Engelssprekende Suid Afrikaner   wat aanmatigend oor sy taal is. Daardie een ding wat my so grensloos irriteer en wat ek selfs verafsku, is Afrikaners wat probeer Engels wees. Sulke spontane kulturele selfverkragting is tipies van ‘n sekere tipe agterlike Afrikaner. Ja, diegene ly blykbaar aan’n intense minderwaardigheidsgevoel oor hul herkoms…http://www.praag.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=37

Die  inligting wat nou volg,  het ek van Roosmaryn se blog gekry. Ek geniet haar blog geweldig en kuier gereeld daar. Jy sal haar blognaam kry in my verwysings. Hierdie inligting is alles wat in my soektog op haar blog opgekom het toe ek na inligting oor die GRA gesoek het. Sommige van julle sal weet dat 14 Aug altyd as “Afrikaanse dag”  – “herdenk” is. Dit is die dag waarop die GRA (Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners) gestig is ..14 Aug 1875. Lees hierdie brokkies van Roosmaryn, dis werklik interessant. Aan die einde van hierdie pos is daar twee gedigte…jy kan op die bladsy “my poetry-gedigte” nog meer Afrikaanse gedigte ook vind.
FAK se Taalkomitee gestig
2 Junie 1967

Die Hoofbestuur van die FAK het sy Taalkomitee gestig om hom te adviseer oor die wyse waarop die FAK sy taak ten opsigte van die handhawing en bevordering van Afrikaans kan uitvoer. Die komitee het van meet af aan doelgerig aandag geskenk aan die bevordering van Afrikaans onder meer in die sakewêreld, die hotelbedryf, die staatsdiens, die vervoerwese, op alle onderwys vlakke en die naamgewing van strate en dorpsgebiede. Dit is gedoen by wyse van gereelde briefwisseling en persoonlike onderhoude. Boek uitstallings, soos die omvangryke boeke fees in die Taalfeesjaar in die Paarl in 1975, is ‘n gereelde projek van die komitee om die lees van die Afrikaanse boek te bevorder. Die Langenhoven fees is in 1973 gereël, die gevierde skryfster M.E.R. is met haar honderdste verjaardag vereer, en huldigingsfeeste vir Totius (1977) en A.G. Visser -1978- is gehou. Die publikasies Afrikaans ons Pêrel van Groot Waarde en GRA Herdenk is op inisiatief van die komitee in 1974 en 1975 uitgegee. Afrikaans was by verskeie Algemene Vergaderings die kongres tema, en gereelde artikels oor al die aspekte van taalbevordering word vir Handhaaf gelewer. FAK–365Spore.blogspot.com

22 April 1923
D.F. (Oom Lokomotief) du Toit oorlede

Daniel Francois du Toit, D.P. seun, in later jare alombekend as Oom Lokomotief, is op 15 Januarie 1846 op die plaas Kleinbos, Daljosafat, gebore en is in Bloemfontein oorlede. Hy was ‘n stigterslid van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners. In 1878 word hy redakteur van die Afrikaanse Patriot, en hy oefen op die wyse geweldig baie invloed uit op die Taalbeweging. Van Die Patriot het hy ‘n gevestigde koerant met invloed gemaak. Hy het so eie met die lesers gesels dat hulle vertroue in sy koerant gehad het. Alle moontlike vrae word daarin beantwoord; daar word raad gegee, moed ingepraat en koers aangedui. Daar ontstaan ‘n onverbreekbare band tussen leser en redakteur. Met die veranderde politieke houding van sy ouer broer, ds. S.J. du Toit, leier van die GRA, kon hy nie saamgaan nie, en hy verlaat saam met C.P. Hoogenhout in 1891 Die Patriot. In 1892 verhuis hy na die Vrystaat, waar hy later in Bloemfontein argivaris was. Aka fak P.J.N–365Spore.blogspot.com

1874
W. Postma gebore

Willem (dr. O’kulis) Postma was ‘n Gereformeerde predikant, baanbreker skrywer en streng Calvinis. In Bloemfontein beywer hy hom vir die erkenning van Afrikaans as taal en voorspel dat Afrikaans een van die amptelike tale van Suid-Afrika sal word. Hy het as CNO-man die Engelse Onderwysstelsel in die OVS heftig teëgestaan. Gevolglik stig hy die eerste CNO-skool in 1905 in die voorportaal van die Gereformeerde Kerk, Bloemfontein. In 1916 word hy voorsitter van die provinsiale onderwyskommissie in die OVS. Op die eerste vergadering van die Bybelvertalings kommissie (22November 1916) verteenwoordig hy die Gereformeerde Kerk en in dieselfde jaar verskyn uit sy pen ‘n vertaling in Afrikaans van die Nuwe Testamentiese boek Titus. In 1914 word hy die regterhand van genl. J.B.M. Hertzog tydens die stigting van die Nasionale Party. In 1909 verskyn sy werk, Die esels kakebeen. Hy is op 13 Desember 1920 op Reddersburg oorlede. Aka fak D.E

1876
Eerste Beginsels van die Afrikaanse Taal gepubliseer

Die voorstanders van Afrikaans het dadelik besef dat ‘n Afrikaanse spraakkuns onontbeerlik is. Nog voor die stigting van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners skryf Een Ware Afrikaander (ds. S.J. du Toit) op 30 Januarie 1875 aan Klaas Waarzegger jr. (C.P. Hoogenhout) oor die Eerste Beginsels van die Afrikaanse Taal onder meer die Eerste Beginsels van die Afrikaanse Taal onder meer Die eerste vraag sal wees …wat is die Afrikaanse taal? Die eerste boekies is geskryf en gedruk ooreenkomstig ‘n bepalingin die statute van die GRA. Die naam van die vroegste werkie is Eerste Beginsels van die Afrikaanse Taal (1876), wat veral die hand van ds. S.J. du Toit verraai, maar waaraan ook eerw.. J.W. van der Rijst en C.P. Hoogenhout meegewerk het. Dit was maar dun en het slegs 29 bladsye leesstof bevat. Ses jaar later is dit herdruk en in 1897 deur ds. Du Toit enigsins omgewerk, toe 6 000 eksemplare van die Fergelykende Taalkunde fan Afrikaans en Engels, soos dit nou heet, gedruk is. In 1902 was ‘n herdruk al nodig. Die GRA is op hulle vergaderings gereeld op die hoogte gehou van die vordering wat gemaak is met die skryf en publikasie van Eerste Beginsels. Aka fak P.J.N

1859
E.J. du Toit gebore

Erns Johannes du Toit, oorlede op 12 Januarie 1924, was hoof van die drukkers firma D.F. du Toit en Co. en later lid van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners. Hy het verskeie van die eerste Afrikaanse boeke uitgegee en ook die laaste jaargange van die koerante Die Afrikaanse Patriot en die tydskrif Ons Klyntji.
Aka fak prof. dr. P.J. Nienaber

1876
Die Afrikaanse Patriot verskyn vir die eerste keer

Met die stigting van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners op 14 Augustus 1875 in die Paarl is ‘n tydvak van georganiseerde stryd om die Afrikaanse taal ingelui. In artikel IX van die Genootskap se bepalings word beoog om ‘n Afrikaanse maandblad uit te gee. Op hierdie dag in 1876 verskyn die eerste uitgawe van die maandblad Die Afrikaanse Patriot, wat die orgaan van die GRA sou wees. C.P. Hoogenhout was die eerste redakteur onder die skuilnaam Oom Lokomotief, wat deur die redakteurs na hom oorgeneem is. In Die Patriot dek die GRA die terreine van hul doelstelling, naamlik die van land, volk en taal. Daarin is leiding gegee ten opsigte van landsake, die Afrikaanse taal, geskiedenis en belangrike nuus. ‘n Rubriek van vrae en antwoorde is ontwerp om weetgierigheid op te wek en te bevredig. Afrikaners is aangemoedig om bydraes te stuur, sodat hulle kon leer om hulle taal ook te skryf. Die redaksie het lesers aangespoor om gedigte hou foutief ook al, in te stuur. Deur taal bespreking wou die GRA liefde, eerbied en belangstelling opwek vir die Afrikaanse taal. In eenvoudige spreektaal sou die lesers ingelig word oor die vernaamste nuus. So kon plattelandse Afrikaners bereik en opgevoed word vir wie die Hollandse en Engelse taal moeilik leesbaar was. Die Patriot het sterk teenkanting ontvang sowel van Hollandse as van Engelse kant. Medewerkers het onder skuilname geskryf en moes dikwels onder growwe spot deurloop. Die sterkste teenkanting het van die voorstanders van Hollands gekom, wat Nederlands as die volkstaal gesien het en Afrikaans as ‘n “patois”, ‘n Hotnotstaaltjie beskou het. Ten spyte van teenkanting het die redaksie soms met groot opoffering voorgegaan, en teen 1880 was Die Patriot die mees gelese blad in Suid-Afrika. Dit was veral te danke aan die politieke houding wat die blad aangeneem het, gebaseer op Christelike beginsels en die strewe om die Afrikaanse volksaak te bevorder. In 1904 is die blad gestaak na kwynende belangstelling, veral as gevolg van die veranderde politieke beleid van S.J. du Toit, wat sy steun aan Rhodes toegesê het. Die redaksie van Die Patriot het insig in die behoeftes van die volk gehad en was daarop ingestel om by die eenvoudige Afrikaners die behoefte aan geestesvoedsel op te wek en dan daarin te voorsien. Die blad het leiding gegee in landsake en die Afrikaner laat belang stel in die politiek. Die Patriot het baie bygedra tot die ontwaking van ‘n Afrikanernasionalisme deur die Afrikaner bewus te maak van die skoonheid van sy taal, sy eie grootse geskiedenis en sy unieke geestesbesit. Dit het die Afrikaner leer lees en skryf en hom laat besef dat sy spreektaal nie vir Hollands as skryftaal hoef terug te staan nie. As die eerste Afrikaanse koerant, het Die Patriot ‘n onberekenbare bydrae gelewer tot die opheffing van Afrikaans tot skryf- en volkstaal. Aka fak prof. dr. P.G. Nel

1865
Jan F.E. Celliers gebore

Johannes Francois Elias Celliers was ‘n bekende Afrikaanse skrywer, digter en dramaturg. Hy lê sy Landmeters eksamen in Nederland af, maar word later ‘n amptenaar in die onderwysdepartement van die ZAR en in 1894 staatsbibliotekaris in Pretoria. Met die uitbreek van die Engelse Oorlog, sluit hy hom by die kommando’s aan, en in 1902 vertrek hy na Europa, waar hy sy beroemde gedig: Die Vlakte skryf. In 1907 keer hy na Suid-Afrika terug en werk by die Departement van Binnelandse Sake in Transvaal. In 1919 word hy ‘n buitengewone professoraat aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch aangebied. Baie van sy verse weerspieël sy huislikheid en liefde vir kinders. Behalwe sy digterlike arbeid, werk hy ook mee tot die stigting van Die Brandwag. Hy was ‘n volksdigter, “een wat in woorde vaslê wat in die hart van die nasie omgaan” (Preller). Sy prosawerk is van weinig literêre waarde, maar as digter beklee hy ‘n besondere plek in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. Hy vestig hom na sy aftrede aanvanklik in Kaapstad maar later op Harrismith, waar hyop 1 Junie 1940 oorlede is. aka fak prof. dr. P.G. Nel

Vryheidslied

Vrome vad’re fier en groot!
Deur vervolging, ramp en nood,
was hul leuse, tot die dood:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Erfnis van hul moed en trou
is die grond waar ons op bou.
Juigend tot die hemelblou:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Ere wie die dood mag lei
om te rus aan hulle sy,
met die sterwenswoord te skei:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Op dan, broers en druk hul spoor,
voorwaarts, broers, die vaandel voor,
laat die veld ons krygsroep hoor:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Woes geweld mag hoogty hou,
kettings mag ons lede knou,
maar die leuse bly ons trou:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Jukke mag vir slawe wees,
manneharte ken geen vrees,
duld geen boei vir lyf of gees:
Vryheid! Vryheid!

Woorde: JaN F.E. Celliers
Musiek: Emiel Hullebroeck

Die vlakte

Ek slaap in die rus van die eeue gesus,
ongesien, ongehoord,
en dof en loom in my sonnedroom,
ongewek, ongestoord.
Tot die yl-bloue bande van die ver-verre rande
skuif my breedte uit,
wyd-kringend aan die puur al-omwelwend asuur
wat my swyend omsluit.

Jong aarde se stoot het my boesem ontbloot
bo die diep van die meer;
en volswanger van lewe ‘t oor die waat’re geswewe
die gees van die Heer.
Uit die woelende nag van haar jeugdige krag
brag die aarde voort
Lewiatansgeslagte, geweldig van kragte –
storm-ontruk aan haar skoot.
Diep in my gesteente berg ek hul gebeente –
die geheim van hul lewe en lot;
maar gewek uit die sode herleef uit die dode,
na die ewig hernuwingsgebod,
die van d’ verlede in vorme van d’ hede,
in eindeloos komme en gaan;
wat die dood my vertrou ‘t, ek bewaar dit as goud,
en geen grein sal ‘k verlore laat gaan.

As die son oor my vloer in die more kom loer,
en die dou van my lippe kom kus,
dan kyk ek net stom met ‘n glimlag om
en ek le maar weer stil in my rus.
Hog bowe die kim op sy troon geklim,
is hy heer van lewe en dood;
na wil of luim gee hy, skraal of ruim,
verderf of lewensbrood.

Uit die gloeiende sfeer brand hy wreed op my neer,
tot my naaktheid kraak en skroei,
en my koorsige asem in bewende wasem
al hygend my bors ontvloei.
In sy skadetjie rond om sy stam op die grond
staat ‘n eensame doringboom,
soos die Stilte op haar troon, met dorings gekroon,
wat roerloos die eeue verdroom.
Geen drop vir die dors aan my stofdroe bors:
my kinders* versmag en beswyk,
en die stowwe staan soos hul trek en gaan
om my skrale dis te ontwyk.

Soos ‘n vlokkie skuim uit die sfere se ruim
kom ‘n wolkie aangesweef,
maar hy groei in die blou tot ‘n stapelbou
van marmer wat krul en leef –
kolossaal monument op sy swart fondament,
waar die bliksem in brul en beef.
En o, met my is die windjies bly:
hul spring uit die stof orent
en wals en draai in dwarrelswaai
oor my vloer, van ent tot ent:
die gras skud hul wakker om same te jakker,
tot hy opspring uit sy kooi
en soos mane en sterte van jaende perde
sy stingels golf en gooi.

Met dof-sware plof, soos koeels in die stof,
kom die eerste drupples neer,
tot dit ruis alom soos deur die gebrom
en gekraak van die donderweer.
Met kloue vooruit om te gryp en te buit
jaag ‘n haelwolk langs verby,
soos ‘n perde-kommande wat dreun oor die lande
vertrap en gesel hy-
en sy lyke-kleed sien ek ver en breed
in die awendson gesprei.

Stil in die duister le ‘k so en luister
hoe die spruite gesels en lag;
maar bowe die pak van my wolkedak
het die maan al lank gewag:
nou breek en skeur hy ‘n baan daardeur
om te deel in my vreug benede;
hy sprei die waas van sy romig-blou gaas-
en ek lag so stil-tevrede.
Plek op plek, soos die wolke trek,
sweef die skaduwees onder mee,
soos eilande wyd oor die waat’re verspreid
op die boesem van die grote see.
Met ‘n afskeidskus gaan die maan ook ter rus,
en ek wag op die daeraad-
so skoon en so mooi soos ‘n fris jong nooi
wat lag in haar bruidsgewaad.

Oor die bukte se rug slaat die gloed in die lug
van die brande wat ver-weg kwyn,
en doringbome fluister in rooi skemerduister
van gevare wat kom of verdwyn.
Uit slote en plas, uit die geurende gras,
styg ‘n danklied op ten hemel;
en dis net of ek hoor hoe die kriekies se koor
weergalm uit die sterre gewemel,
waar wêrelde gaan op hul stille baan
tot die einde van ruimte en tyd.
So, groots en klaar, staat Gods tempel daar,
wyd – in sy majesteit.

* “kinders” is wildsbokke
Uit “Die Vlakte” -1908-

1847
Ds. S.J. du Toit Gebore
Stephanus Jacobus du Toit is op Dal Josafat by die Paarl gebore. Hy het sy skool-en teologiese opleiding respektiewelik aan die Paarlse Gimnasium en die Kweekskool op Stellenbosch ontvang. S.J. du Toit was onder die invloed van Arnoldus Pannevis ‘n vurige voorvegter vir Afrikaansas selfstandige taal. Sy politiek-nasionale doelstelling- “om te staan vir ons taal, ons nasie en ons land” – het hy deur die stigting van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners (GRA) op 14 Augustus 1875, met as spreekbuis Die Afrikaanse Patriot, die Afrikanerbond in 1879 en sy aandeel in die opstel van die Afrikaanse Volkslied, bevorder. Hy kan daarom as die eerste Afrikaanse Nasionalisbeskou word. In 1882 het hy Superintendent van Onderwys in Transvaal geword. Sy onderwyswet het die onderwys in die Republiek bevorder. Sy eersug en betrokkenheid by Transvaalse politieke aangeleenthede, soos die Wesgrens-kwessie, die Pretoria-Konvensie, aandelespekulasies in die Goudstad, leerstellige aangeleenthede en sy teenkanting teen die regering se konsessiebeleid, het hom in regeringskringe ongewild gemaak. In 1888 het hy as Superintendent van Onderwys bedank en hom weer in die Paarl gaan vestig, waar hy hom met die vertaling van die Bybel in Afrikaans, ‘n taak deur die GRA in 1885 aan hom oorgedra, besig gehou het. Hy was dus ook ‘n baanbreker op die gebied van die Afrikaanse Bybelvertaling. Na sy terugkeer in die Paarl het hy die beleidsrigting van Die Patriot gewysig. Sy kritiek op die Krugerbewind en pleidooie vir konsiliasie tussen Brits- en Afrikaanssprekendes het hom verder van sy mede-Afrikaners vervreem. Die gevolg was dat die Eerste Taalbeweging, waarvan hy die vader was, teen 1900 doodgeloop het. In sy tweede Paarlse tydperk het ds. S.J. du Toit egter verbasend veel ter bevordering van die Afrikaanse taal en letterkunde sowel as oor algemene en godsdienstige onderwerpe gepubliseer. Hy het verskeie Afrikaanse boeke geskryf, soos Die Koningin van Skeba (1898), die eerste Afrikaanse gepubliseerde drame. Hy het ook gedigte geskryf, maar hulle is nooit gebundel nie. Hy is algemeen beskou as die “Vader van die Afrikaanse taal; stigter van die Afrikanerbond en stryder van die Calvinisme”. (Die inskripsie op sy graf). In sy lewe was hy predikant van die NG Kerk, Calvinistiese teoloog, Bybelvertaler, leier van die Eerste Afrikaanse Taalbeweging, skrywer, Superintendent van Onderwys in Transvaal, en koerant- en tydskrifredakteur. Op ‘n besoek aan Calvinia in Augustus 1910 het sy perdekar omgeval. Die ernstige beserings wat hy in die ongeluk opgedoen het, het uiteindelik gelei tot sy sterwe op 28 Mei 1911 op Kleinbosch, Dal Josafat. Dankie aan Roosmaryn! 365Spore.blogspot.com

The National Afrikaans Literature Museum in Bloemfontein

Charlize Theron…Afrikaans speaking..and proud to admit it!

This T-shirt says…”my dad is bigger than your dad!”…you all know that one for sure!

As jy ‘n DelaRey t-shirt het…sal jy die woorde ken!

This t-shirt says: Daddy’s little sperm!! hehe

This card says…”I love you” in Afrikaans.

Afrikaans on T-shirts…image found on google

Jou afwesigheid
Die son se stilte sprei oor die more-dou
en maak jou afwesigheid soveel moeiliker
Tyd kan nie uitvee die herinneringe
En moeiliker die misverstande
Nog die gebroke siel heel
Maar die soete verlede van lank gele’
Steek vas en onderhou my geheue
Verblydend is jou bestaan
Wat my wêreld  verkleur!

–©Nikita–

 

Afrikaans
Die taal wat ek liefhet
Afrikaans
Die taal wat ek praat
Afrikaans
Die taal waarin ek dink
Afrikaans
Die taal waarin ek droom
Afrikaans
Die taal van my hart
Afrikaans

Die taal wat ek koester
Vir nou en altyd
Afrikaans
Jy is myne
Afrikaans
Jy is nou
Afrikaans
Jy is besonders
Afrikaans
Jy is uniek
Afrikaans
Jy is getrou
Afrikaans:
My denke
My wese
My lewe!

©Nikita 2008

Nadat ek die kort gediggie geskryf het, het ek dit op verskeie webbladsye gelees – en ek is bly julle almal geniet dit! Maak asseblief net seker dat jy krediet gee aan wie dit verskuldig is.

Afrikaanse stories op hierdie link op my blog:

https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/wolf-and-jackal-stories/

Dankie weereens aan Roosmaryn: 365Spore.blogspot.com

O, BOEREPLAAS

Woorde: C.F. VISSER
Musiek: JOHANNES JOUBERT; verwerk: ARTHUR ELLIS

O boereplaas, geboortegrond!
Jou het ek lief bo alles.
Al dwaal ek heel die wêreld rond,
waar so gelukkig, so gesond?
O boereplaas, geboortegrond!
Jou het ek lief bo alles.

O moederhuis, waar ooit so tuis?
Jou het ek lief bo alles.
Die wêreld, rykdom, prag en praal
kan jou verlies my nooit betaal.
O moederhuis, waar ooit so tuis?
Jou het ek lief bo alles.

O moedertaal, o soetste taal!
Jou het ek lief bo alles.
Van al die tale wat ek hoor,
niks wat my siel ooit so bekoor.
O moedertaal, o soetste taal!
Jou het ek lief bo alles.

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Suid-Afrika my skaduwee

I’ve got this CD of Hilary Stagg…beautiful music…enjoy this track and do get yourself this CD!!

This is an Afrikaans poem, just my thoughts about life as a child…

Indien jy ooit by die Opelug Museum in Pretoria ‘n draai maak, maak gerus ‘n draai by die Watermeule. Hierdie watermeule het op ons plaas gestaan en is hy klip-vir-klip gemerk en net so herbou in Pretoria. As kind van ongeveer 7/8 jaar oud, het ons gedurig op die wiel gespeel en was dit ‘n heerlike wegkruipplek vir die kat om haar kleintjies te kry!! Daarom dat my gedagtes ook in hierdie gegriffel ‘n draai gaan maak het op die watermeul se wiel! Ek kon vir ure die miskuiers volg wat in veld hulle bolletjies gerol het…wanneer ek gaan stap het om verdroogde stukkies takkies te versamel en grassade vir my versameling wat ek gedurig in my kamer uitgestal het…die gedrooge takkies…spesiale mooi uitgesoektes natuurlik, het ek in gebruik in rangskikkings en was my kamer omtrent ‘n “nes” van alles wat ek van die veld aangedra het. Selfs verdwaalde tarentaal-vere het hul ere-plekkie gehad…en hoe kon ek die karretjies uitlaat, dit het ek meer gespeel as met my poppe wat altyd net op my bed gelê vir die mooiheid…

Baie dankie aan Francois vdM wat vandag [18/6/2011] hierdie pragtige foto van my geliefde waterval op ons familieplaas – waar ek ure kon sit en ontspan, rondklouter en saam met familie/vriende geniet het, aangestuur het. Francois bly ook in die omgewing en ken dit ook alte goed. In die volgende gedig lees jy juis van die waterval!

Suid-Afrika – my skaduwee

In die skadu’s
van die groot ou Eik
stoot ek weer in die sand
Boeta se karretjies een-vir-een
‘is verstommend hoe die mierleeus uit hul tonnels
krioel met kierang-hier en kierang-daar

Langs die waterval
sit ek, halfbewus
my gedagtes vind perspektiwiteit
en rol ragfyn ligstraaltjies voor my uit
op die kabbellende water

Op die meulwiel van vervloë
versamel ek babakatjies
pas gebo’, versteek
teen elemente daar buit’
en ek streel die sagtheid
wat ek koester
verder op my reis

Ek verdwaal tussen rante
soekend na onweerstaanbare
toktokkies en miskruiers
‘k neem ‘n honger teug
uit die kom van fluisteringe
“ons-vir-jou-ons-vir-jou”

Hoe sal ek jou kan vergeet
jou alledaagse ontwykende
en eindlose horison
onwetend
bly jy daar vir my
en ek vir jou
Hoe kán ek dan
Vergeet van: “ons-vir-jou”…?

©Nikita 17 Junie 2008

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Hallelujah

Image: Beautiful South Africa by Tessa Jouhin

Vryheid – Freedom
In the Gregorian calendar, 31st May is the 151st day of the year.

This day is also a very important day in South Africa’s History. The day when South Africa became a Republic.  

31 May was a significant day in South African history, being both the day in 1902 on which the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, ending the Second Anglo-Boer War, and the day in 1910 on which the Union of South Africa came into being, which then came to an end and was re-established as the “Republic of South Africa”.

Enjoy this piece of music by Handel

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Kyk hoe glinster die maan…dreams…

Image:eso-garden.com

This song is one of my favourites, sung by Laurika Rauch, also one of my favourite South African artists. Laurika is a legend in South Africa and many South Africans love her for her music…and I’m definitely one of them. If you click on the page-link that says…”don’t miss this song”, you can listen to her singing another song together with Valiant Swart…and I’ve translated that song for you to understand the song that’s about a sun catcher… This song is about her as a young girl, where she says she used to believe in Santa ….she saw Santa walking through the corn fields one day and her brother asked if Santa was from Clocolan….then one day  she saw Santa’s suit…and she realised that he wasn’t real…all her dreams were scattered… she also sings about girls having dreams about their future partners and she wrote a letter to Santa …describing him her dream partner…

WOW! This image is from THIS SITE where you can see more fantastic breathtaking images! This is the road to Clocolan…the small town Laurika mentions in her song…in her song her little brother asks her if Santa was from Clocolan…
 

EK HET IN MY KINDERJARE VAS GEGLO IN KERSFEESVADER
IN WERKLIKHEID RY HY MOS MET ‘N SLEE
MAAR HIER STAP HY DEUR DIE MIELIES, MET ‘N STREEPSAK
EN ‘N KIERIE
EN MY BOETIE VRA, “BOER HY BY CLOCOLAN?”
KOOR:
WAAR IS JOU RENDIER EN SILWER SPORE?
WAAR IS ONS DROME VAN GISTERAAND?
VLIEG OOR DIE BOME MET MY DROME
KYK HOE GLINSTER DIE MAAN

DIE WINDE VAN DIE WINTER HET MY KINDERHART ONTNUGTER
EK EN BOETIE KRY ‘N ROOI JAS IN DIE LAAI
JONK VAN JARE, OUD VAN DAE, HUIL EK HARTSEER
IN MY KAMER
WANT DIE FANTASIE HET SOOS ‘N DROOM VERDWYN

KOOR

IN ‘N BRIEF VAN LATER JARE, SKRYF EK “LIEWE KERSFEESVADER
ELKE MEISIE HET ‘N SPESIALE WENS
VIR ‘N MAN SO SOET SOOS SUIKER, MET ‘N MOTOR SONDER DUIKE
EN SOEN HY JOU DINK JY DIS NET ‘N DROOM”

KOOR

EK STAP TOE OP ‘N AAND LAAT, MET ‘N KÊREL UIT DIE VRYSTAAT
AL BESTUUR HY ‘N OU BAKKIE, SÊ EK “KERSFEESVADER, DANKIE!”
WANT AL SY SOENE IS SOOS SUIKER, EN IN SY HANDE ‘N DIAMANT
VLIEG OOR DIE BOME MET MY DROME
KYK HOE GLINSTER DIE MAAN

HIER’S ONS KINDERS OM DIE BOOMPIE, HULLE WAG NOU VIR DIE OOMPIE
MY DOGTERTJIE IS NET ‘N BIETJIE BANG
MAAR HY STAP SOMMER UIT DIE BRANDERS, JA DIE TYE HET VERANDER
MY SEUNTJIE VRA, “WOON HY IN JEFFRIESBAAI?”

KOOR
Read what Wipneus says in her post about “dreams” HERE , but it’s an entry in Afrikaans. The link will open in a new window.

Image:Childrenshospital.org

On THIS LINK you can read about dreams….The link will open in a new window.

From the book “Dreams”…by Olive Schreiner…

 And God laughed at me; and I wondered why he laughed.

God said, “Come, and I will show you Heaven.”

…

And partly I awoke. It was still and dark; the sound of the carriages had
died in the street; the woman who laughed was gone; and the policeman’s
tread was heard no more. In the dark it seemed as if a great hand lay upon
my heart, and crushed it. I tried to breathe and tossed from side to side;
and then again I fell asleep, and dreamed.

God took me to the edge of that world. It ended. I looked down. The
gulf, it seemed to me, was fathomless, and then I saw two bridges crossing
it that both sloped upwards.

I said to God, “Is there no other way by which men cross it?”

God said, “One; it rises far from here and slopes straight upwards.

I asked God what the bridges’ names were.

God said, “What matter for the names? Call them the Good, the True, the
Beautiful, if you will–you will yet not understand them.”
Please click HERE to read the entire book …”Dreams” online written by a South African writer…Olive Schreiner….the link will open in a new window….and on THIS LINK  you can read more about her…the link will open in a new window.

Image:http://zar.co.za/schreiner.htm
other works of Olive include:

The Story of an African Farm as Ralph Iron, 1883
Dreams, 1890
Dream Life and Real Life, 1893
The Political Situation (with S C Cronwright-Schreiner), 1896
Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland, 1897
An English South African’s View of the Situation, 1899
Women and Labour, 1911
Stories, Dreams and Allegories, 1923
From Man To Man, 1926
Undine, 1928

 

Olive Schreiner rose to international fame as the first major South African writer of fiction, as an eloquent advocate of feminism, socialism, pacifism and free thought, as a trenchant critic of British imperialism and racism. Perhaps best known for her novel ‘The Story of an African Farm’, Schreiner wrote political and social treatises as well as allegories and short stories.

She was born into a poor family of a Boer father and English mother, the ninth of 12 children. She lived a life of incredible hardship: her father was a missionary of implacable religious zeal and her mother aggressively attempted to maintain a European sensibility as the family nomadically wandered from mission to mission throughout the Transvaal. Schreiner was self-educated; her early influences included the philosophers Herbert Spencer and John Stuart Mill, and the naturalist Charles Darwin.”..read on the link I’ve given about her…more…

On THIS LINK you can visit the site of the movie based on her book…”The Story of an African farm”…
The link will open in a new window.

by Gustavus Hindman Miller.
Fireside; 1st Fireside Ed edition, 1985 | 592 pages | PDF | 1.4MB  Click on the link to download the dictionary of dreams…the link will open in a new window.
the_dictionary_of_dreams_10_000_dreams_interpreted

 
What do you believe about dreams….read this interesting article if you want to dream like an Egyptian! I’ve got a Dutch dream book…more like a dictionary, but quite old…unfortunately packed away in SA…would love to have it so I could blog it..it was always interesting to read what they say if you dream about something, what it means… it has happened to me twice that I dream about people and funerals..then it was when there was really going to be a funeral in the family! The first time it happened was when I was a student…and a couple of days later, my beloved grandma died! After the second time, I really believe that there is some meaning we can attach to dreams!

 

Image: eso-garden.com

DREAMING LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

by Robert Moss

The ancient Egyptians understood that in dreams, our eyes are opened. Their word for dream, rswt, is etymologically connected to the root meaning “to be awake”. It was written with a symbol representing an open eye.

The Egyptians believed that the gods speak to us in dreams. As the Bible story of Joseph and Pharaoh reminds us, they paid close attention to dream messages about the possible future. They practiced dream incubation for guidance and healing at temples and sacred sites. They understood that by recalling and working with dreams, we develop the art of memory, tapping into knowledge that belonged to us before we entered this life journey, and awakening to our connection with other life experiences.

The Egyptians also developed an advanced practice of conscious dream travel.

Trained dreamers operated as seers, remote viewers and telepaths, advising on affairs of state and military strategy and providing a mental communications network between far-flung temples and administrative centers.

They practiced shapeshifting, crossing time and space in the dreambodies of birds and animals.

Through conscious dream travel, ancient Egypt’s “frequent flyers” explored the roads of the afterlife and the multidimensional universe. It was understood that true initiation and transformation takes place in a deeper reality accessible through the dream journey beyond the body.
Please click on THIS LINK to read the entire article. The link will open in a new window.

 DO BABIES DREAM?

Babies dream, says Dr. Charles P. Pollak, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell hospital in the New York Times.

In what seems like a rather gutless attempt to explain why he thinks babies dream, Dr. Pollack says, babies sleep because babies experience REM sleep (I have experienced REM sleep, too, any time you put in one of their last five albums). Because infants have REM sleep, Dr. Pollack says, “It is a well-based inference that babies are dreaming in REM sleep.”
Click HERE to read about babies’ dreams…The link will open in a new window.

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Somewhere my love

Image:http://www.kwathabeng.co.za/limpopo-marulaneng-hoedspruit-gallery.html

Wat is a Tufa waterfall? and where can I find one in South Africa? and how can I get there…this post and this link here, give you all the answers! enjoy!
 https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/09/19/what-is-a-tufa-waterfall/ The Link will open in a new window.

I hope you enjoy this “movie” about South Africa. The images are from the Eastern part of the country… the Mpumalanga province, previously called the Easern Transvaal. It was August…end of winter…and not holiday for South Africans, so we were lucky…. places were not crowded…. You will see mostly images about the third largest/deepest canyon in the world…the Blyde River Canyon. As it was the end of winter, the area wasn’t as green as it used to be during summer! The Grand Canyon is the largest, then the Fish River Canyon in Namibia… This canyon is the greenest canyon in the world. You will also see the potholes at Bourkes Luck. Then, in this canyon, there is a waterfall, called a Tufa waterfall. On one of the images I tell you in short what a tufa waterfall is… where other waterfalls wear away the soil…this kind of waterfall does the opposite! This tufal waterfall is called the “weeping tufa”, as it looks like a face with an eye…and the water flows from the “eye”…A Tufa waterfall is a waterfall where the calcium rich water builds the rock face over which it is flowing as the calcium and mud hardens in beautiful forms, that’s why it’s a “growing” waterfall. This link HERE has got a brilliant picture of the Tufa waterfall – the one you can see in my post too – in this canyon and awesome pictures and many links to places/resorts in that area. Here you can see the “face” of this waterfall…brilliant! The link will open in a new window.

You will see a cave, which can only be seen on the boat trip. You will also see some images from the Sudwala caves. You can put “Swadini” in my search box to find those fantastic links and to see more pictures of that area. I focused on this movie mostly on nature images …do enjoy! On THIS LINK you can see more pictures and links to sites to book a holiday! and on THIS LINK you can see pictures of Pilgrims Rest area and maps/info if you want to tour that are…really beautiful to visit!
If you have enjoyed this movie…Links will open in a new window. Click HERE to see another movie about South Africa which I posted a few days ago.

 

 

Somewhere my love…by the
Ray Coniff singers.

Somewhere, my love,
There will be songs to sing
Although the snow
Covers the hope of spring.

Somewhere a hill
Blossoms in green and gold
And there are dreams
All that your heart can hold.

Someday we’ll meet again, my love.
Someday whenever the spring breaks through.

You’ll come to me
Out of the long ago,
Warm as the wind,
Soft as the kiss of snow.

Till then, my sweet,
Think of me now and then.
God, speed my love
‘Til you are mine again.

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Worth visiting

Ek was deur Skoor gevra om drie inskrywings van my blog te kies wat ek baie van hou, so, hier is hulle. Die eerste inskrywing is van ‘n plek wat ek nog nie besoek het nie: Die Noord-Wes gedeelte van ons land. ‘n Baie goeie vriendin van my het daar gebly en so ver ek weet het sy nog familie daar: Pofadder. 

English readers: scroll down for English. This entry is about other entries on my blog.

Klik Hier vir Onseepkans, Pofadder, Springbok.

Image: ww.sleeping-out.co.za

The Augrabies Falls National Park is also in that area – see the red star on the map…click HERE to visit the South African National Parks website linked to the Augrabies Falls Park and other National Parks too, of cours. The word “Augrabies” is derived from the Khoi word which means…”noisy one”… 

Augrabies Falls

About 120 km west of Upington, in a barren and desolate land of sand, scrub and rock, the broad Orange River plunges through a massive canyon in a sudden and dramatic sequence of rapids and cascades. The waters descend through the ravine to breach the main gorge. Here, the Augrabies waterfalls drop, sheer at first and then in a misty tumble of cataracts, to the turbulent, rock-enclosed pool 200 m below.

The Augrabies Falls are without doubt the most impressive waterfalls along the Orange River and are located approximately 120 km downstream of Upington. The falls occur at a point where the Orange River alters from a wide slowly flowing river traversing sandy soils to a fast flowing narrow river cutting its way through ancient granites.
Read ON THIS SITE more about the Augrabies Waterfall and see more awesome pictures too! Follow the “Wildlife” link to read about Pangolins! Coelacanths – the African Fish Eagle -the Shangaan, the Xhosas, Shaka, the King of the Zulu, Sterkfontein Caves (a World Heritage site). Nongqawuse – Prophetess of Doom.The Xhosa people were almost led to commit suicide in the 1800’s by a fourteen-year-old ‘prophetess’; who claimed she had received a message from the ancestors.

Jasper visited Azerbaijan and if you click HERE you can see more pictures on his blog. Azerbaijan is a country I would like to visit – these Eastern European countries do attract me!
Rosalind  blogged about the Jewish concentration camps and inspired me to blog about  Anne Frank and the South African concentration camps.

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Biltong…soooo yummy!

 If you want to know if somebody is a South African, ask him to say the word…biltong… and…moreover, ask him what it is… ha! he won’t tell you what it is…he will just say…..hmmmmmmmmm…….yummmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyy!! then you will know…that is a real South African, and not a “made” one…! My favourite is….Kudu biltong! of course you get biltong made of ostritch and all kinds of animals and people have their favourites… but, please don’t try elephant biltong…too much sinews! lol! I  had it once…while we travelled the Kruger National Park…never again! That’s the best thing to have with you while travelling there… because biltong is something you shouldn’t gobble up so quickly…(but if you don’t get it every day…like you’re not in SA…and you do get it once in a while…there’s just no other way…you can’t help yourself…you have to gobble it up so quickly….<sigh>..) you have to taste it…think about it….chew it slowly…think more about it and the taste…see if you can find a lion at the water hole….then have another bite… aaah! yummy…. I like mine quite dry too… cut in small bits…. yikes! mouthwatering!!

Click HERE to read original article…but…most importantly…to learn everything about Biltong, how to make it, spices, hints and tips, cutters, etc…..

The word BILTONG is derived from the words “BIL” (BUTTOCK) or meat and ‘TONG” or strip. So it is just a strip of meat.

For centuries mankind has endeavoured to preserve meat. Seafarers, centuries ago, pickled meat in large wooden caskets and devoured this during the months they were at sea. No wonder they suffered from scurvy!!

African folklore has it that migrating African tribesmen, herding their stock, would place strips of venison under the saddles on their horses as the chaffing would tenderise the meat and the sweat of the animals would spice it! This must be when vegetarians were born!!

BILTONG as we know this delicacy today, is a rich inheritance from pioneering South African forefathers who sun dried meat during their trek across the African Subcontinent.
The basic spicing is a dramatic blend of vinegar, salt, sugar, coriander and other spices. These were in abundance in the then Cape Colony, as the French Hugenots produced wine and vinegar from their grape crops and the colony was the halfway stop for seafarers plying the spice routes of the East. Various brine recipes and marinades were created and handed down for generations!

Today BILTONG and DROE WORS (dried South African sausage) is a massive industry and the most sought after delicacies in Southern Africa

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Oranje Blanje Blou

 

Flag of 1928-1994
Following the Union of South Africa , that is the joining if the former colonies of Natal, Cape, Transvaal and Orange River on 31 May 1910, South Africa used defaced red and blue ensigns. Having suffered defeat in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), many South Africans particularly of Boer extraction found these flags unacceptable. Discussions about a new flag had taken place from time to time but were interrupted by such pressing issues as World War I and achieving Dominion Status within the British Empire etc. and it was only in 1925 that the matter began to receive renewed attention. The Balfour Declaration adopted at the Imperial Conference of 1926 defined in general terms the mutual constitutional relationship of the self-governing members of the British Empire (later Commonwealth) whereby Great Britain and the dominions were “equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another” and as such South Africa, as an independent state was entitled to a flag of its own. The flag issue in South Africa was also considered along with the question of nationality.

The issue of inclusion of the Union Jack proved to be a very emotional subject, with the English-speakers on the one side demanding its inclusion and the Afrikaners (Boers) seeing its a symbol of British imperialism demanding it be excluded! A number of proposals were put forward but it was not until the Princevlag design based on the House of Orange that consensus began to emerge. This design was based on the commonly held view that Jan van Riebeeck has raised an orange, white and blue horizontal tricolour when he arrived at the Cape in April 1652. The original design had a quartered shield in the centre, each quarter having a symbol to represent the territories making up the Union. Various other designs were submitted to a Parliamentary Committee which had been established to resolve the issue but none found favour.
Read on this link HERE more and it is really worth visiting…very extensive site with information/flags/history on South Africa ….

This song, unfortunately in Afrikaans, is beautiful… “oranje”… = orange…”blou” = blue…it’s a song to motivate people in South Africa to stand together… and to keep spirits high… to have hope….worth listening even if you don’t understand…beautiful images of the country you will enjoy… This flag is…of course you know perhaps….also our country’s old flag.. and we used to call it the “Oranje Blanje Blou”….

ORANJE-BLANJE-BLOU

Woorde: EITEMAL, na “O.D., hoch in Ehren”
Musiek: HENRY HUGH PIERSON

Die Hoogland is ons woning,
die land van son en veld,
waar woeste vryheidswinde waai
oor graf van meenge held.
Die ruimtes het ons siel gevoed,
ons kan g’n slawe wees,
want vryer as die arendsvlug,
die vlugte van ons gees.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

Die ruwe bergereekse
staan hoog teen awendlug,
soos gryse ewighede daar
versteen, verstyf in vlug.
En stewig soos die grou graniet
ons Boeretrots en -trou,
die fondament waarop ons hier
‘n nuwe nasie bou.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

Die God van onse vaders
het ons hierheen gelei,
ons dien sy grootse skeppingsplan,
solank ons Boere bly.
Ons buig ons hoof voor Hom alleen;
en as Hy ons verhoor
omgord ons bly die lendene:
Die toekoms wink daar voor.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

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Pretoria is Pretoria

 

On THIS LINK you can see pics of Pretoria and pics about the roads…and on THIS LINK you can see why it’s also called the Jacaranda City…and Pretoria is one of 3 capitals of SA…in case you didn’t know…it… Cape Town and Bloemfontein are the other capitals…on one of my links you can read why we have 3 capitals! On these three videos, you can follow the history of the Voortrekker Monument …and why Pretoria is called Pretoria… To me…Pretoria will be PRETORIA and not..Tshwane!! According to WIKI Tshwane comes from “black cow” or “monkey” – from the Ndebele word “tshwene”!

The words of the song on the last video…it gives me goosebumps to hear it!! When I was at school… we used to sing this song…. about  “Young South Africa”, the National Anthem, the Flag song AND the school song…every week…yes, every school in SA has got a song as part of the school ethos……. and you are very proud when singing it…you would stand to attention when singing it…it’s really a beautiful song, hope I can get a translation somewhere!  It describes the country in a beautiful way…
DIE LIED VAN JONG SUID-AFRIKA

Woorde: EITEMAL; gewysig: P. MCLACHLAN
Musiek: HUGO GUTSCHE; verwerk: DIRKIE DE VILLIERS

En hoor jy die magtige dreuning?
Oor die veld kom dit wyd gesweef:
die lied van ‘n volk se ontwaking
wat harte laat sidder en beef.
Van Kaapland tot bo in die Noorde
rys dawerend luid die akkoorde:
Dit is die LIED van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die LIED van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die LIED van Jong Suid-Afrika.

Die klop van die Voortrekkerwawiel
het die eeue se rus verstoor;
die klank van die voorlaaierskote
het klowe en kranse gehoor.
Die diere het stil staan en luister,
die bome het bewend gefluister:
Dit is die KOMS van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die KOMS van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die KOMS van Jong Suid-Afrika.

Waar songloed in glorie die berge
oor hul fronsende voorhoof streel,
waar ruisende wind oor die vlaktes
met grassaad kerjakker en speel,
die land wat ons vaders gekoop het,
met bloed tot ons eie gedoop het:
Dit is die LAND van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die LAND van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die LAND van Jong Suid-Afrika.

Die golwende veld is ons woning
en ons dak is die hemelblou;
die Vryheid alleen is ons koning,
sy wagwoord is: “Handhaaf en bou”.
Die stryd wat ons vaders begin het
sal woed tot ons sterf of oorwin het.
Dit is die EED van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die EED van Jong Suid-Afrika,
dit is die EED van Jong Suid-Afrika

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World Poetry Day

 

Today…15th October 2008…I’ve received this msg from Wayne Visser…(see his poem and site in this entry too….(poem about Africa)…and if you’re interested in his request…then please contact him…he’s looking for people writing poems..but about Africa!

Hello again I thought I’d let you (and your lekker vriende) know that I’ve launched a “Poets of Africa” blog – http://poetsofafrica.blogspot.com/.Just email me on wayne@waynevisser.com and I will give permission for you to post. www.waynevisser.com

 Afrikaanse digters welkom!    
Kwa heri Wayne”
Links will open in a new window.

Today…21st March 2008… is World Poetry Day! I do love poems, I love to read poems and I like to write my own too. On my blog at the top you will now find a page saying…”My poems…gedigte”…a few of my own poems…also you will find a couple of English poems which I’ve translated from Afrikaans…beautiful poems…one from a famous writer/poet/scientist/naturalist…Eugene Marais…”The Dance of the Rain..” take a look and enjoy! also one by Totius…his little daughter died after being struck by lightning..in his arms and he wrote a poem about her…very sad poem….or you can read it  HERE …the link will open in a new window.
You can also read “The Dance of the Rain” on  THIS LINK it’s a very powerful/beautiful poem…full of metaphors…and read about Eugene Marais and the Rain Queen…on that link. The link will open in a new window.

enjoy…the Dance of the Rain!..originally in Afrikaans…”Die Dans van die Reën” by Eugene Marais. If you click on the page saying…”My Poems/gedigte”…you will find more of Wayne Visser’s poems also one which he has asked me to translate…and some of my own poems too, also the poem of the girl that was struck by lightning is to be found on that page. – see the top of my blog for the page-link and I’ve translated Wordsworth’s poem (from English to Afrikaans)…I wandered like a lonely cloud…

Image:tploy.com

The Dance of the Rain
Song of the violinist: Jan Konterdans
translated by:Nikita

The Dance of the Rain
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
First, over the hilltop she peeps stealthily
and her eyes are shy
and she laughs softly
From afar she begs with her one hand
her wrist-bands shimmering and her bead-work sparkling
softly she calls
She tells the wind about the dance
and she invites it, because the yard is spacious and the wedding large
The big game rush about the plains
they gather on the hilltop
their nostrils flared-up
and they swallow the wind
and they crouch to see her tracks in the sand
The small game, deep down under the floor, hear the rhythm of her feet
and they creep, come closer and sing softly
“Our Sister! Our Sister! You’ve come! You’ve come!”
and her bead-work shake,
and her copper wrist-bands shine in the disappearance of the sun
On her forehead, rests the eagle’s plume
She decends down from the hilltop
She spreads her ashened cloak with both arms
the breath of the wind disappears
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
©~~ Nikita

This next poem was written in Afrikaans by Ingrid Jonker and adapted by e.e. cummings…many of her wonderful poems were translated in English and other languages. I love her poems!

 

 

Image:johnfenzel.typepad.com
Somewhere I have never travelled – Iewers het ek nooit gereis nie
Ingrid Jonker…..adapted by e.e. cummings
+
somewhere I have never travelled,
gladly beyond any experience,
your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which I cannot touch because they are too near
~~~~~
iewers het ek nooit gereis nie daardie groen verte
verby alle herinneringe jou oë dra hul stilte
in jou geringste gebaar is daar iets wat my omsluit
of wat ek nie durf aanraak nie iets te ná
~~~~
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though I have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself
as Spring opens(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first rose
~~~~
jou oë van landskappe sal my maklik blootlê
al het ek my hart gesluit soos twee hande
jy ontvou my keer op keer soos die lente
bedrewe en heimlik haar eerste roos
~~~~
or if your wish be to close me, I and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
~~~~
en as jy my sou verlaat geslote dan
sou my voorhoof sluit mooi en onmiddelik
soos die hart van ‘n blom sou droom
van ‘n wit sneeu wat alles oral bedek
~~~~
nothing which we are to perceive in this world
equals the power of intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
~~~~
niks wat ons in hierdie wêreld kan versin
ewenaar die krag van jou broosheid die tekstuur
van jou oë tref my die groen van sy veld
een bevestig die ewige en die vir altyd met elke sug
~~~~
(I do not know what it is about you that closes and opens;
only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands
~~~~
ek weet nie wat dit is wat jou laat vou
en ontvou nie ek verstaan net êrens op my reise
die stem van jou oë is dieper as alle rose
nee nie eens die reën nie het sulke hande
On THIS LINK you can read more about Ingrid…a link to Wikipedia…there’s a Youtube-song to watch…Afrikaans song…one of Ingrid’s poems…and there’s another song to listen to! The link will open in a new window.
and….on THIS LINK you can read more about e e cummings…the link will open in a new window.
If you’re a teacher THIS SITE is really a great site to use for poetry/literacy…try it- the link will open in a new window.

image:worldgolf.com/images/destinations/africa/southafrica.jpg
This next poem is written by Wayne Visser…you can read about him on THIS LINK …the link will open in a new window.

I know a place in Africa…
Inspiring poetry written by Wayne Visser,
a South African currently based in Nottingham, UK.

I know a place in Africa
Where I can feel the sun on my back
And the sand between my barefoot toes
Where I can hear the gulls on the breeze
And the waves crash on the endless shore

I know a place in Africa
Where the mountains touch the skies of blue
And the valleys shelter vines of green
Where the trees spread out a cloth of mauve
And the bushveld wears a coat of beige

I know a place in Africa
Where I can hear the voice of thunder gods
And watch their lightening spears thrown to earth
Where I can breathe the scent of rain clouds
And taste the sweet dew of dusty drops

This is the place of wildness
Of evolution and dinosaurs
Where life began and mankind first stood
Of living fossils and elephants
Where lions roar and springbok herds leap

This is the place of struggle
Of desert plains and thorn trees
Where pathways end and hunters track game
Of horizons and frontiers
Where journeys start and sunsets bleed red

This is the place of freedom
Of exploration and pioneers
Where darkness loomed and light saw us through
Of living legends and miracles
Where daybreak came and hope now shines bright

My heart is at home in Africa
Where the sound of drums beat in my chest
And the songs of time ring in my ears
Where the rainbow mist glows in my eyes
And the smiles of friends make me welcome

My mind is at ease in Africa
Where the people still live close to the soil
And the seasons mark my changing moods
Where the markets hustle with trading
And Creation keeps its own slow time

My soul is at peace in Africa
For her streams bring lifeblood to my veins
And her winds bring healing to my dreams
For when the tale of this land is told
Her destiny and mine are as one

© 2006 Wayne Visser

Enjoy this next poem by Edgar..Poe!

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Edgar Allan Poe

Image…http://project1.caryacademy.org
 

The next poem…by Ingrid Jonker…
The Child

The child is not dead
The child lifts his fists against his mother
Who shouts Africa ! shouts the breath
Of freedom and the veld
In the locations of the cordoned heart
~~~
The child lifts his fists against his father
in the march of the generations
who shouts Africa ! shout the breath
of righteousness and blood
in the streets of his embattled pride
~~~
The child is not dead not at Langa
nor at Nyanga not at Orlando
nor at Sharpeville
nor at the police station at Philippi
where he lies with a bullet through his brain
~~~
The child is the dark shadow of the soldiers
on guard with rifles Saracens and batons
the child is present at all assemblies and law-givings
the child peers through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
this child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
the child grown to a man treks through all Africa
the child grown into a giant journeys through the whole world
Without a pass

 

Ingrid Jonker March 1960
(Translation of: “Die Kind” ) Poems now owned by Simone Jonker…daughter of Ingrid

On THIS LINK you can see podcast-videos of her poems in both Afrikaans/English…worth visiting! The link will open in a new window.

Image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com

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Anne Frank

 

On THIS LINK on my blog, you can read more about the Boer War. You will find some Boer War art, poetry and a lengthy entry about the war with many links to other sites too.

Today I was  inspired by Rosalind due to  her post about the concentration camps during the British/Boer-War in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s…I’ve got a book about the concentration camps and it was so sad to read how those people were treated and the circumstances they lived in! My mum has had a relative – Dorie Burger –  that was there and in this book she was also quoted where she mentioned who died again in the camp and how they were rationed on food and that the food wasn’t enough. According to her, many children were still hungry at night and couldn’t sleep due to insufficient food. You just feel like crying when you read the book!

 Rosalind’s post also  immediately  reminded me about the Jews and the holocaust and my  very own first English “story”-book… Anne Frank’s diary… as a birthday present when I was 12. My birthday  is one day before Anne’s birthday – 12th June – and that  made the book – as a child – even more special. I’ve always been interested in War-books, fiction as well as non-fiction. I’ve blogged before about other books written about wars…the Cambodian war… the war in Kosovo…Today, when you see the word “Holocaust”  it usually refers to this time in which the German Army systematically  killed nearly 6 million Jews. People need to learn about the Holocaust and the reasons why it happened.  Some say it never happened at all, but we know it did because there are too many witnesses and survivors who lived to tell the world about those darkest of times. Click HERE to visit the site about Anne Frank  and there’s a link to the museum.

 

This picture was taken on the 10th March 1933…. that means… Monday, 10th March…more than 70 years ago.

 

The movable book case

Anne Frank’s diary made into a musical…

 from the Guardian newspaper:

 

It might not seem the most obvious material for a song-and-dance number, but the Diary of Anne Frank will take centre stage next month when a Spanish musical based on the most famous book about the Holocaust opens in Madrid.

Having been rewritten for films, plays and TV dramas, the story of the Jewish girl hiding out with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam has never before been made as a musical. The Anne Frank Foundation, which jealously guards the rights to the diary – it once turned down Steven Spielberg when he wanted to make a film – has given its support. Jan Erik Dubbelman said: “This production respects the message of tolerance, within the tragedy, that we want to keep alive. Being in Spanish, it can also help to take the message of Anne Frank to Latin America.”The Spanish theatre group behind the musical has visited the tiny flat where Frank hid from the Nazis, seeking inspiration for their characters and performing some of the songs for members of the foundation. Isabella Castillo, a 13-year-old born in Cuba who has been chosen for the lead role, said she had been moved by the visit: “If you’re doing a musical of the family and how they lived and the house and everything, I think it’s very special, and a very important detail, to come to this house.”Frank wrote the diary while she and her family hid in a secret annexe behind a bookcase in a canal-side warehouse. For 25 months, she wrote down her experiences as a teenager – her love-hate relationship with her parents, spats with schoolfriends, crushes on film stars – while in the background the war raged outside. The family was betrayed and arrested in August 1944 and Frank died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945. Her father Otto was the only one to survive, and returned to Amsterdam after the war, where he discovered that her diary had been saved. First published in Dutch in 1947, it went on to be translated into 60 languages and has sold more than 25m copies worldwide.Rafael Alvero, who developed the musical project, said it was the culmination of a decade’s efforts to gain the confidence of the foundation. He said the show would be inspirational, comparing Frank’s life story to a tragic opera.

“When I first came here they [the foundation] had this doubt, about how somebody can do a musical of a story like this,” said Alvero. “The thing we want to do is … through the music, to understand the story better,” he said.

Once the foundation had given its permission, the hunt for actors capable of mixing the sombre nature of the material with the high energy of a musical began. Castillo said she felt honoured to be playing such an important role, and that there were things the two had in common.

The Franks moved from Germany to Holland in 1933, when Anne was four. Castillo’s mother fled from Cuba when Isabella was young, and they lived in hiding in Belize before immigrating to Miami.
Please click HERE for the original article about the musical.

Image: Gardenofpraise

Today if you visit the site of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp you can see a memorial to Anne Frank and her sister Margot.

This picture shows the streetside view of the building. Otto Frank’s offices were at the front of the building and the hiding place was at the rear.

The hiding place became known as the Secret Annex. It was located at 263 Prinsengracht. The Frank family would occupy two rooms on the first floor. A week later Mr. and Mrs. Van Pels and their son would move into the two rooms on the second floor. From Peter’s tiny room they could access the attic where food was stored. There was a small bathroom on the first floor. Images: gardenofpraise.com

This is what my book looks like…and the next book is a picture book which I’ve bought for my primary y5/6  kids… it’s really an easy book for them to understand Anne’s story.

 

This book is one of  many on my bookshelf  that I still need to finish reading…it’s about a gripping account of how a group of young children who, when forced into isolation by the Nazi occupation of their home town in Czechoslovakia, refused to be silenced and fought back by creating and circulating their own newspaper called Klepy (which means gossip). The “Underground Reporters” chronicles — the lives of the young people who contributed to the newspaper. On the blurb it says: “…They founded a secret newspaper that was to become an inspiration to the Jews of Budejovice, uniting them and giving them something to fight for and be proud of. These young people were the Underground Reporters and this is their story.”

 This book seems to be a great book to read, I’ve just ordered it from Amazon. You can read the review I’ve found on the internet.

 Review from this site:historicalnovelsociety.org/london-conference.htm

No Place for a Lady

Ann Harries

The thrilling and sweeping new novel from the award-winning author of
‘Manly Pursuits’

It is the turn of the twentieth century and war is razing the Boer Republics of South Africa to the ground. Kitchener’s army has intensified its most barbarous campaign: to burn down the homes of thousands of obstinate Boers, forcing a desperate migration to disease-ridden concentration camps. Yet the vastly outnumbered Boers still will not surrender to the British.

In the midst of these horrors is a group of women, each fighting their own battle. Sarah Palmer is an angelically pretty nurse who arrives from England with her madcap friend Louise. Their relationship is threatened when Sarah falls deeply in love with a sick Colonial trooper of humble origin as Louise cannot help but become painfully jealous of her friend’s natural magnetism and beauty. And then arrives the dynamic Englishwoman, Emily Hobhouse, who has come to bring succour to the destitute and dying women and children and to stir the consciences of Britain over the holocaust of the camps.

As their dramas unfold, so too does the history of the war. It was intended to be a quick annexation of the Boer Republics but it turned in to a protracted, savage conflict. Harries shows a depth of knowledge and compassion in her writing; the involvement of the blacks who were promised the vote if they joined the British side, and the injustices and deep inequalities in South Africa which lie at the heart of the story. ‘No Place for a Lady’ is historical fiction at its finest. Ann harries has drawn unforgettable characters and made the period with all its complexities come vividly alive. This is a thrilling, beautifully written, and utterly compelling novel.

Ann Harries was born and educated in Cape Town, where she worked in township schools and community centres. On moving to England she became active in the anti-apartheid movement. The author of the acclaimed Manly Pursuits, she divides her time between the Cotswolds and South Africa.

‘History is ingeniously rewritten in this witty and engaging novel.’

J.M. Coetzee

‘Outstanding…Funny, well observed and beautifully written.’
Sunday Times

‘Brilliantly funny and inventive…Enjoyable and vivid throughout… I haven’t turned any pages faster this year than I have turned these.’
Spectator

‘A hugely ambitious novel that takes on an impressive range of themes, from history, colonialism and racism to science, evolution, sexual repression and betrayal…Both an entertaining read and a richly evocative portrait of that era.’
Observer

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Afrikaans

The Afrikaans Language Monument and Museum, Paarl, Cape Town

 

 

  

I love you….in Afrikaans…”Ek is lief vir jou”..
Read on Wikipedia about this monument and on THIS link there’s more info about it. Why Afrikaans is not an African language… and I agree 100% with the writer of this article.
Read on Wikipedia more about Afrikaans.

Afrikaans

Die taal wat ek liefhet

Afrikaans

Die taal wat ek praat

Afrikaans

Die taal waarin ek dink

Afrikaans

Die taal waarin ek droom

Afrikaans

Die taal van my hart

Afrikaans

Die taal wat ek koester

Vir nou en altyd

Afrikaans

Jy is myne

Afrkaans

Jy is nou

Afrikaans

Jy is besonders

Afrikaans

Jy is uniek

Afrikaans

Jy is getrou

Afrikaans:

My denke
My wese
My lewe!

~~Nikita~~

Dat alle liefde
Dat alle liefde moet verlore gaan
en wegwaai in die wye lug,
waar hierdie dooie ster sy norse vlug
neem deur die stiltes van sy baan –

dit is die vrees, dit is die eensaamheid
wat my, geboe, met die hande krom
rondom die kersie van ons liefde, stom
laat skuil in kleinlike verlatenheid.

(deur: N.P. van Wyk Louw)

 WAGHONDJIES (Jan F. Celliers)

Ek is hier, en Ma is hier,
Ons twee lê op Baas se baadjie.
Wie is jy?
Kom, loop verby,
Anders word ons knor ‘n daadjie –
Kry jou bene dalk ‘n hap.
Kry jou broekspyp dalk ‘n gaatjie.
Mooipraat? Nee, ons ken jou nie.
Weg jou hand en raak ons nie!
“Oppas,” het die baas gesê,
“Tot ek weer kom, hier bly lê.”
Op ons pootjies lê ons kop,
Maar ons hou jou darem dop.
Toe-oog slaap ons op die baadjie,
Maar ons loer nog deur ‘n gaatjie –
Een oor plat, en een oor op,
PAS-OP!!

Amanda Strydom, South African artist is having a conversation in Afrikaans with a Dutch TV/Radio presenter. Both of them understand one another!

Coenie de Villiers and Steve Hofmeyr singing Afrikaans

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Fiela’s Child and other books

Read here about the book :”Circles in the Forest” and about “Big Foot”…

Afrikaans…scroll down….
Dalene Matthee was one of South Africa’s most talented authors, the best popular novelist that I know….. She wrote mainly in Afrikaans, but many of her books were translated into 14 other lanuages, such as Italian, Hebrew, Spanish, German, French, English, Icelandic, etc. Two of her books were filmed, “Fiela’s Child” and “Circles in the forest”…  Her first children’s novel…”Die Twaalfuur stokkie”… “The Twelve o’clock stick” was written in 1970. I LOVE this story and used to read the story to children in London-schools! They loved to listen to the Afrikaans Language and I explained the story via the pictures to them. It’s the best children’s story I’ve come across to explain to little children – age about 5-8 – the concept about time and the earth spinning around the sun… by using a stick in the sun. Read also about the memorial that was unveiled in Feb 2008 in honour of her!
Click HERE to read about Fiela’s Child, the movie.

Please click HERE to read about Dalene Matthee.

SA writers mourn Dalene Matthee
20/02/2005 21:20 – (SA)

Dalene Matthee – 1938-2005

Dalene Matthee dies 

Laetitia Pople , Die Burger

Cape Town – “Maybe she just held out until her new book, Die Uitgespoeldes, and its translation was done,” Dalene Matthee’s daughter Amanda said on Sunday after the author died in her sleep. The 66-year-old Matthee died in the Bayview clinic, Mossel Bay, early on Sunday morning. She was admitted to the clinic for heart failure on Thursday.

The death of Matthee – who was especially well known for her forest trilogy, of which the first, Kringe in ‘n Bos (Circles in a Forest, first appeared in 1984 and was reprinted 22 times – is being described as a huge loss for the Afrikaans reading public. “She was one of the most well-loved popular novelists in Afrikaans. “With her books such as Kringe, Fiela se Kind (Fiela’s Child), Pieternella van die Kaap and, more recently, Toorbos, she got the general Afrikaans public reading again, and she successfully bridged the gap between quality and popular literature,” said Eloise Wessels, chief executive of NB Publishers, on Sunday.

Novelist Elsa Joubert agrees. “She succeeded in getting people who never read Afrikaans to read in the language, and that’s been a wonderful contribution,” she says. The literary expert Wium van Zyl believes she was like Langenhoven.

“Like him, she had something to offer the intellectual reader and for the everyday reader. “She exposed the reader to various challenges. She was an ecologist and a mild feminist who considered the poor with attention and respect.”

If there’s someone whom the entire South African writers’ community mourns today, it would be Matthee, said Abraham H de Vries. “The voice of one of the best storytellers has fallen silent.“Only she could have written those forest stories – no one else could.”

Film-maker Katinka Heyns, who directed the movie based on the book Fiela se Kind, remembers how she spent two hours with Matthee in the Knysna forest. “The forest would tell Dalene if I may make the movie. She did not say a word and only sat listening. “And then I had to wait an enitre night before she gave the answer.”

Matthee was famous for the rigorous research she did for her books. She researched only her forest trilogy (Kringe, Fiela and Moerbeibos) for seven years, and Pieternella took three years’ research.

Matthee’s books were translated into 14 languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew and Icelandic. She won the ATKV prize for good popular fiction four times and was honoured with a Swiss literature prize for her “energetic literary work and her passionate interest in nature conservation” in Zurich in 1993. Die Uitgespoeldes is the story of Moses Swart, a foundling raised by an Afrikaans family after being found under a jacket on the beach. Matthee is survived by her three daughters, Amanda and Hilary Matthee and Toni van der Walt. Her husband, Larius, died two years ago.
Origninal news article HERE as it was reported in 2005.
The forest novels
Kringe in ‘n bos (Circles in a forest) (1984)
Fiela se Kind (Fiela’s Child) (1985)
Moerbeibos (The Mulberry Forest) (1987)
Toorbos (Dream Forest) (2003)

Other published works
Die twaalfuurstokkie (The twelve-o’-clock stick) (1970)
’n Huis vir Nadia (A House for Nadia) (1982)
Petronella van Aarde, burgemeester (Petronella van Aarde,Mayor) (1983)
Brug van die esels (The Day The Swallows Spoke) (1993)
Susters van Eva (Sisters of Eve) (1995)
Pieternella van die Kaap (Pieternella from the Cape) (2000)
Die Uitgespoeldes (Driftwood) (2005)

 Dalene Matthee Memorial

Wow! I was sent SANPARKS-link by a blogger-friend, Chris after he’s read my post about Dalene Matthee and I want to thank him as this is really fantastic!
Dalene Matthee Memorial Unveiled at Wilderness National Park
On Saturday, 23 February 2008, close family, a few selected SANParks officials and the press witnessed the unveiling of a memorial in honour of the late writer, Dalene Matthee. It was Matthee ’s fervent wish to have her ashes scattered in the Knysna Forest and her three daughters saw it as a fitting remembrance to their mom, to have a special memorial erected in the place Matthee so loved.

“After three years this project has fallen into place and the family will be eternally grateful to the Wilderness National Park staff for making it all happen”, says Hillary Matthee, the writer’s youngest daughter.

SANParks contribution included the building of a boardwalk around the memorial, the renaming the big tree to the Dalene Matthee Big Tree and the marking of a circular hiking trail to the “Circles in a Forest” trail. The memorial, tree and trail will now form part of the park’s cultural heritage programme.

Matthee based many of her books, especially Fiela’s Child, Circles in a Forest and Moerbeibos on the life and people of the forest. Her books have been translated into 14 languages.

Dignitaries at the unveiling ceremony included Mvusy Songelwa (Regional Manager of the Garden Route National Parks) who unveiled the memorial, Edgar Nevuvhalani (People and Conservation Cultural Heritage Manager) and Dr. Razeena Omar (Executive Director: People and Conservation), who befittingly mentioned what an honour it is for SANParks to house a memorial for a woman who has done so much to bring nature and the forests to the hearts of all people who read her books.

The memorial, Big Tree and the Circles in a Forest Trail is situated at the Krisjan se Nek picnic site in the Goudveld Forest (close to Knysna), which now forms part of the Wilderness National Park. Jill Gordon, Park Manager, encourages all and especially school groups to come and pay homage to Matthee and explore the beauty of the forests

(Circles in the forest)

(Pieternella from the Cape)

(The Mulberry forest)

Nou wil ek meer oor van haar boeke – en ander skrywers se boeke –  in Afrikaans se… omdat ek van dit self gelees het en self ook ‘n blibioteek-onderwyseres is – Ja, ek het vir 9 jaar uit 2 skole se mediasentrums klas gegee. Honderde boeke is aangekoop – wat ‘n voorreg om die skole se mediasentrum-begroting by Uitgewers te gaan spandeer! Dit was gewoonlik ‘n daguitstappie! 

So is die volgende  boeke dan van my  gunstelinge vir kinders ouderdom 11-15/16…dalk ouer ook! Die Sakmense – Deur Maretha Maartens.  Wat ‘n fantastiese boek. Miriam was ‘n meisie  met’n donker gelaatskleur wie se familie onder “sakke” agter die landdroskantoor gebly het en hulle het groente en vrugte verkoop het om aan die lewe te bly. Thea was ‘n meisie met slegs een nier. Sy moet leer om met haar dialise-sakkie te leef, maar dis nog moeiliker om met haar skuldgevoel oor die weg te kom: sy weet sy is self daarvoor verantwoordelik dat haar ma se nier, wat kleintyd in haar oorgeplant is, heeltemal opgehou funksioneer het. Tog kan sy dit nie sê nie en intussen hou haar ma haar oupa daarvoor verantwoordelik.
Miriam is minderjarig en het nie die waarheid gepraat oor haar ouderdom nie. Dit was omdat sy haar familie wou help om onder die ‘sakke’ uit te kom en ‘n goeie lewe te he. Hulle het nie geld gehad vir skoolgaan nie en haar pa was slegs ‘n leegle-er en het niks gedoen om die familie te ondersteun nie.
Uiteindelik sou Thea en Miriam mekaar help, sodat elkeen kon leer hoe om haar sak weg te leef. Die boek is ‘n boek wat selfs die volwasse leser sal waardeer en geniet.

Sommige ander baie gewilde boeke onder die kinders: Die Boemelaars, Plek van die dolfyne,   ‘n Pakkie mieliepitte, Die Inkvoel en Geagte mej Snob.

Marilee McCallighan se boek- Wedloop teen die wind” – is ‘n boek vir kinders so 12-15 jaar. Arno is die seun-karakter in die storie  en sy pa was ‘n prokureur. Hy was ‘n puik atleet en toe skielik begin hy toe epileptiese aanvalle kry en moes hy na ‘n spesiale skool gaan, wat ‘n groot vernedering vir die pa en ma was – veral die ma! Hulle was gesiene mense in die omgewing en sy kon nie verwerk of aanvaar dat haar talentvolle seun dit moes oorkom en na so ‘n skool moes gaan nie.  

 

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Always on my mind

Picture: nationalgeographic.com/adventure/travel/south_africa.html

Image: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/8b6c8/fac/
 A piece of humour….

South Africa

In the beginning God created day and night. He created day for rugby matches, going to the beach and braais. He created night for going jolling, sleeping and braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Second Day.

On the Second Day God created water – for surfing, fishing, swimming and braais on the beach. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Third Day.

On the Third Day God created the Earth to bring forth plants – to provide food, malt and yeast for beer and wood for braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Fourth Day.

On the Fourth Day God created animals and crustaceans for chops,
boerewors, steak and prawns for braais. God saw that it was good.
Evening came and morning came and it was the Fifth Day.

On the Fifth day God created an oke – to go to the rugby, enjoy the beach, drink the beer and eat the meat and prawns at braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Sixth Day.

On the Sixth Day God saw that this oke was lonely and needed someone to go to the rugby, surf, drink beer, eat and stand around the braai with. So God created buddies, and God saw that they were good okes. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Seventh Day.

On the Seventh Day God saw that the okes were tired and needed a rest. So God created Chicks – to clean the house, bear children, wash, cook and clean the braai. Evening came and it was the end of the Seventh day. God sighed, looked around at the twinkling braais, heard the hiss of opening beer cans and the raucous laughter of all the okes and chicks, smelled the aroma of grilled chops and sizzling prawns, and God saw that it was not just good, it was very good, He created a great place and HE called it SOUTH AFRICA.

Amen Brother!

(anon)

 

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My Five Favourites

I was tagged by MEGHNA to do a meme. This meme is about 5 links on your blog that you like most and then I have to tag 5 other bloggers to do the same!

It was really difficult for me to decide which 5 links are my favourite, as I have more favourites than just 5 for the following reasons: I love History…and I have  quite a few posts relating to History. I do love poetry! and I really have so many poets that I favour, it was really difficult to decide which link! I love chess! and I think at this stage…with the covering of Corus and the African Juniors… I think about 1/4 of my links are chess-related posts, as I have about 20 of my own games posted too! Then…books! Drop me at any bookshop and I’m happy as a pig in Palestine!! So…I tried to focus on what I like/love and tried to find posts that I think might interest you as the reader! Enjoy!

1. Read on Still Tuesday about The Butterfly Lion..and Meghna…I do hope you get hold of this book to read it…the setting starts in South Africa and then moves to England…one of the best books I’ve read…although it’s a book for children age 9-11… due to my work…in South Africa as a library teacher too…I read zillions of books to be able to support children in knowing what’s good to read! and I love children’s books…they are the best!

2. Chess!! African Junior Chess Championships that took place early in January 2008 in Malawi. I covered the tournament with interactive games …so…enjoy yourself with the best from the rest!

3. Suncatcher! Sonvanger On this link you can listen to the song in Afrikaans whilst following the words in English… really a nice song, beautifully sang by two artists and one of them, Laurika Rauch, is really gold dust in South Africa!

4. On Seven II you will find a poem which I translated. Read what it is about, a very sad incident in one of our country’s best poet’s life.

5. VERY interesting history to be read here… about South Africa.

Tag time! I’m tagging the following bloggers…they are all in my blogroll…MyKop’nBlog…Boer-in-Ballingskap…Krokodil-kou-aan….and Willie-werkie…unfortunately, only Krokodil-kou-aan’s blog is an English blog…but beautiful photos to see on the other blogs!

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Milk tart and puff pastry

 

Picture…funkymunky.co.za

For the Milk tart in my  previous post, you need puff pastry for the base. You can look at the video and use the ingredients I’ve given,  but you can follow the video’s ingredients too as it is basically the same.

for the base you need:

1pd Flour
1 pd butter
2 table spoons lemon juice
1/2 pint water-and-1 yoke-mixture.
a pinch of salt
Follow the video for the method.
When done with your puff pastry, you put it in your heat resistant oven dish/bowl. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes before for  you add the filling!

 

Milk tart filling
1 cup = 250 ml

6 cups of milk
6 eggs
2 cups of maizena (cornflour)
2 ounces of butter
1   1/2 cup of sugar
salt to taste

Mix the cornflour with a little bit of milk and heat the rest of the milk.
When the milk is cooking, stir the cornflour mixture in the cooked milk and add the sugar and butter. Beat the eggs, but keep the white of 3 eggs separately – for later. Add the eggs to the mixture and stir thoroughly. Whip the 3 whites till stiff and fold it into the mixture. Fill the base/crust of the tarts with the filling. Bake in a hot oven (190 deg C) for about 20 minutes.  A mixture of sugar and cinnamon can be sprinkled on the filling when it’s cooled down. Serve cold.

Van Cruella — ‘n blog-leser– die volgende:
Die melktertresep is ietwat te styf na my smaak. Ek het die resep gehalveer en ipv ‘n kors klaargekoopte beskuitjies probeer. Dit werk uitstekend. My gehalveerde resep is as volg:
3 k melk
3 eiers, geskei
Half koppie meelblom
1 E blotter
Half koppie suiker
Sout na smaak
Pypkaneel.

Plaas 2 koppies melk plus die suiker en botter in ‘n kastrol en bring tot kookpunt.
Intussen meng jy die res vd melk, meelblom en eiergele tot glad (verkieslik met ‘n klitser).
Sodra die melk kook, verwyder van die stoofplaat en meng die eiermengsel in.
Sodra gemeng plaas terug op stoofplaat en roer tot gaar (plus minus vir 5 minute)
Verwyder van stoofplaat en vou geklopte eierwitte in.
Skep in bak waarvan die bodem gevoer is met beskuitjies.
Strooi gekrummelde beskuitjies en pypkaneel oor.
Laat afkoel en geniet dit!

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International Master in Skaak

Hi Jasper… Hierdie “post” het jy my nou mee geinspireer! Suid-Afrika het nog nie ‘n Grand Master nie! Maar, ons spog darem al met “International Masters!”…. jy sal dalk HIERDIE artikel interessant vind! Ek het….! want ek stem saam, was dit nie vir hom nie, het Watu “Grand Master” status gekry! Op die foto kan jy ook vir Kenny Solomon sien, ‘n SA-IM. Ander name…WIM (Women IM)Solomons Anzel en Melissa Greeff… en ons het Daleen Wiid – WIF , Carmen de Jager -WCM. My kop draai  van al die afkortings! Ek glo ek sal nog spelers met titels kry en die lys aanvul sodra ek meer tyd het! Hierdie lysie is maar baie vinnig opgestel. Van die spelers het ek self nog nie van gehoor nie, bv. Kenny….met die dat ek nie  “tuis” is nie….. Geniet die lees hier!

Click HERE TO play through a game of Jennifer Shahade – GM – and Watu Kobese – IM – (South Africa) in 1998, Philadelphia. This was Watu’s game.

Simen Agdestein, Norwegian Grandmaster toured South Africa during March and said SA has got chess talent, the problem South Africans face…is the fact that they are far from Europe to play tournaments! If it wasn’t for that….then we would have had many masters in chess…. unfortunaletly, the article is only in Afrikaans and you have to translate it to be able to understand it! Second link here…..

Wat hier gebeur het, is natuurlik uiters skandalig!!
Suid-Afrika het talent…lees HIER wat grootmeesters se wat in die land getoer het!

Hier is ‘n verduideliking van al die afkortings in skaak titels! (al daardie “getalle” is hulle “ratings”…dis nogal hoog! hehe….en dis deur FIDE…die International Skaakfederasie-ratings… as jy op ‘n skaak website skaak speel, soos ek en Bib, kry jy net ‘n “site-rating”…so terloops…wanneer begin jy saam met ons speel…en was dit nie Roer wat ook gese het sy wil speel nie, seker koue voete gekry! Ons moet haar bietjie roer!! lol!

Lees HIER oor die SA Ope wat in Julie 2007 plaasgevind het. Daar kan jy ook ‘n foto van Kobese sien!

GM= grand master= 2500+ (+ 3 GM norms, performances of 2550+ against strong
enough opposition)
IM= international master = 2400+ (+3IM norms, performances of 2450+ against
strong enough opposition)
WGM=woman grand master= 2300+ (+3WGM norms, performances of 2400+ against
strong enough opposition)
FM= fide master = 2300+
WIM=woman international master= 2200+ (+3 WIM norms, performances of 2250+ )
CM= candidate master = 2200+
WFM= woman fide master= 2100+
WCM= woman candidate master= 2000+

News about Kenny Solomon – one of South Africa’s International Masters (Photo)

“Having recently returned from the broils of tournaments such as Capelle Le Grande, in France (Dunkirk), and the famous Gibraltar (The Rock) tournament, Kenny is looking rather relaxed. In France his 5.5 out 9 was in his view average, having achieved draws against GML Tolsky, IM Nasar Firmian (2481), and IM Mateo (2417), and conceding to IM M. Wojiech (2463), and IM E Gasanov (2477). In Gibraltar, a British territory bordering Spain, he lost to defending South African Open Champion, British GM Gewain Jones who was an IM last year in July when he took the SA crown in Port Elizabeth. Solomon later compensated with a solid draw against British GM Chris Ward in a game spanning 82 moves.” (2007)

A few pictures from Chess players with titles… and you can see more if you click on the link at the end of the post.

George Michelakis…International Master

David Gluckman…..International Master

Charles de Villiers …..Fide Master

Nicholas van der Nat…. Fide Master

Heinrich Stander…. International Master

Click HERE FOR MORE Chess players with titles from South Africa registered with FIDE.

SOURCE: Click HERE for Chesscube.

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Epilepsy drug helps alcoholics quit the bottle

http://www.drugaware.co.za

On THIS LINK  – links will open in a new window – you can find ALL information on different drugs, like mandrax, heroine, etc. etc…… click on the images and then follow the links on the top of the page once you are on the site of…www.drugcentre.org.za (South Africa’s site…there’s a lot of info to be found, very useful!!….try this site for other links…www.drugs.co.za)and…on THIS LINK (drugaware.co.za) you can see real photos and find more info on drugs!

What is alcohol? Alcohol is a clear drink that is made from corn, barley, grain, rye, or a beverage containing ethyl. When a person drinks alcohol, about 20 percent is absorbed in the stomach, and 80 percent is absorbed in the small intestine. The concentration of alcohol, the type of drink, and whether the stomach is full or empty depends on how fast the alcohol is absorbed. Once the alcohol is absorbed into the tissue, it affects your mind and body.  Blood alcohol concentration can rise up to 20 minutes after having a drink. After alcohol is absorbed it leaves the body in three ways: the kidneys, lungs, and liver.

How is it made?  Beer and  wine are called fermented beverages. They are made by adding yeast to a substance that contains sugar. The yeast starts the formation process, which turns sugar into ethyl and carbon dioxide gas. Beer is made from barley malt. The people who brew the beer soak the barley in water to make it sprout. When the barley dries, they take off the sprouts only leaving starch, or malt. The malt is ground up and mixed up with water to form mash. This is put into another mash which contains corn or rice that has been crushed and heated. The starch from corn or rice is then changed to sugar. Some dried flowers are added to the mash to add flavor, then the mash is fermented. Then the brewers age the beer for several weeks to add taste in the beer. http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0310171/what_is_alcohol.htm

A drug used to treat seizures and migraines may help alcoholics quit the bottle, according to a study in the US. And unlike other medications for alcohol addiction, sufferers can get help without having to completely dry out first.
“You can be treated immediately for the disorder when you are in maximum crisis,” says the lead author Bankole Johnson at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, US.
Johnson and colleagues followed the progress of 317 individuals with alcohol dependence for 14 weeks. Half received treatment with the drug topiramate, an anti-convulsant sold under the brand name Topamax, while the other half received a placebo.
At the start of the study, participants were averaging about 11 drinks per day, and drinking heavily on more than 80% of their days. They totally abstained on approximately three days a month.
By the end of the study, those receiving the drug reported drinking heavily on just 20% of days. They also averaged only 3.5 drinks per day, and managed to stay completely sober more than half the time.

Pleasure blocking
The control group also improved, but significantly less. They drank heavily on more than 40% of days, consumed six drinks per day, and abstained from drinking about a third of the time.

Topiramate works by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which reinforces the pleasurable feelings that alcoholics get when they drink.

In an accompanying editorial, Mark Willenbring at the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says the primary problem now is how to improve patient access to treatments like topiramate, since alcohol abuse remains a woefully under-treated disorder.

“One potential solution is for primary care physicians and psychiatrists to begin systematically identifying and treating alcohol dependence in their patients,” he says.

Topiramate, which is not currently approved by the FDA for alcohol abuse, is already being used “off label” for this disorder, according to Johnson. “My hope is that topiramate continues to be validated and tested by other doctors, and if they want to [prescribe it off-label], they should.”

 

Read article Here ….

WHAT IS ALCOHOL?
What Is Alcohol?
Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items — everything from cheese to medications. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a sedative.

So if alcohol is a natural product, why do teens need to be concerned about drinking it? When people drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into their bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Because experts now know that the human brain is still developing during our teens, scientists are researching the effects drinking alcohol can have on the teen brain.

How Does It Affect the Body?

Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows the function of the central nervous system. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person’s perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

In very small amounts, alcohol can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain, resulting in intoxication. People who have overused alcohol may stagger, lose their coordination, and slur their speech. They will probably be confused and disoriented. Depending on the person, intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or very aggressive and angry. Reaction times are slowed dramatically — which is why people are told not to drink and drive. People who are intoxicated may think they’re moving properly when they’re not. They may act totally out of character.

When large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning can result. Alcohol poisoning is exactly what it sounds like — the body has become poisoned by large amounts of alcohol. Violent vomiting is usually the first symptom of alcohol poisoning. Extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood sugar, seizures, and even death may result.

Why Do Teens Drink?

Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:

• curiosity
• to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
• to fit in
• to feel older

From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens.

Why Shouldn’t I Drink?

Although it’s illegal to buy alcohol in the United States until the age of 21, most teens can get access to it. It’s therefore up to you to make a decision about drinking. In addition to the possibility of becoming addicted, there are some downsides to drinking:

The punishment is severe. Teens who drink put themselves at risk for obvious problems with the law (it’s illegal; you can get arrested). Teens who drink are also more likely to get into fights and commit crimes than those who don’t.

People who drink regularly also often have problems with school. Drinking can damage a student’s ability to study well and get decent grades, as well as affect sports performance (the coordination thing).

You can look really stupid. The impression is that drinking is cool, but the nervous system changes that come from drinking alcohol can make people do stupid or embarrassing things, like throwing up or peeing on themselves. Drinking also gives people bad breath, and no one enjoys a hangover.

Alcohol puts your health at risk. Teens who drink are more likely to be sexually active and to have unsafe, unprotected sex. Resulting pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases can change — or even end — lives. The risk of injuring yourself, maybe even fatally, is higher when you’re under the influence, too. One half of all drowning deaths among teen guys are related to alcohol use. Use of alcohol greatly increases the chance that a teen will be involved in a car crash, homicide, or suicide.

Teen drinkers are more likely to get fat or have health problems, too. One study by the University of Washington found that people who regularly had five or more drinks in a row starting at age 13 were much more likely to be overweight or have high blood pressure by age 24 than their nondrinking peers. People who continue drinking heavily well into adulthood risk damaging their organs, such as the liver, heart, and brain.

How Can I Avoid Drinking?

If all your friends drink and you don’t want to, it can be hard to say “no, thanks.” No one wants to risk feeling rejected or left out. Different strategies for turning down alcohol work for different people. Some people find it helps to say no without giving an explanation, others think offering their reasons works better (“I’m not into drinking,” “I have a game tomorrow,” or “my uncle died from drinking,” for example).

If saying no to alcohol makes you feel uncomfortable in front of people you know, blame your parents or another adult for your refusal. Saying, “My parents are coming to pick me up soon,” “I already got in major trouble for drinking once, I can’t do it again,” or “my coach would kill me,” can make saying no a bit easier for some.

If you’re going to a party and you know there will be alcohol, plan your strategy in advance. You and a friend can develop a signal for when it’s time to leave, for example. You can also make sure that you have plans to do something besides just hanging out in someone’s basement drinking beer all night. Plan a trip to the movies, the mall, a concert, or a sports event. You might also organize your friends into a volleyball, bowling, or softball team — any activity that gets you moving.

Girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem.

Where Can I Get Help?

If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible. The best approach is to talk to an adult you trust. If you can’t approach your parents, talk to your doctor, school counselor, clergy member, aunt, or uncle. It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, but a supportive person in a position to help can refer students to a drug and alcohol counselor for evaluation and treatment.

In some states, this treatment is completely confidential. After assessing a teen’s problem, a counselor may recommend a brief stay in rehab or outpatient treatment. These treatment centers help a person gradually overcome the physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.

What If I’m Concerned About Someone Else’s Drinking?

Many people live in homes where a parent or other family member drinks too much. This may make you angry, scared, and depressed. Many people can’t control their drinking without help. This doesn’t mean that they love or care about you any less. Alcoholism is an illness that needs to be treated just like other illnesses.

People with drinking problems can’t stop drinking until they are ready to admit they have a problem and get help. This can leave family members and loved ones feeling helpless. The good news is there are many places to turn for help: a supportive adult, such as your guidance counselor, or a relative or older sibling will understand what you’re going through. Also, professional organizations like Alateen can help.

If you have a friend whose drinking concerns you, make sure he or she stays safe. Don’t let your friend drink and drive, for example. If you can, try to keep friends who have been drinking from doing anything dangerous, such as trying to walk home at night alone or starting a fight. And protect yourself, too. Don’t get in a car with someone who’s been drinking, even if that person is your ride home. Ask a sober adult to drive you instead or call a cab.

Everyone makes decisions about whether to drink and how much — even adults. It’s possible to enjoy a party or other event just as much, if not more so, when you don’t drink. And with your central nervous system working as it’s supposed to, you’ll remember more about the great time you had!

Source: 

Click HERE to read about alcohol and how it affects the brain and your health!
 

Click HERE to read about Binge drinking and the effects on your brain.

Alcohol….MORE…
What are its short-term effects?
When a person drinks alcohol, the alcohol is absorbed by the stomach, enters the bloodstream, and goes to all the tissues. The effects of alcohol are dependent on a variety of factors, including a person’s size, weight, age, and sex, as well as the amount of food and alcohol consumed. The disinhibiting effect of alcohol is one of the main reasons it is used in so many social situations. Other effects of moderate alcohol intake include dizziness and talkativeness; the immediate effects of a larger amount of alcohol include slurred speech, disturbed sleep, nausea, and vomiting. Alcohol, even at low doses, significantly impairs the judgment and coordination required to drive a car safely. Low to moderate doses of alcohol can also increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts, including domestic violence and child abuse. Hangovers are another possible effect after large amounts of alcohol are consumed; a hangover consists of headache, nausea, thirst, dizziness, and fatigue.
What are its long-term effects?
Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (alcoholism). Sudden cessation of long term, extensive alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations and convulsions. Long-term effects of consuming large quantities of alcohol, especially when combined with poor nutrition, can lead to permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain and liver. In addition, mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These infants may suffer from mental retardation and other irreversible physical abnormalities. In addition, research indicates that children of alcoholic parents are at greater risk than other children of becoming alcoholics
Source: click HERE …

Image: howstuffworks

In 1997, Americans drank an average of 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of alcohol per person. This translates roughly into one six-pack of beer, two glasses of wine and three or four mixed drinks per week (see MMWR: Apparent Per Capita Ethanol Consumption for details). About 35 percent of adults don’t consume alcohol, so the numbers are actually higher for those who do — alcohol is an amazingly popular social phenomenon.

If you have ever seen a person who has had too much to drink, you know that alcohol is a drug that has widespread effects on the body, and the effects vary from person to person. People who drink might be the “life of the party” or they might become s­ad and droopy. Their speech may slur and they may have trouble walking. It all depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, a person’s history with alcohol and a person’s personality.

Even though you have seen the physical and behavioral changes, you might wonder exactly how alcohol works on the body to produce those effects. What is alcohol? How does the body process it? How does the chemistry of alcohol work on the chemistry of the brain? In this article, we will examine all of the ways in which alcohol affects the human body.

Read on THIS LINK more!

 Alcoholism

Definition
Alcoholism is an illness marked by drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or occupational responsibilities.

Alcoholism is divided into 2 categories: dependence and abuse.

People with alcohol dependence, the most severe alcohol disorder, usually experience tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance is a need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or the desired effect. Withdrawal occurs when alcohol is discontinued or intake is decreased. Alcohol dependents spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and obtaining it.

Alcohol abusers may have legal problems such as drinking and driving. They may also have problems with binge drinking (drinking 6 or more drinks at one sitting).

People who are dependent on or abuse alcohol continue to drink it despite evidence of physical or psychological problems. Those with dependence have more severe problems and a greater compulsion to drink
Read more on alcoholism on THIS LINK …

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

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Oktobermaand…Leipoldt

Update: This is my post from 1 October 2007…It’s the 1st of October and in the top images you can see what Pretoria, the capital city usually looks like during October! On this link – which will open in a new window – you can see more images.

Leipoldt, C. Louis, 1880-1947
Leipoldt is a South African poet, one of the BEST poets…he describes in this poem the month October. He says October is the most beautiful month…for South Africa, that’s the truth of course if you look at my previous entry’s photos!

C. LOUIS LEIPOLDT

Oktobermaand

Viooltjies in die voorhuis,
Viooltjies blou en rooi!
Viooltjies orals op die veld,
En orals, ai, so mooi!

Dit is die maand Oktober,
die mooiste, mooiste maand:
Dan is die dag so helder,
so groen is elke aand,
So blou en sonder wolke
die hemel heerlik bo,
So blomtuin-vol van kleure
die asvaal ou Karoo.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
die varkblom is in bloei;
Oor al die seekoegate
is kafferskuil gegroei;
Die koppies, kort gelede
nog as ‘n klip so kaal,
Het nou vir welkomsgroetnis
hul mooiste voorgehaal.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
die akkerboom is groen;
Die bloekoms langs die paaie
is almal nuutgeboen;
En orals in die tuin rond
ruik jy sering en roos,
Jasmyn en katjiepiering,
lemoen en appelkoos.

Al was die dag soos yster,
lank in die vuur gesteek,
Die varings in die klofies
deur hitte geel verbleek,
Tog as die son daaronder
agter die berge gaan,
Dan word oor heel die wêreld
die mooiste geur geslaan.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
die kokewiet is uit;
Boomsingertjies en kriekies
die hoor jy orals fluit;
Fiskaal is op die oorlog:
daaronder by die sluis,
Daar is ‘n dor ou doringboom
sy spens en sy kombuis,

Dit is die maand Oktober:
ek dink, die mense vier
Vir ewig in die hemel
Oktobermaand soos hier!
Wat wens jy meer as blomme,
as helder dag en nag?
Wat kan jy beter, mooier,
of heerliker verwag?

Ek is nog in Oktober:
my tuin is nog so groen,
So wit met al wat mooi is,
met bloeisels van lemoen,
So pragtig in die môre.
so heerlik in die aand!
Ek is nog in Oktober,
die mooiste, mooiste maand!

Wat gee ek om die winter?
Wat praat jy nou van Mei?
Wat skeel dit, as ons later
weer donker dae kry?
Ek is nou in Oktober,
die mooiste, mooiste maand,
Met elke dag so helder,
so pragtig elke aand!

Viooltjies in die voorhuis,
Viooltjies blou en rooi!
Viooltjies orals op die veld,
En orals, ai, so mooi!

 

 

 

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Jacaranda City…Jakaranda Stad!

Pretoria is the Capital of South Africa. One of 3 capitals actually! Cape Town and Bloemfontein are the other 2 Capitals of South Africa. Pretoria is the Admin Capital. The President’s Office is settled in the Union Buildings in Pretoria and for 6 months he spends his time in his office while the other 6 months, he’s in Cape Town in the Parliament! The Parliament is settled in Cape Town. Read more HERE on Wikipedia about Pretoria.

On THIS LINK on my blog, you can read more and see more pictures about Pretoria.

IT IS OCTOBER! and I can imagine….Pretoria…what you look like! Purple Jacarandas everywhere! You can’t hide yourself! This is the time when students are busy preparing for end-of-year exams…and…when they fall in love! I can remember how the men would come and visit with a bit of a Jacaranda branch! And..how you would go for a walk, bare feet…just to step on those blossoms and get your feet purple!

 

En jy dan ook saamstem met Louis Leipoldt se gedig…. hier..: OKTOBER MAAND! …

Thunder…in the city!

South Africa’s Reserve Bank in Pretoria, the Capital City

Pretoria: Union Buildings

Pretoria: The Voortrekker Monument – build in 1938 – The Great Trek was in 1838.

Image: fotothing.com

Downtown Pretoria…image: pbase.com

 

 

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Ontwikkeling van Afrikaans/history of Afrikaans

Follow this link to read more…
You want to learn Afrikaans?

Click HERE and have a go!

De ontwikkeling van het Afrikaans
Het Afrikaans heeft zich ontwikkeld uit het zeventiende-eeuwse Hollands: De Oost-Indische compagnie (VOC) koos in de 17e eeuw de Kaap de Goede Hoop als rustplaats op haar weg naar Indië. Op de lange zeereizen had men behoefte aan een vast station, waar vers eten en drinken aan boord kon worden gehaald, zieken konden worden achtergelaten enz.
De eerste kolonisten aan de Kaap kwamen uit het zuiden van de Nederlanden, wat aan bepaalde details in het huidige Afrikaans nog te merken is. Het waren matrozen en boeren, allebei groepen met heel verschillende woordenschatten en dialecten. De inheemse bewoners van het zuidelijke Afrika waren toen voor het grootste deel zogenaamde Hottentotten en Bosjesmannen.
Vanaf 1740 was de voertaal in Zuid-Afrika niet meer zuiver Nederlands. Een van de meest plausibele theorieën over het ontstaan van de nieuwe taal is, dat de belangrijkste veranderingen in het Afrikaans teruggaan op interferenties.
De Franse hugenoten die in de 16e/17e eeuw naar Zuid-Afrika kwamen, hadden geen grote invloed op de taal, alleen de Franse namen herinneren er nog aan. De Franse woorden die in het Afrikaans overgenomen zijn, kwamen uit het Nederlands van de 17e en 18e eeuw.
Ook de “Maleise slaven” uit Indonesië, Angola en andere gebieden, meestal Portugese kolonieën, die in de 18e eeuw naar Zuid-Afrika gebracht werden, hadden maar beperkte invloed op de taal. De Maleise en Portugese woorden in het Afrikaans werden al vroeger door het Nederlands ontleend (zeemanstaal).
In het midden van de 18e eeuw was het proces van deflexie (vereenvoudiging en reductie van de nominale en verbale paradigma; vgl. ook het flexieverlies in het Middelnederlands) al zo ver, dat een eigen variant van de taal was ontstaan, het “Kaap-Nederlands”. Vanaf de 2e helft van de 18e eeuw was een eigen taalsysteem gevestigd. Door analyse van de bronnen is een ontwikkeling van het Nederlands via het Kaapnederlands naar het Afrikaans te zien.
Rond 1800 kwamen de Engelsen naar Zuid-Afrika. Hun komst had echter geen grote invloed op de taal. Maar de Engelsen bleven hun eigen taal spreken, het bestuur en het onderwijs werden Engelstalig. De Kaap werd Britse kolonie. Het Engels had toen een veel hogere sociale status dan het Afrikaans; de bovenlaag, het bestuur en de intellectuelen praatten Engels, het Afrikaans werd als “kombuistaal” beschouwd. De opvolgers van de Nederlanders en de Vlamingen (“conservatieve boeren”) werden meer en meer ontevreden over het Engelse bestuur (slavenbevrijding) en trokken in de zogenaamde. “Grote Trek” (1836-44) naar het noorden, weg van de kust. In verschillende gebieden vond men nu ook verschillende varianten van het Afrikaans. De ruzies met de Engelsen gingen door.
Het opkomende nationalisme in de 19e eeuw vroeg ook om de verdediging van de taal door de Afrikaans-taligen. Voor het eerst begon men nu de Afrikaanse taal op te schrijven. Er werd een spelling ontworpen, men gebruikte de taal in het onderwijs en er werd een Afrikaanse bijbelvertaling geschreven. Deze vertaling was vanwege het gezag van de bijbel belangrijk voor de ontwikkeling van het Afrikaans (vgl. hierbij ook de “Statenvertaling” en de gotische bijbelvertaling).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read more about the history of Afrikaans….

 

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

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Spring in South Africa

Spring in Clanwilliam….follow here for more daisy pics in South Africa…the link will open in a new window. Louis Leipoldt – one of our BEST poets, wrote a poem about spring…the month October….I must post it here when it is October! In his poem, he says October is the most beautiful month, and for South Africa, it is the truth!

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

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Dis Al…That’s All

Some old favourites!

Jan F.E. Celliers (1865-1940) 

Die vlakte

Ek slaap in die rus van die eeue gesus,
ongesien, ongehoord,
en dof en loom in my sonnedroom,
ongewek, ongestoord.
Tot die yl-bloue bande van die ver-verre rande
skuif my breedte uit,
wyd-kringend aan die puur al-omwelwend asuur,
wat my swyend omsluit.

Jong aarde se stoot het my boesem ontbloot
bo die diep van die meer;
en volswanger van lewe ’t oor waat’re geswewe
die gees van die Heer.
Uit die woelende nag van haar jeugdige krag
brag die aarde voort
Lewiátansgeslagte, geweldig van kragte –
storm-ontruk aan haar skoot.
Diep in my gesteente berg ek hul gebeente –
die geheim van hul lewe en lot;
maar gewek uit die sode herleef uit die dode,
na die ewig hernuwingsgebod,
die stof van die verlede in vorme van die hede,
in eindeloos kome en gaan;
wat die dood my vertrou ’t, ek bewaar dit as goud,
en geen grein sal ’k verlore laat gaan.

As die son oor my vloer in die môre kom loer
en die dou van my lippe kus,
dan kyk ek net stom met ’n glimlag om
en lê maar weer stil in my rus.
Hoog bowe die kim op sy troon geklim,
is hy heer van lewe en dood;
na wil en luim geef hy, skraal of ruim,
verderf of lewensbrood.
Uit gloeiende sfeer brand hy wreed op my neer
tot my naaktheid kraak en skroei,
en my koorsige asem in bewende wasem
al hygend my bors ontvloei.
In sy skadetjie rondom sy stam op die grond
staat ’n eensame doringboom,
soos die Stilte op haar troon, met dorings gekroon,
wat roerloos die eeue verdroom.
Geen drop vir die dors aan my stofdroë bors:
my kinders versmag en beswyk,
en die stowwe staan soos hul trek en gaan
om my skrale dis te ontwyk.

Soos ’n vlokkie skuim uit die sfere se ruim
kom ’n wolkie aangesweef,
maar hy groei in die blou tot ’n stapelbou
van marmer wat krul en leef –
kolossaal monument op sy swart fondament,
waar die bliksem in brul en leef.
En o, met my is die windjies bly:
hul spring uit die stof orent
en wals en draai in dwarrelswaai
oor my vloer, van ent tot ent;
die gras skud hul wakker om same te jakker,
tot hy opspring uit sy kooi
en soos mane en sterde van jaende perde
sy stingels golf en gooi.
Met dof-sware plof, soos koeëls in die stof,
kom die eerste druppels neer,
tot dit ruis alom so deur die gebrom
en gekraak van die donderweer.
Met kloue vooruit om te gryp en te buit
jaag ’n haelwolk langs verby,
soos ’n perde-kommande wat dreun oor die lande
vertrap en gésel hy –
en sy lyke-kleed sien ek ver en breed
in die awendson gesprei.

Stil in die duister lê ’k so en luister
hoe die spruite gesels en lag;
maar bowe die pak van my wolkedak
het die maan al lank gewag:
nou breek en skeur hy ’n baan daardeur
om te deel in my vreug benede;
hy sprei die waas van sy romig-blou gaas –
en ek lag so stil-tevrede.
Plek op plek, soos die wolke trek,
sweef die skaduwees onder mee,
soos eilande wyd oor die waat’re verspreid
op die boesem van die grote see.
Met ’n afskeidskus gaat die maan ook ter rus,
en ek wag op die daeraad –
so skoon en so mooi soos ’n fris jong nooi
wat lag in haar bruidsgewaad.

Oor die bulte se rug slaat die gloed in die lug
van brande wat ver-weg kwyn,
en doringbome fluister in rooi skemerduister
van gevare wat kom of verdwyn.
Uit slote en plas, uit die geurende gras,
styg ’n danklied op ten hemel;
en dis net of ek hoor hoe die kriekies se koor
weergalm uit die sterre-gewemel,
waar wêrelde gaan op hul stille baan
tot die ende van ruimte en tyd.
So, groots en klaar, staat Gods tempel daar,
wyd – in sy majesteit.

Jan FE Cilliers

Dis al

Dis die blond,
dis die blou:
dis die veld,
dis die lug;
en ‘n voël draai bowe in eensame vlug –
dis al

Dis n balling gekom
oor die oseaan,
dis n graf in die gras,
dis n vallende traan –
dis al

 My own translation: see more of his poems translated on the “my gedigte/my poems”-page
That’s All

It’s the blond
It’s the blue
It’s the veld
It’s the air
and a bird circles above in a
solitude flight
That’s it

It’s an exile that came
across the ocean
A grave in the grass
A shed teardrop
That’s all.
–Nikita–2008

 

Trou

Ek hou van ‘n man wat sy man kan staan,
ek hou van ‘n arm wat ‘n slag kan slaan,
‘n oog wat nie wyk, wat ‘n bars kan kyk
en ‘n wil wat so vas soos ‘n klipsteen staan!

Ek hou van ‘n man wat sy moeder eer,
in die taal uit haar vrome mond geleer,
die verraaiersgeslag in sy siel verag
wat, haar verstotend, homself kleineer.

Die oog wil ek sien wat ‘n traan nog ween
vir ‘n heldegeslag, in hul rus daarheen,
maar ‘n blits van trou in die traan van rou,
wat aan liefde weer gee wat haar bron is ontleen.

Vir my d’Afrikaner van durf en daad,
wat mammon’s eer en loon versmaad,
sy hoof en sy hand vir sy volk en sy land
en ‘n trap van sy voet vir laag verraad!

O, ‘k hou van ‘n man wat sy man kan staan;
ek hou van ‘n daad wat soos donder slaan,
‘n oog wat nie wyk, wat ‘n bars kan kyk
en ‘n wil wat so vas soos ‘n klipsteen staan!

Jan F E Celliers

 

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Blyde River/Swadini

During our holiday in August – South Africa, we were really lucky to find accommodation at a place next to the Swadini Forever Resort (previously Aventura). I grew up in the Eastern Transvaal -now Mpumalanga, which means:”place of the rising sun.” We drove through Lydenburg, spent time on the farm where I grew up.Krugerspost lies between Lydenburg and  Pilgrims Rest, the historical town and from there we then ventured off to the Echo Caves. First we stopped at Ohrigstad to fill-up the car. We first thought to stay at the Echo Caves Motel, but changed our minds and headed for the Blyde River Canyon. We initially thought that we would just pop-in and have a place to stay! But, as we were on holiday and didn’t take any notice of dates and public holiday days in SA, we didn’t know it was a long weekend!Thursday was Women’s day and the Friday was a public holiday! Anyway, we got at Blyde River Forever Resort: “Sorry…we are fully booked!” Well, we didn’t expect to hear that, but then realised why we heard such unexpected words! OK! It was 7pm, not very late you know, but we’ve been on the road for a very long time by then. There were loads of B&B places, which we saw on random roads, not very far off, so, we decided to take the road, looking for some decent B&Bs.
Just as we took a turn-off, stopped to look at an entrance of a B&B, Andre stopped next to us. He was our angel! “Hello…are you lost?” he asked very friendly and with him was his partner.”No, but we’re looking for a place to stay”, we replied anxiously. “Come with us! You can stay in Marius’s lodge!” We didn’t wait for a second invitation. Tired of being all day on the road basically from Groblersdal, we followed him, for only just about 80 m! What we got, was a fantastic lodge, place for about 10 people to stay. We could pick and choose where to sleep, like Goldilocks!! haha..I tried different beds…playing Goldilocks…! It was fun…2 bathrooms, showers …huge kitchen…(if you keep coming back to my blog later, you will see all of this) It was fantastic.”Because you don’t have any cleaning services for the weekend, you can pay R30 per person less…,” he continued through all the non-stop talking! I wanted to say: “Shus, you’re talking too much,” because Andre was talking non-stop about all the places we can visit and the more he talked, the more excited he got!! He also told us about – click here: – Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre, but our time was limited and you have to book to go there. Our boat trip was already booked for the same time we could go to Moholoholo, so sadly, we couldn’t go there, as we were heading for Pilgrims Rest and Sabie the following day…If my memory hasn’t gone lost…”moholoholo” means something like…”falling rock”…or ‘rolling rock.’

Enjoy this movie about the area of the Blyde River, which I put together using some of my pictures, not a great camera, I need to warn you. Our video camera perished a few days ago and we need to wait till we’re back in the UK to try and get it fixed.

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Pap dis–pap tert – South African side dish with BBQ!

As I promised some of my chess players….and all other people reading here…this dish is a must if you’re having a BBQ. In South Africa we like to have it as a side dish, some people won’t make it, but instead having just Pap…which is well-known to the “Southerners” in America as “porridge”. (They also call it “grits” ). In South Africa we also call it “porridge”…in English…but this dish is known for the Afrikaans word… “Pap dis”…which means… “porridge dish”….[it’s an oven dish] or Pap tert [pap tart].

Some people will sometimes have porridge for breakfast….depends on taste and what you like for breakfast. Sometimes you get people who don’t like Pap, then you will have bread rolls for them, usually people from the Cape! They don’t know what is delicious and good for them…wonder if they know the difference between a Springbok and a Kudu…! hahaha…only joking! Ok, we had friends Saturday night for a BBQ and I took photos step-by-step of this dish, specially to post them here for my poor chess players – some are now very much into Saffa-goodies and foods and all the nice/delicous stuff they can order from  South African shops all over the world. One chess player was so confused after telling him what to do, well, now he’s got the pictures too…Our friends told me to tell everyone here that they all had a second helping and it was really delicious…–[btw..it is the truth…]
To make Pap (porridge)…click HERE and it’s only 3 min in the microwave, although another recipe is to be found at the bottom of this post…so you have a choice! The link will open in a new window.
On THIS LINK you will find a delicious recipe about South African buttermilk rusks…[karringmelk beskuit]..the link will open in a new window.
and…..on

THIS LINK you will find many more South African traditional recipes, like milk tart, [whoop whoop! yummy!] scones, sugar cookies (soet koekies) etc. The link will open in a new window.

…and…any South African loves this mouthwatering KOEKSUSTERS (cook sisters) and would love you for this! The link will open in a new window. This is really the ultimate for any Saffa! You can bribe anyone with it.

And…if you like something pizza-ish…click HERE for something really delicous! The link will open in a new window. This is my own recipe and our friends go crazy for it…
For the Pap Dish…you need…..

………Cream…single cream….as double cream is a bit too thick and you need more “runny” cream….

…….one onion……more if you like more….

………chopped………

………..mushrooms……sliced………..

………bacon……diced……….my own “ingredient”

………frankfurther……..depends on taste…to serve 4 people it’s enough to add one per person…this is also my own “ingredient”…as it wasn’t in the original recipe….

………grated cheese……..

Pap…porridge… make it a little bit runny…if it’s thick, you’re going to have trouble to “smear” it in your dish….recipe at the bottom of this post…

…..fry….mushrooms….I like to fry everything separately, it’s up to you, you can mix it straight away from the start and fry it all together….

fry bacon……………

fry…….frankfurthers……….

mix them all together…onions fried too, of course……..

Take a heat-resistant glass dish….cover it first with a thin layer of oil, butter or margarine, whatever you like…and start with a thin layer of pap (porridge)

…..add a layer of the fried mixture……

……. at this stage, I like to add a thin layer of grated cheese and cream, it’s just a bit more creamy if you do it…

………cover with a layer of pap (porridge)…..

………completely……….

……..now add your cheese and cream and your dish is ready for the oven!

………..and….Voila! This is what you get after about 30 min (keep checking it…not in a too hot oven…about 180 deg C….)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to make “Pap”…
from……
wikihow.com/Make-Pap-in-the-Microwave
Its only 10 minutes, so pay attention! Things You’ll Need

A microwave
Coarse Maize Meal (Mieliemeel)
a kettle of freshly boiled water
a large microwavable bowl with lid
a fork – preferably a large two tine fork

Measure out a cup of maize meal into the microwave bowl (1 cup should make enough for 3-4 people).
Depending on where you are from and how you like your pap add a pinch of salt, more than a pinch or none at all!
Add just enough of the freshly boiled water to wet all the maize meal and work it in with the fork.
Set microwave on “High” and the timer for 10 minutes.
Put the lid on your bowl and pop it in the microwave.
Microwave for about a minute and then remove again.
Thoroughly stir in a little bit more water and return to the microwave.
Repeat this process (Remove, add a little water and stir, microwave again) 3 or 4 more times during cooking time at regular intervals – find a rhythm that works for you! Tips
A glass (Pyrex) bowl is preferable to a plastic microwave bowl
If you have a big enough bowl you can use more than a cup of maize meal, but you might have a better end result if you rather make it in batches – should you require more pap.
Likewise you can use the same method to make smaller amounts – just use a third or quarter cup to make a single serving
for Putu (Krummel) pap, add a little less water and use the fork make to the pap crumbly – believe me, the microwave can make perfect krummelpap!
In the same way, adding more water will give you a denser (stywe) pap or if you add too much water (with finer maize meal) you will have slap pap.
Making pap in the microwave may seem strange at first, but you will master it in no time and no one will be able to tell the difference! Warnings
Use oven mitts as the bowl will get really hot after the first couple of minutes. A cloud of super hot steam will escape every time you open to stir so take the lid off carefully and away from your face
DO NOT forget about it after the first minute! If you neglect to add water and stir an incredibly dense layer of burnt maize will form and the bowl you were using will be a write off.

Maize meal…which you can buy or order from any South African shop anywhere in the world.

……and this is a replacement in Tesco……shops in the UK….and costs about £1.40

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Big Five, Small Five, Baby Five

If you know only about the BIG 5….you know a bit less than other people…South Africa also have the Baby 5 On this link you can see them all and read about them! The link will open in a new window.

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Volkspele..Folk Dance

 

You want to know more about this fold dance, then visit this link:

http://www.volkspele.co.za
On this link, you will find tons of files of South African fold dance music, free to download and you will also find the lyrics of the songs too.
http://tortel.net/~lochner/blerkas/index.html

In these photos: Year 1’s doing a South African folk dance at a London school. The teacher asked me to teach them a dance as part of their topic of countries across the world. I taught them ‘Afrikaners is plesierig’. 
 

This is the actual dress when you do “Volkspele”…or  Folk Dance the South African way!

Jan Pierewiet in Korea!

 Volkspele on youtube! See more videos there…

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