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. Ek vind dat van my gedigte op internet bladsye verskyn met sekere politieke oorwegings waarmee ek nie saamstem nie en ek is nie geniee daarmee dat my gedigte op bladsye soos daardie verskyn nie! Ek sal dit waardeer indien jy my versoek sal respekteer.
Tomorrow, 14th August, is an important day in the history of Afrikaans. On the 14th August 1875, an organisation was founded to promote Afrikaans as a language. The language Afrikaans has its roots in seventeenth century Dutch but it has been influenced by many languages including: English, Malay, German, Portuguese, French and some African languages. Some of the first written work in Afrikaans was done using the Arabic alphabet in the work Bayaan-ud-djyn written by Abu Bakr. Apart from this development and minor writings in so-called Cape Dutch Afrikaans acted mainly as a spoken language for people living in the Cape and Dutch was used as the formal and written language. Afrikaans is a language spoken by many people of different races and ethnic groups throughout Southern Africa. I have decided to contribute something every year on this day [ or as near as possible to this date] to the celebration of Afrikaans as a beautiful language spoken by beautiful people. This first poem is my contribution and the second a poem from one of our famous poets. Both poems’ titles are Die Beste which means The Best. Then you can read my 2008-contribution: Afrikaans and the last poem is my 2009-contribution. The Afrikaans song’s title is Sypaadjie Mense [you can read the translation on the given link at the 3rd poem where you can listen to the song and follow the words in English.] –Sidewalk People. Afrikaans readers: the poem at the bottom is my contribution of last year. When I was at Primary School, we always had to learn poems and from Die Beste I had to know the first two stanzas by heart when I was 11 years of age. I must say I don’t regret it!
You can see photos of the Afrikaans Language Monument – the only language monument in the world! – and an explanation/meaning of the monument.
Die Beste
Afrikaans:
Ek is aan jou verknog
Jy is vir my ‘n sieraad
Jou wingerdstokke groei welig
in my opgeploegde land
Jy is besprinkeld met
onbeskaamde liefde en
jy bring voort troetelkinders
Jou sprekers strek
van die Ooste na die Weste
en jy bly verreweg
Die Beste!
-21:30 Nikita
The Best
Afrikaans
I’m attached
and devoted to you!
To me you are a wreath
Your grapevines flourish
In my ploughed land
You’ve been irrigated with
Impudent love
You bear cuddly-children
Your speakers stretch
From the East to the West
And by far:
You’re the BEST
-(c) Translated: 16/2/2012 Nikita – 20:00
[Translated for friends to understand the Afrikaans poem!]
Image: farms-for-sale.co.za
Die Beste
Geil lusern in die laagste landjie;
Geil groen blare en blomme blou;
Aalwyn rooi op die voorste randjie,
Rooi soos bloed teen die rotse grou;
Somer en son en saffier daarbowe;
Ruik van die keurbos rondgesprei;
Kort klein skadu’s oor die klowe;
Somer en son en saffier vir my!
Wonder van kleure uitgesprei –
Wat is daar meer deur die dood te rowe?
Somer en son en saffier vir my!
Hoog oor die water skommel die vinkies,
Vol van die vreug van die somerdag;
Bly die gekwetter van bruin tinktinkies;
Blyer die son wat goudgeel lag.
Algar wat lewe, algar tevrede,
Hoog op die heuwel en laag op die vlei;
So was dit gister, en so is dit hede –
Somer en son en saffier vir my!
Heer, wat die hemel oor my sprei,
Dit is my eerste en laaste bede:
“Somer en son en saffier vir my!”
Het jy ’n vrind wat jou hand kan vashou?
Vrinde vergaan en faal in nood!
Het jy ’n vyand, jou grootste las nou?
Vyande, vrinde gaan algar dood!
Wat’s dit vir my as die gras vergrys word?
Somer sal kom met sy groen daarby;
Wat as in winter die water ys word?
Somer en son en saffier sal bly.
Boetie, ek vra jou, wat sê jy?
Wat’s dit vir ons as die gras vergrys word?
Somer en son en saffier sal bly.
Roem van mense, rykdomme, pragte –
Alles vergaan soos die mis op die vlei:
Sterre wat skiet in pikdonker nagte,
Het langer lewe as roem kan kry.
Boetie, as ons nou ’n keus moet wae,
Hier op die wêreld, wat vra jy?
Roemryke lewe en lengte van dae?
Somer en son en saffier vir my!
Boetie, as jy nou jou keus kan kry,
Wat is die wens wat jou hart sal wae? –
Somer en son en saffier vir my!
C. Louis Leipoldt (1880-1947)
Het jy die boodskap bo-aan die bladsy gelees?
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!
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
https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/afrikaans-afrikaans-afrikaans/
The Afrikaans Language Monument (Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Taalmonument) is located on a hill overlooking Paarl. Its outline is visible from a considerable distance.
This is the only language monument in the world and was completed in 1975. The design represents the growth and developement of Afrikaans and recognises its roots which is spread over three continents – Africa, Asia and Europe. The three colums on the left that are close together (A) represents the influences of the three Western languages on Afrikaans – Dutch, French and English. The wall on the steps (B) represents the Malayan language and culture. Architect Jan van Wijk was inspired by words of prominent Afrikaans authors N.P. van Wyk Louw and C.J. Langenhoven. The “roof” (C) refers to Van Wyk Louw’s words: “Afrikaans is the language that connects Western Europe and Africa… It forms a bridge between the large, shining West and the magical Africa…”
The main column (D) which is 57 m high, represents the growth, evolution and achievement of Afrikaans and was inspired by a quote from Langenhoven: “If we plant a row of poles down this hall now, ten poles, to represent the last ten years, and on each pole we make a mark at a height from the floor corresponding to the relative written use of Afrikaans in the respective year, and we draw a line, from the first here near the floor to the last over there against the loft, then the line would describe a rapidly rising arc…”
The last column (E) symbolises the Republic of South Africa which was the birthplace of Afrikaans. On the photo below, the three round shapes symbolises the contribution of the African languages – Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho.
http://www.what-to-do-in-cape-town.com/afrikaans-language-monument.html
This song is a mix of Afrikaans and Netherlands. Stef Bos [from Holland] and Amanda Strydom [South Africa] sing the song: Die Taal van my hart– The language of my heart
Chessalee 