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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Yellow–Geel Aura

Is jy ‘n GEEL persoon….are you a YELLOW person? Read and decide! Lees en besluit of dit jou persoonlikheid is! Enjoy the mosaic of yellow-images from my pc…which I’ve found on google…of course you will always find Africa/South Africa/Chess in my mosaics! How can I NOT have it…I do love yellow as a colour…more sunflower-yellow. I will never use colours if I can’t use yellow too. I can’t imagine life without yellow. Even my eyes have some tiny yellow spots which people find fascinating…with the green of my eyes. Have a YELLOW day today! Click on this link to see what colour is your aura. Mine is blue!    http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorisyourauraquiz/

Blues are the most caring, nurturing and protective personalities in the color-spectrum. They live out of their hearts and their emotions. Their life purpose is to serve, help and love others. Blues have an inner knowledge and wisdom and they feel and know what is right without needing facts or data for substantiation. The moment they become quiet inside, they will recognize or hear an inner voice or guidance, which will tell them what to do. They can easily tune into other people and feel precisely what is going on. Blues are the most emotional of all the color personalities. Blues are more concerned about others then they are about themselves They are born caretakers and mothers. They remember other people’s birthdays, are concerned about the sick and have always a shoulder for others to cry on. They are born advisers, counselors, caretakers and nurses. Many people enjoy being with Blues because they transmit love, acceptance and forgiveness. Blues cry easily and primarily release their emotions, joy, sorrow, sadness and happiness, through tears. The other color personalities often have problems understanding the Blues intense emotionality. However, this emotional depth gives them the ability to be warm, sympathetic and protective. Read more about “blues” on this link…http://www.geocities.com/goddesslit/blueaura.html

 

ODE TO SOME YELLOW FLOWERS

Rolling its blues against another blue,
the sea, and against the sky
some yellow flowers.

October is on its way.

And although
the sea may well be important, with its unfolding
myths, its purpose and its risings,
when the gold of a single
yellow plant
explodes
in the sand
are bound
to the soil.
They flee the wide sea and its heavings.

We are dust and to dust return.
In the end we’re
neither air, nor fire, nor water,
just
dirt,
neither more nor less, just dirt,
and maybe
some yellow flowers.

PABLO NERUDA

MIND/BODY

Yellows are the sunniest, happiest and most childlike personalities in the color-spectrum. “All I want to do is have some fun!” is a song which is a wonderful representation of Yellows and shows their easy going, light and sunny character. These playful people have a wonderful sense of humor. They love to laugh and intimately enjoy life from many different angles. They advocate relaxation, the pure joy of life and live spontaneously. They are always reminding other people to not take life too seriously and to always look on the bright side. Life and work should both be enjoyed.

A Yellow’s primary motivations are enjoyment, entertainment and creativity. They measure life by how happy and content they are and how good they feel. “Life is like a box of chocolates, it is sweet and a lot of fun.” Yellows are intelligent, bright and radiant personalities. They learn easily and receive information without asking about the deeper connections or reasons behind it. They love to work with their minds and equally love to play and occupy themselves with philosophies, mental ideas and concepts. They also enjoy discussing all aspects of life, from politics to spirituality. Yellows can be spontaneous and overflowing with artistic and creative ideas. However, their focus is much more on enjoying than it is on creating. They have an abundance of energy, which is easily recognized by their physical activeness. It is difficult for them to sit still for a long period of time. However, when this occurs, they have a constant need to be moving their hands.

In harmony Yellows are very creative. They love to work with their hands and enjoy doing such things as writing, painting, repairing things or sculpting. They know how to enjoy mental-creative and physical reality with all its variations. In balance Yellows are happy and content personalities. They inherently know how to accept whatever is happening in their lives. Yellows are the most child-like personalities in the color spectrum and they never want to grow up. As a result they generally look younger then they actually are. They love to travel, to see the world, to relax on a wonderful beach and have fun dancing all night long. You will immediately recognize if a Yellow is happy, sad or feels uneasy, because they emit unusually strong body language. A Yellow body never lies. It always shows the truth. They are sensitive and intuitive through their physical bodies and also through their touch. Therefore, Yellows are often found in occupations such as healing or massage. They love to be around people and they enjoy helping people. They have healing hands and a healing, light attitude towards life. All these qualities make Yellows excellent healers or therapists.

Yellow personalities have a fear of relationships, commitments and obligations. They will often run away from their problems and difficulties or simply ignore them. Various forms of running away could be expressed as constantly making excuses for things, sleeping all day long, being lethargic, being just plain lazy or continually moving from one location to another. Many Yellows are late on a regular basis. Even though they have difficulty in being on time they will always come up with creative and sufficient excuses. Because of their sensitive, physical, bio-chemical bodies, Yellows do not like pain or even the thought of having to experience it. They will do nearly anything to avoid any form of discomfort. Fun-loving Yellows are addictive and physically dependent personalities. They have a driving need to experience a physical “high” or a euphoric state of mind. If they focus on positive activities they remain energetic, joyful and creative.

SOCIAL LIFE

Yellow personalities are social people. They have many friends and are constantly looking forward to meeting new ones. They enjoy all varieties of get-togethers. Yellows are welcome at any party because of their joyful, easy going and often-funny attitude toward life and their intellectual brilliance. They are group conscious whether in organized, team sports or simply with their friends. They are typically the center of attention and seem to be surrounded by friends all the time. Yellows enjoy a sense of sharing and communion through their constant physical activity and always being with several friends. They are good friends, communicate openly with others and love to bring people together.

RELATIONSHIPS AND INTIMACY

Yellows have a need for relationships. They can be sensitive and caring in both relationships and also partnerships. They prefer partners, who can laugh with them, support and take care of them, and will not challenge or take away their freedom. Yellow personalities have a deep seeded fear of commitment. They want to be independent and free to enjoy everything life has to offer. As a result, many Yellows live as singles with regular partners or in semi-committed relationships. Yellows love to flirt and are emotionally charged by the excitement of meeting new and different people. For these addictive, color personalities the other sex is a way of connecting with life and also compensating for their own energy deficiencies. They need to see and understand the differences between being independent, but loving and committed, and using a relationship as a substitute for their own problems.

CAREER AND FINANCE

Yellows love being spontaneous, initiative and stimulative. They are the perfect selection for new projects but sometimes have difficulties finishing them. Money is not a primary issue for them. They can make money easily because they are not afraid to work hard. Yellow personalities are creative problem solvers. They have the ability to create new, unusual and innovative solutions. On the other hand, they also have difficulties in finishing projects or solving problems completely. They are good at starting things and keeping others enthusiastic. If they decide to take action and solve problems, Yellows will find simple, unique and inventive solutions. However, they often don’t want to do the serious work, which is needed to accomplish or finish a project.

Yellows are good team members and lead others by example. They enjoy demonstrating and showing others how things work or how things could be done. They utilize their strong qualities of motivation and creativity. Yellows are the most likely of all the different personalities to have fun in their work or occupation. Typical “Yellow” occupations are: Athlete, comedian, musician, painter, artist, student, philosopher, psychologist, massage therapist, health practitioner, waiter, mechanic, cook, stewardess or travel guide.

HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND GROWTH

Yellows need to take care of their physical bodies more then other color personalities. Their body is like an “energetic” antenna. They sense other people’s feelings, thoughts or even vibrations in a room. If they do not stay in power their body will show imbalances and can be heavily effected by outside influences. They also know exactly what the Mind/Body connection means. They are perfect examples of how emotions and thoughts influence and are interconnected with the physical body.

Yellows need to emotionally understand that commitments and relationships can help them reach deeper levels of intimacy and self-awareness. This same understanding will also bring more fun, excitement and freedom into their lives. Their problems will not simply disappear just by avoidance or running away from them. They can create successful solutions by confronting all aspects of life with joy and an easy attitude. To achieve harmony in their life, Yellows need to find creative and playful ways of expression. Actively expressing their physical and creative energies will allow them to live an easy going, happy and joyful life. Positive addictions such as physical exercise and movement, healthy and playful sex or meditation and prayer are extremely important. Activities like bicycling, tennis, dancing, jogging or other long-muscle exercises are recommended for Yellows and should be practiced daily. Source…

http://www.geocities.com/goddesslit/yellowaura.html

Enjoy this song by Coldplay…”Yellow”

 

Enjoy Elton’s song…”Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

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Loch Lomond

 

Image: …highlandexperience.com

Image: visit-loch-lomond.co.uk/i/LLomond.jpg

I think I had a fantastic music teacher during my Primary school years…we used to love her lessons — even the boys! — and she always taught us great songs…also folk songs from different countries. I’ve blogged earlier the Irish Folk song… Cockles and Mussels –the balad of Molly Malone — on this link…a song which we also thoroughly enjoyed! Now, why is it that suddenly, out of the blue, a song got stuck in your head…and it stays there for two days…that’s me… this song…By yon bonnie banks…a Scottish folk song…got into my head two days ago and I can’t get rid of it…so hopefully by blogging it…I will get rid of it…lol! I found this lovely video on youtube too…and then, one of my chess player-friends on Chessworld..sent me the link of Nanci Griffiths….Red is the Rose…a beautiful song!

About Loch Lomond:
Loch Lomond has the largest surface area of fresh water Loch in the UK. The Loch is 24 miles long and five miles wide and at its deepest point is some 600 feet deep.

 

 

 

On the Loch there are approximately 38 Islands, some of them inhabited and there is even a Hotel on one, Inchmurrin.

Loch Lomond must be the worlds most famous Loch and has been much written about, both in song and verse. The area is renowned for its beauty and tranquility and offers picture postcard views around every corner.

The Loch is crossed by the Highland Boundary Fault and exhibits the physical characteristics of both highland and Lowland Scotland. Some 200 species of birds and over 25% of Britain’s wild plants have been recorded in the area.

 

 

 

Here’s the lyrics of the song I learnt at Primary school….
1. By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond.
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks O’ Loch Lomond.

Refrain:
O ye’ll tak’ the high road and I’ll tak’ the low road,
An’ I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks O’ Loch Lomond.

2. ‘Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side O’ Ben Lomon’,
Where in purple hue the Hieland hills we view,
An’ the moon comin’ out in the gloamin’
Refrain:

3. The wee birdies sing and the wild flow’rs spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin’;
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring,
Tho’ the waefu’ may cease frae their greetin’.
Refrain:
—–source: http://ingeb.org/songs/byyonbon.html
Please click HERE for the music and on THIS LINK there’s a midi file which you can download.

The beautiful Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond-song
 

 

Nanci’s song….

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Traditional Afrikaans songs

This mp3-song is a song in Afrikaans by Nadine. She says: “Dankie Liewe Ouma” which means ‘Thank you dear Grandma.’

On the next link, which will open in a new window, you will find traditional Afrikaans songs, plus the lyrics.

 

http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/blerkas/index.html

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