Suid-Afrika | Chessalee

Posts Tagged ‘Suid-Afrika’

Praat Afrikaans! Speak Afrikaans!

Posted in Afrikaans, Chess, tagged Afrikaans, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 07/03/2016| 4 Comments »

This is precious. This male person pretends to speak a foreign language and the lady doesn’t understand him. She keeps on trying to figure out what he wants. So she asks him to speak Afrikaans – or… okay, I won’t repeat her words at the end… Afrikaans speaking people will really love this video. In South Africa, there’s more than 6 million people speaking Afrikaans – and they are from difference races.

Die beiteltjie – The Little Chisel

Posted in Afrikaans, Beiteltjie, gedigte, NP van Wyk-Louw, South Africa, tagged Afrikaans gedigte, Beiteltjie, geweld, NP van Wyk-Louw, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 18/02/2013| 2 Comments »

Die Beiteltjie
Ek kry ’n klein klein beiteltjie,
ek tik hom en hy klink;
toe slyp ek en ek slyp hom
totdat hy klink en blink.
Ek sit ’n klippie op ’n rots:
– mens moet jou vergewis:
’n beitel moet kan klip breek
as hy ’n beitel is –
ek slaat hom met my beiteltjie
en dié was sterk genoeg:
daar spring die klippie stukkend
so skoon soos langs ’n voeg:
toe, onder my tien vingers bars
die grys rots middeldeur
en langs my voete voel ek
die sagte aarde skeur,
die donker naat loop deur my land
en kloof hom wortel toe –
só moet ’n beitel slaan
wat beitel is, of hoé?
Dan, met twee goue afgronde
val die planeet aan twee
en oor die kranse, kokend,
verdwyn die vlak groen see
…from the day I see the night
far beyond opening up
within a crack that from my chisel
runs through to the stars
en op die dag sien ek die nag
daar anderkant gaan oop
met ’n bars wat van my beitel af
dwarsdeur die sterre loop
Klik die link vir NP van Wyk Louw huldeblyk-dokument.

Van Wyk Louw – one of the most distinguised Afrikaans poets– I agree with Breyten Breytenbach. ‘The chisel, a metaphor for the poetic word – splits a stone, then the rock under the stone, then the earth beneath the rock, then the poet’s country, then the planet, until…

…from the day I see the night
far beyond opening up
within a crack that from my chisel
runs through to the stars [Breytenbach]

Lees HIER ‘n breedvoerige verduidelik oor Die Beiteltjie op Oulitnet.

‘n Pragtige gedig – In die dokument verskyn heelwat feite en inligting oor van Wyk Louw. Ek het ook Cecile Cilliers se artikel raakgelees op die internet en kan met haar en van Wyk Louw saamstem met: ‘n Donker naat loop deur my land.

Verward deur die donker naat van ons geweld

2013-02-18 22:52

Cecile Cilliers

Die donker naat loop deur my land / en kloof hom wortel toe – Dít is die eerste twee versreëls van die vierde strofe van N.P. van Wyk Louw se “Die Beiteltjie”, waarskynlik een van die bekendste gedigte in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. Dit word vertel, of miskien het hy dit self in Rondom eie werk vertel, dat die gedig volledig een Kaapse oggend na hom gekom het. Hy was te voet op pad universiteit toe, toe die woorde plotseling in sy kop verskyn. Agter sy lessenaar het hy dit heel en in sy geheel neergeskryf.

Die eenvoud van die gedig ten spyt, laat hy hom nie maklik verklaar nie. Die beiteltjie dui glo op die woord en die mag van taal – meer as wat dit vir die swaard moontlik is, kan dit wêrelde verander. Maar die gevare wat taal inhou, bly nie uit nie.

Daardie versreël, die eerste reël van die rubriek, bly die hele week in my kop dreun: die donker naat loop deur my land…

Ek raak stram om te lag, staan verward, verneder en gedeprimeer deur die donker naat van geweld wat deur my land loop, en wat besig is om gesinne, families, gemeenskappe, uit mekaar te ruk. Is dít wat van ons geword het?

Amalie bel uit Amerika: Mamma, wat gaan aan? Op elke voorblad, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA TODAY, word die gewelddadigheid van Suid-Afrika uitgebasuin.

In 1994 nog die liefling van die wêreld, 20 jaar later opnuut die muishond. Natuurlik is daar ’n yslike hap leedvermaak. Net soos ons leedvermakerig vertel het van die bloeddorstige skietery in die VSA, van die verskrikking van die busverkragting in Indië.

Maar met of sonder die veroordelende woorde van die buitelandse verslaggewers – tot van Fidji het hulle glo gekom – het dit tyd geword dat ons lank en eerlik en ondersoekend na onsself en na ons gemeenskappe kyk. Sonder die gewone skindernuus. Want elkeen het ’n eiertjie te lê, ’n stuiwer in die armbeurs te gooi, of dit nou die dood an Anene of van Reeva is, ons práát daaroor. Ons praat ja, blý praat, maar wat dóén ons?

Hoeveel sulke berigte, hoeveel sulke stories kan ’n volk se psige verduur voordat dit gewoon aan die werklikheid onttrek? Of erger nog, mettertyd alles gewoond word, hoe grusaam ook al? Is ons dan nie bereid om verantwoordelikheid vir ons land te aanvaar nie?

Tydens die apartheidsjare is daar groepe gevorm – Vroue vir Vrede, Kontak, Black Sash, Vroue vir Geregtigheid – wat daadwerklik vir ’n nuwe, beter Suid-Afrika gewerk het. Moet dit nie maar weer gebeur nie? Kán dit weer gebeur?

Soms vrees ek geweld het in ons bloed kom sit, eie geword aan ons mense en ons land. En dit kloof hom wortel toe.

In die wit nag bid ek saam met Dawid: Laat my weer blydskap en vreugde belewe…

beeld.com/Rubrieke/CecileCilliers/Verward-deur-die-donker-naat-van-ons-geweld-20130218

Hier is ‘n Engelse vertaling deur Uys Krige en Jack
Cope van “Die Beiteltjie.”

THE LITTLE CHISEL

Here in my hands a small cold-chisel,
I tap it and it rings;
and I hone it and I stone it
until its bright edge sings.

I prop a pebble on a rock;
– you’ve got to get this clear:
a chisel that’s a real cold-chisel
can crack a boulder sheer –

I slam it with my chisel edge,
its toughness is a gift:
straight the pebble flies apart
as clean as on a rift:

next, under my ten fingers split,
the granite rock divides,
below my feet I start to feel
the softened earth subside,

and dark the seam runs through my land
and cleaves it to the core –
so a chisel cuts that truly is
a chisel, or what’s it for?

Then with two gold-red chasms
the planet falls in two
and down the rockfalls boiling,
drains the ocean flat and blue

and in the day I see the night
below me open far
with a crack that from my chisel blow
runs to the furthest star

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Memories are made of this

Posted in chess art, Drakensberg mountains, Drakensberge, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, tagged Chess, Drakensberg Mountain, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 19/05/2012| 26 Comments »

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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ex-unitate-vires

Posted in Afrikaans, Afrikaans songs, Afrikaners, Arthur Conan Doyle, tagged Afrikaans, Afrikaans songs, Afrikaners, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ons sal dit oorleef, protes liedere, Protest songs, South Africa, Steve Hofmeyr, Suid-Afrika on 14/05/2011| 14 Comments »

This entry is more about a new Afrikaans song by Steve Hofmeyr – he sings in English too, and if you like the voice of Neil Diamond, then you will surely like his music too. Anyway, this new Afrikaans song is a protest song and I was reading on the link, in this post, about protest songs. Afrikaans is a young language and since the start Afrikaans struggled to survive. The British settled in South Africa in 1820 and then after the South African-British War – Boer War – Afrikaans was also ‘banned’. In primary schools, if you dared to speak your mother tongue [Afrikaans], you got a board around your neck stated ‘Donkey’ on it. At the moment, Afrikaners [not Africans] again, have to fight to survive. Not just to survive as a human race, but also the language as such. Farmers get murdered on a weekly basis [don’t forget the murders in the towns and cities too.] The world is IGNORANT!
Goethe said, “There is nothing more frightening than active ignorance.”
I’ve found the lyrics to the song and also some English words to it [to part of it], but you will get the ‘message’. ‘Apartheid’ was nothing comparing to what happens now in our beautiful country. And if you really think you know everything about Apartheid, then I think you know just a tiny drop in the ocean of what it really was. Being in the UK now for long enough to know what they ‘know’ about ‘Apartheid’, is enough to tell me that they believed anything that was dished up to them as ‘Apartheid’. We all know what the ANC tried to achieve with their ‘campaigns’ and with a world full of narrow-minded people, they achieved what they wanted including the toi-toi on Trafalgar Square in the 1980’s and their sad sing-songs in America. Also, I think some of us know WHY things happened as it happened – like the Zimbabwean-ordeal – and it is just a matter of ‘time’ and South Africa will be there too – then those ‘waiting’ will ‘close in’.[and I’m not referring here to ‘those’ as the Afrikaners]. During the Boer War the British found it hard to win the war… we are a nation made up from different nations. We will fight and stand up again. Ex Unitate Vires= Unity is Strength

Hedge fund warns of SA ‘blow-up’

Posted in Chess, tagged South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 05/03/2011| 11 Comments »

Well, we all knew this was coming, but not when…with a government like our government, anyone, even someone with a low IQ, could expect it. You don’t have to be a bright spark to ‘read between the lines’.

London – South Africa is flawed and set to “blow up” within the next 15 years with more serious consequences than Libya, says Toscafund, one of the UK’s most high-profile hedge funds.

It tips commodity-rich Russia and Australia to benefit.

Chief economist and partner Savvas Savouri, who has been researching South Africa’s economy, cites emigration of professional workers and what he sees as a “lack of centralised leadership” when it comes to dealing with problems such as the Aids epidemic.

“It’s socially, politically and demographically flawed. It will malfunction within 15 years. It will go the way of MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) but the blow-up will be much more serious,” Savouri told Reuters in an interview this week.

“Professional whites and blacks are leaving in hordes – the human capital is decaying,” he said.

Savouri’s comments come as Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi struggles to contain a two-week-old popular uprising in the world’s 12th-largest oil exporter, which has helped push brent crude above $115 a barrel.

The unrest across North Africa and the Middle East has also seen the ousting of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak and Tunisian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, as well as protests in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Savouri said a “malfunction” in South Africa, which is the world’s biggest producer of platinum and a major producer of palladium alongside Russia, would push commodity prices higher, benefiting rival commodity-rich countries.

“Clearly Russia and Australia will win out. The surge in commodity prices will benefit them,” he said.

Savouri, who is known for being outspoken in his predictions, said in January that the financial services industry was practically “lawless”.
Link/Source
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Hedge-fund-warns-of-SA-blow-up-20110304

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South African Open 2010

Posted in Chess, Chess history, Chess in Africa, chess news, Chess South Africa, Chessa, tagged Chess, chess games, Chess history in South Africa, Chess South Africa, skaak, Skaak geskiedenis, Skaakkampioenskappe Suid-Afrika, South African Open Chess Championships 2010, Suid-Afrika on 20/07/2010| 2 Comments »

It is time to enter for the South African Open 2010. Click the image for the Official website of the organisers: Ramlodi. The link is also on my blog’s side bar. Last year we had 3 GM’s to play in this tournament online from different continents and it was the first Fide tournament to be played online. You can visit the official website or follow some of the links here. Games/photos will be followed and blogged here as results will become available during the tournament.
Please click here for the ONLINE entry form. [Links will open in a new window] NON-Citizens of South Africa: Click click here to pay via PayPal or visit the Official site for the same link.

The Venue: Tswane University of Technology [Pretoria]

Venue: Inside [Theunis Bester Hall] – see more pics on the Official site.

Schedule SA Open 2010 or click on this PDF-link to download the schedule.
SA Open 2010 Schedule in PDF

History of the South Africa Chess Open Championships
The Cape Town Chess Club is the oldest chess club in the country, boasting an un-interruped existence since its foundation in 1885! However, it is almost certainly not the first club that was formed. Besides the reference above to a club which met in Cape Town in 1847, the Grahamstown Journal of 29 December 1969 reports the result of a match of three games played by correspondence that year between Amateur Chess Club of Port Elizabeth and the Grahamstown Chess Club. Grahamstown won all three games.
The 1st SA Championship, Cape Town 1892
At the Cape Town Chess Club’s 7th Annual General Meeting in March 1892, J.H. Clark, one of the club’s most prominent member introduced a proposal that a general chess tournament, open to all chess players in South Africa, be held in Cape Town under the auspices of the Cape Town Chess
Club. This proposal was received with enthusiasm and the club set about organising the tournament. The Metropolitan Hall in Burg Street was the venue. The tournament was opened by the club’s President, the Bishop of Cape Town, and others on the platform were General Cameron, officer commanding the local British forces. Prize money offered amounted to £25. The rate of play was 25 moves per hour, with sessions of four hours duration, but few games lasted that long. Eleven players were accepted for the Championship proper and ten played in the Minor tournament, both being round-robins. The tournament was to last six days, during which the contestants had to play 10 games. This heavy schedule was quite acceptable to all, it seems. Rivett and Roberts each scored 9½ out of 10. They then contested two games to break the tie, the first beginning at 4pm on the sixth day of the tournament. Roberts won this and at 7:30pm that same day the second game commenced. Rivett was successful so the title was shared.

The 2nd SA Championship, Cape Town 1897
After a lapse of five years the Cape Town Chess Club again took the initiative and staged the second SA Championship in 1897. The committee has budgeted for a total expenditure of £200 and it is noteworthy that the full amount was subscribed by donors, among whom was President Steyn of Orange Free State, who gave £5. The Prizes in the Championship were £30, £20, £10 and £5, with a further £10 for consolation prizes. For the Minor tournament, which attracted a field of 11, £25 was
allocated for prizes. The tournament was in fact a triumph for the Cape Town players, for after Roberts came Cameron
with 9 points and then another club representative Friedman was tied with Kummel for third and fourth placings, each scoring 8½.
The 3rd SA Championship, Durban 1899
The 4th SA Championship, Johannesburg 1903
The 5th SA Championship, Cape Town 1906

Source: Ramlodi.co.za

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4 Minutes

Posted in General, tagged electric car South Africa, Ferdinand Chauvier, inventions by South Africans, Joule, kreepy krauly, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, Trevor Rabin on 28/02/2010| 8 Comments »

When we moved to the UK in 2001, Internet Banking was a no-no in the country…whereas in South Africa, we used to have Internet Banking for a few years at the time, you could even pay your bills online. When we wanted to pay online for horse-riding lessons, the lady at the stalls were looking at us like are you talking double dutch? – when we asked to pay her online. She thought we knew something she didn’t know. I was even in email-touch with one of the banking staff at my branch in Pretoria, whilst here in the UK, at the time, you couldn’t even contact the bank via email. One of the banks in SouthAfrica [for a few years now] do send you a text the minute when someone logs on to your account, even if it is you yourself!

…more…the first South African electric car, the Joule, which was showcased in Paris in 2008.

Joule – image: cdn.24

The Joule’s interior and exterior was styled by South African-born former Jaguar designer, Keith Helfet, who was responsible for iconic Jag designs like the XJ220, the XK180 and the F-Type.
The Joule’s chassis accommodates two large-cell lithium ion battery packs, which use similar chemistry to that used in mobile phones and laptop computers. The five-seater passenger vehicle can be plugged in at home, with a normal 220 volt outlet, and the 300km battery pack will charge in approximately seven hours. Joule will be sold in all major South African centres towards the end of 2010 with sales and exports to the international market will follow shortly after the South African launch.
DID YOU also KNOW:
The world’s first automatic pool cleaning unit, the Kreepy Krauly, was invented by South African Ferdinand Chauvier in 1974.

Ferdinand Chauvier – image:mieliestronk
In 1978 South Africa’s premier ticketing agent, Computicket, became the world’s first computerised ticketing system ever to be invented.
Source:london.thesouthafrican.com

A dolos is an unusually shaped concrete block used to protect harbor walls from the force of the sea by dissipating, rather than blocking the energy of the waves. First installed in East London Harbor, dolosse are now used all over the world. The revolutionary sea buffer got it’s name when it’s designer Aubrey Kruger’s father Joe was asked to make a wooden model of the object. When it was completed he observed “wat speel julle met die dolos?” “dolos” is the Afrikaans word for the knuckle joint in an animal’s leg. With that, the dolos was baptized.

Pratley’s Putty
Originally invented by Krugersdorp engineer, George Pratley in 1948, to hold components in an electrical box. This hybrid epoxy urethane adhesive was used by NASA in 1969 to hold parts of the Apollo XI mission’s Eagle landing craft together. To prove the reliability of his glue, Mr Pratley used a blob of it to suspend a 13-ton bulldozer over his son’s head. Pratley died in 1983 and today the company is run by his son. The bulldozer is still suspended in the foyer of Pratley’s Krugersdorp offices.

The South African physicist, Allan Cormack, won in 1979 the Nobel Prize with Godfrey Hounsfield from EMI Laboratories for the invention of the Computed Axiale Tomography (CAT) scan.

Allan Cormack -image: Nobel Prizes.com

Trevor Rabin – image: trevorrabin.net

If you don’t know about Trevor Rabin and his great compositions and film rewards for music he composed for films like ….Deep Blue Sea, Armageddon, etc. …then you need to click HERE to read more and HERE to listen to some of his music. Trevor was a bandmember of the South African band, Rabbit.

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Bygone Times

Posted in Cape Town, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, Table Mountain, tagged bygone times, Cape Town, Kaapstad, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, Table Mountain, Table mountain cable car on 18/02/2010| 14 Comments »

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

Posted in Cape Town, General, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, tagged Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, Chess in Cape Town, holiday in South Africa, Kaapstad, music file, musiek, Op Blouberg se strand, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 27/11/2009| 8 Comments »

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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Brilliant art

Posted in Art, Kuns, South African artists, tagged Art, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, Gawie Cronje, Kuns, Pierneef, South African artists, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars, Walter Battis on 13/10/2009| 16 Comments »

An old school – An undiscovered gem: Gawie Cronje, South African landscape artist who lived in the Eastern Cape

I’m a big art lover and have blogged before some of our very best artists like Pierneef and Walter Battis, the creator of Fook Island, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard and Tretchikoff to name only a few. I must admit that until now, Gawie Cronje was really unknown to me. I found today babobski’s blog and was quite surprised to discover this piece of brilliant art.

The Brett Kebble art collection went on auction last week and raised R 54 million. Some artists’ paintings received record prices, which is quite amazing in this economic climate.

Yet, art experts have been saying for at least five years now that South African art is a good investment and should form part of a diversified portfolio.

Many people, when hearing about art and oil paintings tend to think about Van Gogh and Van Rijn. However, there are secondary art markets around the world and South Africa has a flourishing art market as well.

Kebble’s collection included the big names in South African art. J.H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Irma Stern, Nita Spilhaus, Maud Sumner, Vladimir G. Tretchikoff, Jan Volschenk and Pieter Wenning were just some of the names Kebble had collected.

One of the Irma Stern painting sold for R 5 013 000 at the auction, held in Johannesburg.

His Pierneef sold for R 267 000 and a Jan Volschenk achieved a world record price of R 668 000.

Not all of us have the resources of a Brett Kebble so how does one go about collecting art?

What could you buy with R 1 000 000?

A good JH Pierneef or an Irma Stern if you lucky.

What could I buy with R 100 000?

Keep your eyes open for an Adriaan Boshoff or an Errol Boyley. Boshoff is regarded as the finest South Afirican impressionist artist and a small Boshoff painting will cost around R 30 000 – R 35 000 at least.

Errol Boyely died in 2007 and his paintings are in demand. The prices of his paintings seem to have settled down but will pick up again once the economy turns.

What could I buy for R 10 000?

Click on the link for more reading and beautiful art on babobski’s blog.

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Afrikaans! Afrikaans! Afrikaans!

Posted in Africa, Afrikaans, Afrikaans poems, Afrikaans songs, Afrikaanse gedigte, gedigte, gedigte oor Afrika, Poetry, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, tagged 14 August 1875, Afrikaans, Afrikaans Language, Afrikaans Language monument, Afrikaans poetry, Afrikaans songs, Afrikaanse gedigte, Development of Afrikaans, Drakensberg mountains, Ek verlang na jou, fast facts about South Africa, gedig, gedigte, gedigte gekombineerd met kuns, Hanlie Kotze, History, history of Afrikaans, Johan van der Watt, language, poems, poetry art, poetry combined with art, seëlversameling van Suid-Afrika, seels, sidewalk people, song about sidewalk people, songs, Sonja Herholdt, South Africa, South African artists, South African stamps, stamp collecting, stamps, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars, Sypaadjie mense, taal, Transkaroo, Tufa waterfall on 14/08/2009| 54 Comments »

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

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

—translated–nikita

sypaadjiemense

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

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 – Johan vd Watt

Sonja Herholdt, Ek verlang na jou.

Herman Holtzhausen – Transkaroo

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South Africa – a distorted view

Posted in curriculum, History, South Africa, tagged geskiedenis, Great Trek 1838, History, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, teaching in England, United Kingdom curriculum on 15/07/2009| 15 Comments »

Image: bornagainredneck.blogspot.com

Since I have started teaching in Secondary schools in the UK, it has been interesting to know what is being taught in schools and to compare to what we teach in South Africa. Curriculum-wise, the contents is of course exactly the same when it comes to all subjects, apart from history, as all countries teach the history of their country more intensively for obvious reasons. Colleagues are always interested to know about the country you’re from and you do enjoy the diversity in students/teachers – all from different countries and to get to know the different cultures too. I’ve met teachers from Spain, France, Canada, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Greece, Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, Nigeria, too many to name! One thing is for sure, teachers are teachers, it doesn’t matter from which country you are, your background, we all share some personal traits. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chat with a history teacher and I was given a text book and when paging through the book, my eye caught the topic on South Africa – and it was interesting to read through the text, but then when I read the section about slavery, I couldn’t believe the distorted account of the events/history during the 1700’s-1800’s, e.g. one “fact” was that the British abolished slavery (which is the truth), but then the distorted view: it was the cause of the Great Trek. As if the “boers” had wanted to have slaves and decided to trek due to the abolishment of slavery. Ee….e.r… that’s not the cause of the Great Trek in 1838… I would suggest that you read Patrick’s blog if you were taught that distorted fact at school. Also, if you are/were under the impression that we had slaves in SA – after slavery was abolished – then you really do have a distorted view of SA and what really happened there. I would then urge you to make sure you have the facts.

I’ve found Patrick’s blog with a clear explanation of our history. He explains it clearly, in an interesting way. I have really enjoyed reading his entry and I would like you to make an effort and visit his blog-entry. You will find the link at the bottom of this entry. I also have a link to one of my early-entries, which you might want to follow too. I’ve found tons of information and many links which you will enjoy. I think history-textbooks need to be rewritten for Secondary schools in the UK… but, we all know why history always got written the way it is written, don’t we?

C.D. Jewell, author of Liberalstein, says about Born Again Redneck:
“This blog interested me first because of the title. But the quality of Patrick Joubert Conlon’s writing has kept me coming back. His style is not presumptuous or pompous or condescending; it’s plain and simple. Good old American English. Which is funny because Mr. Conlon was born and lived in South Africa for his first twenty one years and after that spent eight years in England before finding his home here in the U. S. His blog provides a rare outsider/insider perspective on the U. S. of A. He’s been linked to by CNN on a couple of occasions and one of his posts was cited by the official Fred08 website. He does a lot of politics but also some lighter fare as well. He frequently posts spectacular photos taken on his Oregon farm.”

A quote from Patrick’s blog… and I do hope that you will follow the link and read the complete entry. All links will open in a new window.

They first introduced a law to force the Khoi and other so-called “free” blacks to work for as little as possible. The Hottentot Code of 1809 required that all Khoi and other free blacks carry passes stating where they lived and who their employers were. Persons without such passes could be forced into employment by white masters.

Parliament in London then established a circuit court to monitor conditions in the western Cape. This court offended many Afrikaner sensibilities by giving equal weight to the evidence of “servants” and “masters,” black and white alike. The British also raised a force of colonial police, including Khoi, to enforce the court’s authority. The British also forbade the use of “Cape Dutch” (which patois eventually developed into the Afrikaans language) in court.

In 1815 a Dutch-speaking Afrikaner farmer who refused to answer a court summons for mistreating a Khoikhoi employee was shot dead while resisting arrest. Relatives and neighbors rose in what became known as the Slachter’s Nek Rebellion, but their resistance was soon crushed, and the British hanged five of the rebels.

Some Afrikaners migrated eastward. These Afrikaners were known as Trekboers (itinerant farmers – “trek” is Afrikaans for “travel” and “boer” means “farmer.”) Then the British stopped the Boers eastward trek by annexing all of the Eastern Cape and establishing their own colony there in 1820. That is when my father’s ancestors, the 1820 Settlers, arrived in South Africa.
Read a clear explanation by Patrick HERE

You can read my blog-entry on the following link:

https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/boer-war-art-poetry-and-history/

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My Sarie Marais

Posted in culture, General, History, Sarie Marais, songs, South Africa, tagged Afrikaans songs, British Royal Marines, culture, Helmut Lotti, History, Sarie Marais, Sarie Mares, Sarie tydskrif, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 26/05/2009| 27 Comments »

Sarie Marais (Mare) 1868

This audio file is Sarie Marais played by the Royal Marines
Any South African knows this song very well. If someone from South Africa doesn’t know this song, then he pretends his a South African- hehe. Sarie Marais is a song which runs in your blood if you’re a Saffa. Interesting to know that the British Royal Marines have adopted it…even the French! Near to the bottom of this post you can find the link to the Royal Marines’ site and I’ve found the translation of this song in English/French too. I grew up in the Transvaal, but the Eastern Transvaal, which is now called Mpumalanga and I will always sing…”bring me back to my dear Transvaal”! I have the history of Sarie Marais in Afrikaans and if you want it translated, give me a shout and I’ll do it in a week’s time. At the bottom of this post, you will find a link to an entry about Die Huisgenoot…uit Toeka se dae!

http://www.geocities.ws/paulmare69/stories/sarie_marais.htm

Sarie Marais Rose – image: sariemarais.com

Sarie magazine, first published in 1949 under the title, Sarie Marais

Image: sarie.com…the first Sarie published 6th July 1949! volg die link na Sarie-webadres. The link to Sarie’s site will open in a new window.
http://www.sarie.com/lees/artikels/waar-het-sarie-haar-naam-vandaan-gekry

Sarie is 60! Image: sarie.com

Sarie on the web! at sarie.com

Susara Margaretha (Sarie) Maré
Die eerste dogter van Jacob Philippus Maré en Cornelia Susanna Jacoba Erasmus was Susara Margaretha. Sy is op die plaas Eendraght, Suikerbosrand, distrik Heidelberg, gebore op 15 April 1869. Haar pa was Jacob Maré, wat later ‘n lid van die uitvoerende raad van die Transvaal geword en na wie ‘n straat in Pretoria genoem is.

Hierdie is dié Sarie Marais (eintlik Maré) wat in die wyk van die Mooirivier gewoon het, ook bekend as Tant Mossie, volgens die SA biblioteek se katalogus-inskrywing AP.1998-227.

Haar ouers was Voortrekkers, en het hulle in die omgewing van die Suikerbosrand gevestig. Die dorpie Heidelberg het toe nog nie bestaan nie. Die grootste konsentrasie Voortrekkers het hulle in die wyk Mooirivier bevind, waar die dorp Potchefstroom aangelê is.

In hierdie tyd was daar vyf wyke in Transvaal:

Mooirivier (Potchefstroom)
Magaliesburg (Rustenburg)
Marico (Zeerust)
Ohrigstad
Zoutpansberg (Pietersburg).
Suikerbosrand was in die wyk van Mooirivier geleë, wat gestrek het vanaf Potchefstroom tot die huidige Wolmaransstad en Makwassie.

Toe sy 16 jaar oud was, het sy vir Jacobus Petrus Toerien, ‘n verslaggewer van Di Patriot van die Paarl, ontmoet. (Hy was toe in Pretoria om ‘n onderhoud met haar pa te voer). Hy het onder die skuilnaam Jepete in “Ons Kleintje” geskrywe in sy hoedanigheid as subredakteur van “Di Patriot”. Hulle is getroud en het 16 kinders gehad, van wie net 8 grootgeword het.

Hy het by Amerikaners wat in Transvaalse myne gewerk het die liedjie Sweet Ellie Rhee gehoor, wat sy oorsprong in die Amerikaanse Burgeroorlog gehad het en deur Septimus Winner (Alice Hawthorne) geskryf is. In die tydperk tussen die Eerste en Tweede Vryheidsoorloë het Jepete die woorde vertaal en só sy vrou, Sarie Maré, verewig. Die lied het ook nie aanvanklik al die versies en presies dieselfde woorde gehad het as wat ons vandag ken nie. Maré het later weens ‘n drukfout Marais geword.

Teen 1899 was Sarie Marais reeds ‘n treffer in Pretoria. In die Anglo-Boereoorlog het dit nie net gewild by die Boeremag geword nie, maar ook by ander soldate. Dit het later wêreldbekend geword omdat duisende Suid-Afrikaanse soldate dit in die Eerste en Tweede Wêreldoorlog gesing het.
Die gewildheid het het só gegroei dat die Britse Royal Marines dit as regimentsmars aangeneem het. Hul opleidingskip heet ook Sarie Marais. Dit is ook die regimentsmars van Paraguay se seinerskorps. Die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse seiljag se naam was ook Sarie Marais en duisende besoekers het al in die Durban-hawe op die Sarie Marais-plesierboot gevaar. Die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse rolprent se naam was Sarie Marais. Sarie, sustertydskrif van Die Volksblad, heet ook na haar. Tot hotels en woonstelblokke is na haar genoem.

Op die eerste internasionale radio-uitsending tussen Suid-Afrika, Brittanje en Amerika op die verjaardag van mev. Isie Smuts, vrou van die destydse premier, generaal Jan Smuts, het die sangeres Gracie Fields Sarie Marais gesing.

In die Tweede Wêreldoorlog het ‘n buitestasie van soldate in Noord-Afrika die naam “Sarie Marais Calling” gehad. Die Suid-Afrikaanse weermag is steeds lief om die mars op parades te speel, terwyl die Franse Vreemdelinge-legioen dit ook gebruik. Dit is ook die amptelike lied van die Girl Guides in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) wat dit aan die begin van die vorige eeu by die Boerekrygsgevangenes daar gehoor het. In die jare dertig van die vorige eeu is dit verkeerdelik op die Olimpiese Spele in Amerika as Suid-Afrika se amptelike volkslied gespeel. Duitsers het ‘n pienk roos met die naam Sarie Marais gekweek, waarvan voor die Pantserskool in Tempe, Bloemfontein, geplant is.

Inligting: sien die geocities-link soos hierbo aangedui.Daar word beweer dat “My Sarie Marais” se “oorsprong” is van die Amerikaanse liedjie:

Sweet Ellie Rhee

Sweet Ellie Rhee, so dear to me
Is lost forever more
Our home was down in Tennessee
Before this cruel war
Then carry me back to Tennessee
Back where I long to be
Amid the fields of yellow corn
To my darling Ellie Rhee.

My Sarie Marais

My Sarie Marais is so ver van my hart,
Maar ‘k hoop om haar weer te sien.
Sy het in die wyk van die Mooirivier gewoon,
Nog voor die oorlog het begin.

Koor:

O bring my trug na die ou Transvaal,
Daar waar my Sarie woon:
Daar onder in die mielies by die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais,
Daar onder in die mielies by die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais.

Ek was so bang, dat die kakies my sou vang,
En ver oor die see wegstuur;
Toe vlug ek na die kant van die Upington se sand
Daar onder langs die Grootrivier.

Koor

Die kakies is mos net soos ‘n krokodillepes
Hul sleep hou altyd watertoe.
Hulle gooi jou op ‘n skip vir ‘n lange lange trip
Die josie weet waarna toe.
Koor

Verlossing het gekom, en die huistoe gaan was daar,
Trug na die ou Transvaal,
My liewelingspersoon sal seker ook daar wees
Om my met ‘n kus te beloon.

Koor
English translation:

Sarie Marais

My Sarie Marais is so far away from my heart,
But I hope to see her again.
She lives in the district of Mooiriver,
Since before the war began.

Refrain:

Oh, take me back to my dear Transvaal,
To where my Sarie lives:
There down by the maïsfields near the green thorn tree,
That’s where my Sarie lives.
There down by the maïsfields near the grren thorn tree,
That’s where my Sarie lives.

Refrain:

I was so scared that the English would catch me,
And send me away accross the sea;
That’s when I fled in the direction of the sandflats near Upington,
There down by the Orange River (formerly Great River)

Refrain:

The English are just like crocodiles,
They always drag you down to the water.
They trow you on a ship for a very long trip,
Only the Lord knows where to.

Refrain:

Liberation came, and it was time to return home,
Back to my dear Transvaal.
The person I love will certainly be there,
To reward me with a kiss.

SARIE MARAIS was also adopted by the French Army

Sarie Mares

Chant d’amour Sud-Africain du XVIII° siècle, il est chanté dès 1946 au peloton d’Extrême-Orient. A partir des années 1970, il s’impose comme chant de marche à l’EMIA.

O Sarie Mares, belle amie d’autrefois
En moi tu demeures vive.
L’amour est plus fort que la pluie et que le vent.
Qui peut arrêter son élan ?

Oui, je veux revoir, dans mon vieux Transvaal,
Ma ferme au toit de chaume.
Où le parfum du miel, et des conifères embaument.
L’air pur est clair comme un cristal. (bis pour les deux derniers)

O Sarie Mares est bien loin de mon coeur
Mais je crois en son amour.
Car c’est entre ses bras que j’ai connu le bonheur.
J’irai la revoir un jour. (bis pour les deux derniers)

Quand j’étais petit, je croyais qu’un démon
Venait me ravir ma maison.
Mais lorsque je fus grand, ce fut une horrible guerre
Qui m’emmena loin de mes terres. (bis pour les deux derniers)
http://www.nationalanthems.us/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1136108511

Sarie Marais
Arranged Sir Vivian Dunn
This march was adopted by the Royal Marines in 1953 as the offical march of the Royal Marines Commandos and is played after the Regimental March on ceremonial occassions. This recording is taken from the CD ‘The King’s Squad’ by the Band of HM Royal Marines Commando Training Centre and features the Adjudant giving that famous order “Royal Marines, to you duties… quick march”

http://www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk/audio/Index_audiomp3.htm

Helmut Lotti – Sarie Marais – with a perfect Afrikaans accent!

Royal Marines Commandos – Sarie Marais

On youtube you can watch the French version too.
And Sarie Marais in the movies!

Op hierdie volgende link kan jy lees oor die Huisgenoot uit Toeka se dae! Die link sal in ‘n nuwe bladsy oopmaak.
https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/from-ye-olde-and-not-so-old/

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Saturday Morning Thoughts

Posted in Daisies, holiday in South Africa, Namakwaland, Namaqualand, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, tagged Daisies, flowers, holiday in South Africa, music videos, Namakwaland, Namaqualand, Namaqualand daisies, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, youtube video about Namaqualand on 29/11/2008| 13 Comments »

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

Posted in Afrikaans, Die Vlakte, Gatvol, Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, geskiedenis, GRA, Jan FE Celliers, music file, musiek, South Africa, Steve Hofmeyr, Suid-Afrika, tagged 14 Augustus 1875, Afrikaans, Afrikaans Language monument, Afrikaans poetry, Afrikaanse gedigte, Afrikaanse Taalmonument, audio file, Die Vlakte, Gatvol, gedigte, Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, geskiedenis, geskiedenis van Afrikaans, GRA, Jan FE Celliers, music, music file, musiek, O Boereplaas, South Africa, Steve Hofmeyr, Suid-Afrika on 14/08/2008| 21 Comments »

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

Posted in Afrikaans, audio music files, classical music, classical music files, gedigte, harp music, Hilary Stagg, Juanita du Plessis, mood music, Mp3 music files, music, music files, musiek video, South Africa, Suid-Afrika, tagged Afrikaans, Afrikaans music video, Afrikaans poems, Afrikaanse gedigte, classical music, classical music files, gedigte, harp music, Hilary Stagg, Juanita du Plessis, mood music, Mp3 music files, music, music files, musiek video, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 17/06/2008| 5 Comments »

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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Blatant lies

Posted in South Africa, tagged Buthelezi, news, nuus, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 16/06/2008| 6 Comments »

‘Blatant lies’ in history book
13/05/2008 19:48 – (SA)
Durban – The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is arranging a series of protests to stop the use of a Grade 12 history book it describes as “biased propaganda… poisoning the minds of children”.

National protest organiser Albert Mncwango said on Tuesday that the book titled In Search of History is currently being used by schools throughout South Africa.

“The IFP is protesting viciously (about) biased propaganda masquerading as Grade 12 history,” he said in a statement.

“This Grade 12 history book, which is being used in some schools as a prescribed work, tells blatant lies and deliberately distorts facts about the role of the IFP and the contribution made by its leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi,” he added.

He said protests would start in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

“We cannot allow our children to be poisoned with this… abominable propaganda and the deliberate twisting of history to distort who did what, when and where.”

He stressed that schools should be places of learning and “not propaganda incubators where learners are brainwashed”.

Two protests are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Empangeni and Port Shepstone where a memorandum is expected to be handed over to representatives of Education Minister Naledi Pandor.

Well done, Buthelezi…I’ve always thought you’re a better leader than “some” other leaders in South Africa…for standing up/speaking out for what’s wrong…and wished that more of our young children in other countries could have been better informed about South Africa too…as they are also getting brainwashed about “certain” facts which is in my opinion…wrong…some of those facts …e.g. is…that ALL white South Africans are racists…and that we in South Africa used to have slaves in our “modern” days…they don’t know that slavery was undone in the 1800’s by the British…this is only two of about twenty or more facts….EISH!! …..
Read article HERE …

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Hallelujah

Posted in Freedom, geskiedenis, Gregorian calendar, Hallelujah, Handel, Independence Day South Africa, music files, music videos, Republic Day South Africa, Republiek Dag, South Africa, South African history, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis, tagged 31 May 1961, 31 Mei 1961, 31st May 1961, Chess for peace, Freedom, geskiedenis, Gregorian calendar, Hallelujah, Handel, History, Independence Day South Africa, music files, music videos, Republic Day, Republiek Dag, South Africa, South African history, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis, World Statesmen on 31/05/2008| 4 Comments »

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…

Posted in Afrikaans, Afrikaans songs, Dictionary of 10 000 dreams interpreted, dreams, dreams interpreted, drome, Egyptian dreams, Egyptian history about dreams, foto's, Free State, Gustavus Hindman Miller, images, Kyk hoe glinster die maan, Laurika Rauch, meaning of dreams, music videos, Olive Schreiner, photos, South Africa, South African artists, South African writers, Suid-Afrika, The Story of an African farm, tagged Afrikaans, Afrikaans songs, Clocolan, Dictionary of 10 000 dreams interpreted, dreams, dreams interpreted, drome, Egyptian dreams, Egyptian history about dreams, Egyptians, foto's, Free State, Gustavus Hindman Miller, images, Kyk hoe glinster die maan, Laurika Rauch, music, music video, Olive Schreiner, photos, South Africa, South African artists, South African writers, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars, The Story of an African farm, Vrystaat on 29/05/2008| 17 Comments »

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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The Past

Posted in Durban, Feite Durban, Geskiedenis van Durban, Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika, Historical facts about Durban, Historiese feite van Durban, History Durban, History South Africa, South Africa, tagged Durban, Geskiedenis van Durban, Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika, Historical facts about Durban, Historiese feite van Durban, History, History Durban, History South Africa, South Africa, Suid-Afrika on 25/05/2008| 2 Comments »

I came across this brilliant site….www.fad.co.za/default.htm…..this is about Durban, a coastal city in South Africa… I was actually looking for vintage postcards! I’m a collector of them…have a couple packed away in SA! and would really love to have it now to blog it… so, enjoy this picture about Durban in the 1950’s…and if you go to the site…you will find the most wonderful pictures and links…

I love history…anything history. I can’t resist books about historical events…and now even websites! I’ve got two more books to read!! why can’t I just walk passed these books and not looking at them! They always have to jump at me! “Russia under the last Tsar” and “The American Revolution”… and I’m still busy with the Irish book…and that book is a fat book. What do you call someone that’s addicted to books…I can remember when I was a child I even read all the advertisements…every single one…and I couldn’t go to the bathroom without something to read! Is this a “syndrome” or something?

By Neil Gould – May 2007

“Greetings Alan, since posting my picture of The Nest and Cuban Hat, I am truly inspired by your website. I left Durban in 1974 as a 19-year-old lad on board the Pendennis Castle, to Southampton, England, where I lived until 1995, after which my family and I settled in Hong Kong. Although I paid for my ticket I did spend time on board entertaining the passengers.”

Read more on this link….www.fad.co.za/Resources/memoirs/gould/gould.htm…….

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Ek weet van ‘n plek in Afrika

Posted in Afrikaans poems, gedigte, gedigte Afrika, poems, Poetry, South Africa, South African poems, South African Poets, Suid-Afrikaanse digters, Suid-Afrikaanse gedigte, translated poems, tagged Africa poetry, Afrikaans, Afrikaans poems, Afrikaanse gedigte, Ek weet van 'n plek in Afrika, gedigte, gedigte Afrika, I know a place in Africa, poems, Poetry, South Africa, South African poetry, South African Poets, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse digters, translated poems, vertaalde gedigte, Wayne Visser on 21/05/2008| 20 Comments »

English readers… I translated an English poem wich I posted 2 days ago…”I know a place”…by Wayne Visser…in Afrikaans…you can read the poem at the bottom of this post in English. One Afrikaans-blogger has asked me for a translation as he’s thought that this poem would be fantastic in Afrikaans too….and I would like to agree with him, although Wayne’s poem is already a very good poem to describe your feelings/places about Africa and I believe only a person who knows Africa can describe it the way Wayne has done. I’ve sent him an email to respond on the translation I’ve done and he has responded…you can read his comments…he also responded in Afrikaans, saying that Afrikaans is a beautiful language for poetry…which I’ve said many times to my chess player friends…I do love English poetry too, but my favourite poems are without doubt the Afrikaans poems….not because it’s my mother tongue, but for the reason that Afrikaans is such a rich language and you can play with words a lot more than the English language.

As a native-speaking English person I know how much Afrikaans people are constantly ripped off by the English. Having a completely mixed up family I am also lucky to be completely bilingual. This all means that i have the best of both worlds, which I would like to share a bit of.

Afrikaans is an extremely expressive and descriptive language with words that can’t even possibly be translated into English…This is what meggwilson says on HER BLOG here…

Visit Wayne’s website HERE to read his English poems…

Nadat ek Wayne se gedig geplaas het, het Bib my gevra vir ‘n vertaling en gedink dat dit net so mooi gedig in Afrikaans kan wees. Wel, ek het probeer en ek glo ek sal nog oor die volgende paar dae “werk”/skaaf aan wat ek nou hier plaas. Ek het geen idee of Wayne Afrikaans magtig is nie en sal graag wou hê hy moet self ook ‘n vertaling doen, sou hy Afrikaanssprekend ook wees…ek het hom nou gekontak per email en hom gevra vir sy kommentaar …laat ons sien of hy gaan reageer…
nuusberig…nuusberig…nuusberig…Wayne het ‘n boodskap gelos oor die plasing van sy gedig, jy kan dit in die “kommentaar-blok” lees…

Ek weet van ‘n plek in Afrika

Ek weet van ‘n plek in Afrika
Waar ek die son op my rug voel skyn
En die sand tussen my tone speel
Waar ek die seemeeu op die windjie hoor
En golwe op eindlose strande breek

Ek weet van ‘n plek in Afrika
Waar die berge die blou lug ontmoet
En valleie die groen wingerde huisves
Waar bome hul pers kleed sprei
En die bosveld sy room kleed dra

Ek weet van ‘n plek in Afrika
Waar die dondergode hul stemme laat hoor
En sien ek hul weerligspiese neerdaal
Waar ek die reuk van reenwolke intrek
En die soet van die stowwerige doudruppels proe

Dis ‘n wildernis, die plek
Van Evolusie en dinosorusse
Waar lewe begin het, hier was die eerste mens
Van lewende fossiele en olifante
Waar leeus brul en springboktroppe spring

Dis die plek van swaarkry
Van woestyne en doringbome
Waar paaie doodloop en jagters jag
Van horisonne en grense
Waar reise begin en sonsondergange bloei

Dis die plek van vryheid
Van ontdekkings en pioniers
Waar donkerte geskuil – en die lig deurgebreek het
Van ware legendes en wonderwerke
Waar dagbreek begin en hoop helder brand

My hart is tuis in Afrika
Waar die tromme se ritme in my klop
En tydlose liedere in my ore sing
Waar die reenboogmis in my oë skyn
En vriende se glimlagte my welkom heet

My gedagtes ontspan in Afrika
Waar die mense na aan die aarde leef
En seisoene die veranderde gemoed aandui
Waar besige markte handel dryf
En die Skepping sy stadige gang steeds gaan

My siel is gelukkig in Afrika
Haar strome bring lewe in my are
Haar winde bring genesing vir my drome
Wanneer haar verhaal vertel is
Verenig dit ons in ons noodlot.

Image:digitalekameraklub.co.za

image: digitalekameraklub.co.za

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

Hierdie ou het op sy blog die gedig geplaas sonder enige erkenning aan die vertaling wat ek gedoen het of die verwysing na Wayne Visser se gedig! Ten spyte van ‘n boodskap wat ek hom gelaat het, ignoreer hy dit steeds.
http://www.suid-afrikaners.co.za/magazine/read/ek-weet-van-n-plek-in-afrika_14.html

Image: digitalekameraklub.co.za

images:digitalekameraklub.co.za

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What do you miss?

Posted in South Africa, tagged holiday, Johannes Kerkorrel, nature, South Africa, South African artists, Suid-Afrika, travel, videos on 20/05/2008| 2 Comments »

This image: the cable car…Cape Town…Table Mountain…Lion’s Head…is the head you can see

Images: south-africa-tours-and-travel.com

On this image you can see the beach …near George…Wildernis-area.

On the chess site I was asked by a Capetonian….”What do you miss about South Africa?” and I replied to him this afternoon…EVERYTHING! … enjoy this beautiful nature video about South Africa…fantastic song too..Afrikaans lyrics of the song…maybe I should try and translate this song ……it’s one of those beautiful Afrikaans songs…with a bit of a mix with Zulu/Xhosa…

Halala Afrika

Toe die wêreld hier nog jong was en die horison wyd en oop
Was dit groen hier in die halfrond, suid van die ewenaar
En in die skemer as die son sak en die beeste huis toe loop
Klink die roepstem van die vroue oor die heuwels van die land:
Halala, ewig is ons Afrika.
Tula tula mtanami, tula tula sanaboni, tula tula mtanami,
Ubab uzobuya sihlale naye, ubab uzobuya sihlale sonke, Hmmm-Hmmm

Toe kom die skepe uit die weste, wit seile oor die see
Om te vra vir koos en water en te bly vir so veel meer.
En die land wat een tyd oop was, die land het ons verruil
Vir die ghetto’s van die stede is ons koperdraad gegee.
Halala, ewig is ons Afrika
Halala, sasiphila, kamnandi, halala, mayibuye Afrika
Tula tula mtanami, tula tula sanaboni, tula tula mtanami,
Ubab uzobuya sihlale naye, ubab uzobuya sihlale sonke, Hmmm-Hmmm

Daar was rykdom in die maag van ons moeder Afrika
Diamante en ook steenkool, goud, edel metaal
En die mense word die slawe hier want die mense word betaal
Om te tonnel in die aarde elke greintjie uit te haal
En die groot en oop grasvlaktes span dit toe met doringdraad
En van die olifant tot die gemsbok al die diere moes kom buig
Voor die mag van die grootwildjagter voor die mag van sy groot geweer
Totdat net die stilte oorbly, totdat net die stilte heers.

Halala, ewig is ons Afrika.
Halala, sasiphila, kamnandi, halala, mayibuye Afrika
Sasidjapolutjoloythina
Halala, sasiphila, kamnandi, halala, mayibuye Afrika
Source: southafrica.com/forums/language/5041-zulu-translation-request.html

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I know a place

Posted in Africa, digters, gedigte, poems, Poetry, poets, South Africa, South African Poets, Suid-Afrikaanse digters, tagged Africa, digters, gedigte, I know a place in Africa, Nature poems, poems, Poems about Africa, Poetry, poets, South Africa, South African Poets, Suid-Afrika, Suid-Afrikaanse digters, Wayne Visser on 18/05/2008| 6 Comments »

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve blogged poetry! I love poetry, as I said before…on this link here on my ..blogger-blog I once blogged one of Wayne’s poems and I want to blog it here too…as I do love South Africa –which is part of Africa…one secondary school child argued with me a few weeks ago about our country’s name..said that..there isn’t a “West Africa” as a country nor “East Africa” as a country, so how can I say that I am from South Africa and I say “South Africa” is a country! hehehe…Wayne visited my blogger blog-post and left me a message at that particular post…so let’s see if he will find this one too…lol!
I came across Meggwilson’s blog where she says exactly what I’ve said so many times…even on my blog too….

As a native-speaking English person I know how much Afrikaans people are constantly ripped off by the English. Having a completely mixed up family I am also lucky to be completely bilingual. This all means that i have the best of both worlds, which I would like to share a bit of.

Afrikaans is an extremely expressive and descriptive language with words that can’t even possibly be translated into English…you can read it HERE ….

I’ve translated this poem of Wayne in Afrikaans on this link and you can also read Wayne’s comments about the translation on this link.