Dawid Owies – Onthouers | Rememberers
Dawid Owies was born on a farm named Bonnievale and was 80 years old at the time of the interview. He believes that a waterbaas (water boss) lives in the river.
Dawid Owies tells ghost stories and paljas (magic) stories and speaks about how he and his uncle hunted dassies on the mountains.
Dawid Owies was 80 years old at the time of the interview and was born on Bonnievale. He moved to Porterville and eventually left home to follow a woman. He believes that there is a waterbaas (water boss) in the river. He tells stories of paljas (magic) and ghosts, but it is difficult to understand him. He and his uncle frequently hunted dassies in the mountains in Porterville. He mentions fetching dop on Sunday evenings, but it is unclear if he is referring to the dop stelsel (“dop” system).
J.M. Oewies: He’s 80 years old.
You’re 80 years old?
Tell us where you were born, up to where you came to be here.
I was born on Bonnievale (?? 00:29), deep in the Karoo. A farm. If you go to Porterville, you’ll see on the sign, it says Bonnievale. There I was born. And from there I uhh, went to Porterville. If you go to Porterville, you’ll see there is a turn-off. It says Kedouw Crossing. On that farm I became a young man before I worked there. Threshing in those days. The machines. And then I went away there and me and my uncle came to work here. (Inaudible 01:14).
And then I went back. Then I said to my ma: “Ma, tell the baas*, I won’t work again.” And then the farmer wanted to know why I wanted to leave, they hadn’t done anything to me. (inaudible 01:34) … woman who caused it. And then… and then I left home. I had this small suitcase, I had this small suitcase (inaudible 01:48) … clothes. And the farmer wanted to know, why did I want to leave, he couldn’t pay me more.
But I was after this woman. After my wife. Then I said, I would work there, take the work there. Then Ma said he* couldn’t do anything because the child didn’t want to any more. And then I was gone from there. And I’m still here today (inaudible 02:14).
J.M. Oewies: Nearly ten years.
J.M. Oewies: Yes.
Moetie (??), our daughter was already ten years old on that farm.
J.M. Oewies: No.
Closer to 15, 16 years.
J.M. Oewies: No, Kinna (??) is ten years old now. (inaudible 02:37).
Do you know stories about the river here?
No, I’m not really a native. That is why I wasn’t… I have seen, in the river, when the four of us walked here on…
Dawid Owies is gebore op ’n plaas genaamd Bonnievale en was 80 jaar oud ten tyde van die onderhoud. Hy glo daar is ’n waterbaas in die rivier.
Dawid vertel stories van paljas en spoke, en hoe hy en sy oom in die berge dassies gejag het.
Dawid Owies is op Bonnievale gebore en was 80 jaar oud ten tyde van die onderhoud. Hy is Porterville toe, maar is daar weg agter ’n vrou aan. Hy glo daar is ’n waterbaas in die rivier. Hy vertel stories van paljas en spoke, maar dis moeilik om te verstaan wat hy sê. Hy en sy oom het dikwels in die berge by Porterville gaan dassies jag. Hy noem dat hulle Sondagaande dop moes gaan haal, maar dis nie duidelik of hy na die dopstelsel verwys nie.
J.M. Oewies: Hy’s tagtig jaar.
Jy’s tagtig jaar?
Sê waar Oom gebore is tot Oom hier gekom het.
Ek is gebore op Bonnievale (?? 00:29) agter in die Karoo. ’n Plaas. As u nou Porterville toe gaan, kan jy sien op die bord, daar staan Bonnievale. Daar’s ek gebore. En daarvan af is ek Porterville toe. As jy nou Porterville toe gaan, kan jy sien daar draai ’n kruis uit. Daar staan Kedouw-kruis. Toe’t ek op daai plaas het ek loop jongman word voor ek gewerk het daar. Dors daai tyd. Die masjiene. En toe’t ek nou daarvan af, toe kom werk ek en my oompie hier. (onhoorbaar 01:14).
En toe gaan ek terug. Toe sê ek vir my ma: “Ma, sê vir die baas, ek kom val nie weer in nie.” Enne, toe wil die boer weet, maar hulle het my niks gemaak nie, waaroor wil ek weggaan. (onhoorbaar 01:34) … vroumens wat so maak. En toe … en toe loop ek van die huis af. Ek het so ’n kysie gehad, ek het so ’n trommeltjie gehad (onhoorbaar 01:48) … klere. En die boer wil weet, hoekom wil ek nou loop, ek kan nie meer betaal nie.
Maar ek is toe agter dié vroumens aan. Agter my vrou aan. Toe sê ek, ek gaan hier kon werk, die werk aanvat. Toe’t Ma gesê hy kan niks doen nie, want die kind wil nie meer nie. En toe is ek daarvan af. En ek is vandag nog hier (onhoorbaar 02:14).
Hoe lank bly ons nou al hier?
J.M. Oewies: Byna tien jaar.
J.M. Oewies: Ja.
Moetie (??), ons meisiekind was nou al tien jaar op daai plaas gewees.
J.M. Oewies: Nee.
Daar by ’n vyftien, sestien jaar rond.
J.M. Oewies: Nee, Kinna (??) is nou tien jaar oud. (onhoorbaar 02:37).
Ken Oom stories hier van die rivier?
Nee, ek is nie eintlik ’n boorling van hier nie. Daarom was ek nie ’n … ek het al gesien, in die rivier, dat ons vier ’n slag loop ons hier op …
Karnemelksvlei Plaas, South Africa