Robbie Mac Gee | Himalayan Leaders
Home » Over ons » Klantenfeedback » Robbie Mac Gee
Trip Name: Chitwan National Park in Nepal Trip Review: 10 Robbie Mac Gee Fit en energiek het voorjaar in - Eye for People
20/12/2018 20/12/2018 by Mieke, posted in Nieuws
Previous postDe ideale dag
Next postNu even niet, mama is moe Did you know that the esteemed Afrikaans poet D.J. Opperman (1914 – 1985) lived and worked in Stellenbosch? One of his daughters attended Denneoord primary school (which was later to become Stellenbosch Primary) for which he wrote a school anthem, a lovely, playful children’s song (read it here). Opperman was an independent thinker and in many ways opposed to the regime of Hendrik Verwoerd, something revealed primarily in his literature.
His poetry is sometimes satirical and sometimes melancholy, but Opperman also wrote children’s poetry and lyrical poems about nature. For some readers the language might seem a bit old-fashioned, but its nuances are beautiful.
The following poem is about Winter in Stellenbosch. Take note of all the descriptive smells, sounds and sensations he uses:
Die Pieke skuil in mis of wit kapok
staan koejawels opgestapel en soetlemoene.
Ons sal soms met intiemer tongval praat;
kerriekos eet, varkrib en bruin wildsbraad, (‘roast‘)
souskluitjies met kaneel, gesproete pannekoek.
Wanneer jou kop sy reglê op die kussing soek,
en in jou word die klippe ronder omgerol.
From: Grondstowwe by die siklus van seisoene
Did you know that the Eerste River, mentioned here, once had an island in it? Read our blog here to find out what happened to it.
Between 1960 and 1979 Opperman worked as professor of Afrikaans at the University of Stellenbosch. During his career he won four Hertzog prizes (in 1947, 1956, 1969 and 1980), four Hofmeyer prizes (in 1954, 1956, 1966 and 1980), as well as many other awards.
At the end of 1975 Opperman’s health suddenly deteriorated due to liver failure. He went into a coma and was bedridden for months, kept under supervision of the Stellenbosch hospital. Despite the fact that doctors on 5 occasions believed he would die, Opperman recovered miraculously. It was after this experience that he later wrote Komas uit ’n bamboesstok (1979). The poem ‘Winter’ from “Grondstowwe by die siklus van seisoene” is from this collection.
An earlier poem, lamenting the death of his grandfather, was translated beautifully in English by William and Jean Branford in 1962. Here is the first stanza of that poem. Note again his use of imagery to conjure up a specific atmosphere.
Watching by the Old Man
The wind blows where a sleek, wet otter leaves
the pool, and in the tussocks sniffs and grieves;
out of night’s caves, an even, whistling breeze
circles the house among the wattle trees.
Under the roof-beams, by the ashen wall,
a single candle-flame burns still and small,
over his body paralysed: a moon
above a reef with bones of schooners strewn,
where stirring ocean currents carry far
from windswept cape the shattered rib and spar.
(Grové and Harvey 1962: 229)
For more on Opperman’s life and work, find his biography on Litnet.
Also: to read the story of where the name ‘Koloniesland’ came from, click here.
Grové, A.P. and C.J.D Harvey (eds.). 1962. Afrikaans poems with English translations. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
Het jy geweet dat die welbekroonde Afrikaanse digter D.J. Opperman (1914 – 1985) in Stellenbosch gewoon en gewerk het? Een van sy dogters was in Laerskool Denneoord (wat later Laerskool Stellenbosch geword het) en Opperman het hul skoollied geskryf, ‘n lieflike, speelse kinderliedjie (lees dit hier). Opperman was ‘n onafhanklike denker en in baie opsigte gekant teen die regime van veral Verwoerd, iets wat hoofsaaklik in sy letterkunde uitgekom nie.
Sy poësie is soms satiries en soms melankolies, maar die digter het ook kindergedigte geskryf sowel as liriese gedigte oor die natuur. Vir sommige lesers sal die taal bietjie outyds klink, maar die verbeeldingswêreld wat hy skep is verstommend.
Hierdie gedig gaan oor winter in Stellenbosch. Let op al die beskrywende reuke, klanke en sensasies waarna hy verwys:
Ons sal soms met intiemer tongval praat:
Uit: Grondstowwe by die siklus van seisoene
Het jy geweet dat die Eersterivier, waarvan hy in sy gedig skryf, vroeër ‘n eiland gehad het? Lees ons blog hier om meer daaroor te lees.
Tussen 1960 en 1979 het Opperman as professor in Afrikaans aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gewerk. In sy loopbaan het hy vier Hertzog-pryse (in 1947, 1956, 1969 en 1980), vier Hofmeyer-pryse (in 1954, 1956, 1966 en 1980), sowel as vele ander toekennings, gewen.
Teen die einde van 1975 het Opperman se gesondheid skielik verswak as gevolg van lewerversaking. Hy het maande lank in ‘n koma gelê, onder toesig by die Stellenbosch-hospitaal. Ten spyte van die feit dat dokters vyf keer geglo het hy sou sterf, het Opperman wonderbaarlik herstel. Na hierdie ondervinding het hy later die werk Komas uit ‘n bamboesstok (1979) geskryf. Die bogenoemde gedig ‘Grondstowwe by die siklus van seisoene’ is inderdaad uit hierdie bundel.
Hierdie vroeë gedig, wat die dood van sy oupa betreur, is in 1962 pragtig in Engels vertaal deur William en Jean Branford. Hier is die eerste strofe. Let weer op na die digter se gebruik van beelde en sensasie om ‘n spesifieke atmosfeer te skep:
Nagwaak by die ou man
‘n kersie in die kamer stil eenkant
oor sy beroerte-liggaam, soos ‘n maan
oor stukke seilskip teen ‘n kaap vergaan,
Vir meer oor Opperman se lewe en werk, lees sy biografie op Litnet.
Ook: om uit te vind waar die naam ‘Koloniesland’ vandaan kom, klik hier.
—— lééf Stellenbosch! ——-
Artikel en foto: Y Coetsee 2017