Letters - Briewe

Laat asseblief die ou bloekomboom stompe in Kerkstraat met rus.

Vir my as iemand wat in Prince Albert groot en oud geword het is dit absoluut ‘n skokkende tragedie dat die ou bloekomboomstompe, wat monumente uit die geskiedenis van ons dorp se begin en verdere ontwikkeling is, nou moet omskep word in drogbeelde – “nuwe kunsvorme”. Watter geskiedenis van Prince Albert gaan hiedie kunswerke uitbeeld?

As dit kom by werkskepping, dink in terme van langtermyn. In die volgende twintig jaar sal Prince Albert nie houtbeelde nodig hê om aan die lewe te bly nie, maar kos om te eet.

Kyk na die olyfbedryf se vooruitgang die afgelope paar jaar in ons dorp. Kyk wat een van die dorp se inwoners gedoen het as rigtingwyser. Die grond regoor die golfbaan en laer af links en regs van die Prince Albert indraai is seker van die beste grond vir olyfaanplantings wat daar is. Leer mense om olyf steggies te maak, ‘n baie maklike proses, en olyfbome aan te plant. Dit sal baie meer werk skep as beelde kap.

As Absa soveel geld wil spandeer kry die munisipalteit om ‘n watersuiwerings proses by die verdamping damme te instaleer en die water vir plant benating te gebruik. Ongeveer 20% van die dorp se watergebruik gaan deur spoeltoilette so maak gebruik van hierdie water. Die plant materiaal vir steggies is ek seker kan maklik bekom word wanneer bestaande bome gesnoei word, en onthou olyfplante is duur, maak hulle en verkoop hulle. Dit is werkskepping.

Hoeveel maal het ek as klein seuntjie nie onder daardie ou bome in die koelte gespeel nie en die voëls wat daar baljaar het bewonder nie. Die ou bome is al meer as 'n eeu oud en is natuurlike kuns-werke wat die natuur se werking uitbeeld. Hulle het nie mense se gekerf aan hulle nodig nie!

Pat Marincowitz



The Language Issue

As Prince Alberters, we can choose whether this becomes a divisive issue or not.

The good thing, perhaps, about the letters that have been written (March 2007) is that it has made us aware, or more aware, of just how sensitive a matter it is. With that in mind, can we not consciously foster use of both languages since both are present in the town?

The Words & Music events that have run over the last couple of years are a good example of how happily the two can intermingle. Afrikaans and English speakers alike participate, in their language of choice, and great fun is had by all.

The fact of the matter is that time and cultures don’t stand still – the demographic profile of a place, and its associated culture, can alter over time. Not through any orchestrated attempt to make this happen, but because that is how life is.

And the language that is used at any particular time, in any particular context or situation, is often a reflection of who is participating. So let’s all participate!

My own experience as an English speaker resident in Prince Albert for 10 years now (happily speaking Afrikaans, albeit with an appalling English accent!) is that both languages are current. Sometimes there is a bias to Afrikaans, and sometimes to English, depending on the context and who is present. Mostly, I have observed a willingness on the part of both language speakers to work flexibly with the needs of the particular situation and to accommodate each other.

In terms of the Prince Albert Vriend specifically, the language used in the articles and letters written obviously depends on who is writing them! So it is up to speakers of both languages to be active in this regard. The undertaking given in the March issue of the paper, to publish the front page article and editorial comment in Afrikaans and English alternatively each month, seems to be a very equitable one.

Penny Alder


Xenophobia

The recent letters in the Friend raise issues which categorise Prince Albert residents into separate groups, e.g. Immigrants and English-speakers 'new' to PA.

Prince Albert is almost entirely a community of people who 'came to town'. The first Prince Alberters were San (Bushmen) hunters. The next group of locals were Khoi (Hottentots) who brought their cattle in to graze.

The San were hunted like animals and the Khoi were 'colonised' as servants.
Since then we have had waves of 'visitors' who became residents: farmers, ministers, shop-keepers, teachers, builders, Malays, Jews, fugitives on the run, drug-dealers, Italians, Germans, Xhosa, Somalis, Merwevillers, Johannesburgers, etc. The people who have chosen to settle here have brought ideas and culture to the town.

Apartheid taught us that restricting the movement of people was wrong and freedom of movement is now protected in our Constitution. We also learned that the classification of people carried dangers.

Generalisations heighten tensions and are divisive rather than constructive. As individuals who live in South Africa we could spend more time trying to define common problems, and then encourage constructive debate to solve them.

I am concerned that xenophobia grows when people do not take the time to understand each other. Attributing human emotions and intentions to groups, e.g. (all) immigrants, (all) English speakers, (all) Afrikaners, (all) blacks, is xenophobic.

Please let us focus instead on solving the problems which poverty brings, and finding ways to reconcile.

Bokkie Botha

Open Letter

Amper almal in Prince Albert praat die heeltyd Afrikaans. Ons is amper almal tweetalig, ons almal (amper) probeer om saam te leef en ons het definitief nie Afrikaans verloor nie! Ons praat Afrikaans met almal sedert ons ingekom het, maar daar is Afrikaners wat vrywillig Engels met ons praat – dankie! It’s nice sometimes to speak one’s own language!

Ja, daar gaan altyd iemand wees wat nie Engels of Afrikaans kan praat nie en daar gaan altyd 'n “doring in die vlees” wees.

Di van der Riet-Steyn
Engelssprekende Afrikaner, burgher van Prince Albert

PS: To Prince Alberters, just remember most foreign visitors speak English and spend their money in our town. So brush up your English , but don’t lose your “Afrikaans identity” and vice versa – that’s what it’s all about.