Monday, March 31, 2008

DORPS- EN OLYFFEES KOM!



- Jeremy Freemantle/Henriette van Zyl -

Dit is amper weer tyd vir Prince Albert se jaarlikse Dorps- en Olyffees en vanjaar se fees beloof om nog beter en lekkerder te wees as laasjaar. Die fees begin Vrydag 25 April en duur tot Maandag 28ste.

Die organiseerders sê hulle gaan voortbou op die weghol-sukses van 2007 se fees deur weer eens die klem te plaas op plaaslike kreatiwiteit, produkte, talent, ondernemerskap en gasvryheid. Voorsitter Bokkie Botha sê deur 2007 se wenresep te behou en daarop voort te bou sal daar definitief iets vir een en almal se smaak wees. Bokkie sê hoewel daar heelwat te vier is, is daar nog steeds ernstige sosio-ekonomiese probleme wat aandag moet geniet. Hy vra dat inwoners vanjaar hulle harte oopmaak in ‘n opregte gees van eenheid en om waarlik te deel in en saam te werk met die fees. Wandelings deur die dorp sal besoekers kans gee om plaaslike kuns, handwerk, ongewone winkels en interessante versamelings te waardeer. En natuurlik sal daar ‘n groot verskeidenheid stalletjies in die hoofstraat wees. Die koördineerder van die stalletjies, Lisa Smith sê die fees is vir ALMAL en gaan oor vriendskap en gasvryheid.

Die besigtigingstoere deur sekere huise en tuine gaan besoekers ook weer kans gee om te deel in die dorp se unieke argitektuur, ongewone huise en interessante tuine.

Die immergewilde storieverteller Antoi-nette Pienaar is weer terug vanjaar. Sowel sy as haar mentor, oom Johannes, het ‘n baie sagte plekkie vir Prince Albert. En natuurlik moet ons eie storieverteller, Ailsa Tudhope, nie agterweë gelaat word nie. Soos verlede jaar gaan sy weer stories, legendes en staaltjies van verloë dae met feesgangers deel. En moenie vergeet van die geskiedundige, botaniese, argeologiese en kuns-toere en praatjies deur kundiges nie.

Wat betref vermaak is daar ‘n vol program. Prince Albert se “Patchwork” Teater, waarvan al die vertonings verlede jaar uitverkoop was, bied vanjaar “Treasure Island” aan. Die veelsydig akteur, Bryan van Niekerk, bied ‘n toneelstuk aan vir kinders, en wees gewaarsku – ‘n toneelstuk slegs vir volwassenes. Kabaretster, Leon Buchner, is ook weer terug met Jacques Brel, ‘n fliekfees word beplan, met die hoogtepunte Jans Rautenbach se “Katrien” en “Die Kandidaat”. Die flieke sal gehou word in die nuwe teater wat na hom vernoem is.

Musiek gaan natuurlik ook weer deel vorm van die Fees. Ons eie Brain Finch bring elke middag hulde aan Bob Dylan en saans gaan hy mense se voete laat jeuk. Vermaak-koördineerder Imke Maeyer sê nie net gaan die Riebeek Kasteel “ Steel Band” optree nie, hulle gaan ook ‘n werkswinkel vir die jonges aanbied. Die Kieliebeentjies-orkes gaan aan Afrikaans aandag gee om geld in te samel vir Hoërskool Zwartberg. En wat sal ‘n fees nou wees sonder die Kaapse Klopse?

Om absoluut seker te maak dat niemand verveeld is nie, word blomme-uitstallings, vlam-dansers, ‘n fotografiese uitstalling en Mnr en Mej O’lyfie aangebied. Jong mense hoef nie afgeskeep te voel nie, want vir hulle gaan daar ook iets wees. Benewens ‘n sterkman-kompetisie, word ‘n pret-loop gehou en word gesoek na die Groot Karoo se olyfpit-spoegkampioen. Of dalk is jy lus om te leer oor witblits – stook. Of wat van ‘n sterrekyk-toer?

Die feesprogram sal voor die Fees beskikbaar wees op die Toerismeburo se webwerf: www.patourism.co.za asook in die vroeë April-uitgawe van die vriend.

Vir verdere inligting kan die Toerismekantoor gekontak word op
023 5411 366 of per e-pos by:
princealberttourism[@]intekom.co.za.

My Christian Perspective

- Dawn Viljoen -

Easter is over for another year. But we must always remember that without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christianity would have been a long-forgotten religion. His principles touch our hearts, stimulate our thoughts and are an inspiration to innumerable charity organisations.

But the same things may be said of other religious leaders. What makes Christ unique is not only the inspiration that may be drawn from His doctrine, but He Himself.

He courageously went forth to meet death, and conquered it. He came back from the dead and met His disciples under different circumstances and promised to be with them always.

It is the living Christ that reigns in the lives of a multitude of people in a new millennium. They have dedicated themselves to Christ and their worship of Him is a personal matter to them, not an organisational issue, a religious teaching or a dogma. They meet Him daily in quiet seclusion and are always aware of His Living presence.

These people may be unable to give a clearly theological explanation of their faith, but in their inner being they know that Christ lives, that He loves them and has made them His property. No one will undermine their faith that the risen and glorified Saviour lives and reigns in their hearts and lives.

Letters - Briewe

Thanks to SAPS

My mother and a friend from the UK recently visited your small town.

They were going to drive over the Swartberg Pass and went to the police station first to let them know. They said that they would phone the police when they got to the other side and if they hadn't phoned, asked whether the police would mind going to look for them.

Well, what happened next has to be the most unbelievable act of kindness they could have ever experienced. These two old ladies were given two police escorts to drive them over the Pass; one policeman drove my mother’s car while the other followed. I only know that the one policeman’s name was Fanie and it was a Captain Claassen who organised the escort.

We cannot express our gratitude enough and would like to thank the policemen concerned for being so gracious and helpful. This could only happen in Africa.

Kind regards and keep up the excellent work.

Jenny du Toit
Cape Town


What do tourists really want?

I think that there are as many answers to this question as there are tourists.

For hundreds of years, philosophers like Nietzsche, have been pondering why people travel. He suggested that through travel, a person may learn how his “societies and identities have been formed by the past and so acquire a sense of continuity and belonging.”

As early as the 1800s, poet William Wordsworth advocated trips into the country as “an indispensable corrective to the psychological damage inflicted by life in the city”.

Alain de Botton, author of The Art of Travel, says that the charm of a foreign place arises from the simple idea of novelty and change. He also says: “What we find exotic abroad may be what we hunger for in vain at home.” The 70s hippie rush to the East seems a good example of this.

Or maybe people simply travel for fun, and return home to dine out on their experiences.

That tourists love Prince Albert and the Karoo, there is no doubt, and it is easy to see why. So I will refrain from applauding our virtues and throw in another idea – that different aspects of tourism could co-exist.

The quad bikes, 4x4s racing through our veldt, off-road motor bikes, hang gliders jumping off our mountains, all the activities extreme sport tourists demand could work alongside our peace and quiet, our art and our culture. So long as the two don’t conflict. Separate spaces could be allocated for the noisy stuff, way out of town on a piece of otherwise useless ground.

I am concerned that in this world of certain change, if provision is not made for new directions in tourism, Prince Albert may be “left on the shelf” like a musty old maiden aunt, appealing only to those looking for a trip into the past.

The world moves fast these days, let’s move with it.

Romy Matthews


Auf Wiedersehen

My time in Prince Albert has passed very quickly and it is difficult to believe that three months have already passed. I return to Germany in the middle of March.

I have appreciated Prince Albert and its people very much. I have found the people open, friendly and most happy to help. I take away good memories of this beautiful place.

My school in Germany is very different to Hoërskool Zwartberg but it has been good to be a student here and I have learned much.

I want to say a special thank you to Gerda and Jürgen Klein – friends of my grandma - because without their invitation and hospitality my trip would not have been possible

I look forward to returning someday!

Laura Lukanz
(Grand daughter of Edeltraud Pfob)


No to a noisy airfield

As a fairly new and very happy resident of our lovely little town, I would like to comment on a recent suggestion to reopen the airfield for small planes (which will inevitably be followed by the incessant irritation of microlights, small helicopters and the like), as an additional attraction to tourists wishing to take flips over our beautiful mountains and surrounding countryside.

In my opinion, the type of tourists attracted by such amenities would completely destroy the charm and simplicity of our lovely, small historical town. This is its unique selling point and quintessential attraction, appealing to tourists from all walks of life wishing to see something different. To quote the editor of the March issue of Condé Nast House & Garden Magazine "I think the Karoo is pretty much as it has always been. What's changed is us. We are wanting what it has to offer - wilderness and all the non worldliness that it implies - more and more". She goes on to elaborate further in her editorial, and I hope the people concerned think long and hard before taking a step which would reduce this special place to just another ordinary small town.

Jackie Canning



Goodbye Prince Albert

To all of you good folk of Prince Albert, my sad good-bye – I shall truly miss you, the genuine care and friendships which wrapped me on every hand.

Lewis Tilney

Sterreprag oor Prince Albert

- Hans Daehne -

Herfs is nou al met duidelike tekens waarneembaar : die langer nagte, die geel blare en die koeler aande. Herfs is ook die tyd wanneer ons vir Orion en die Skerpioen in dieselfde nagte kan waarneem met laasgenoemde wat deur middel van sy giftige steek tot Orion se ondergang aanleiding gee.

Die ware Herfssterrebeeld is egter Leo, die Leeu, wat vanjaar besonders belangrik is omdat dit die planeet Saturnus huisves. Saturnus met sy ringe van die kant af gesien, gebeur nie so dikwels nie en is selfs vir ons `n asemrowende sig.

In April kan mens waarneem hoe Saturnus nader aan Regulus, die hoofster van Leo, beweeg dáár teen die einde van die maand tot stilstand kom en dan in Mei weer wegbeweeg in die rigting van Spica in Virgo. Dit sal die einde van Saturnus se opposisietydperk aandui en hy sal beduidend dowwer word. Op die 15de April sal Regulus, Saturnus en die maan `n mooi groepie vorm.

Venus is as helder Oggendster nog net vir `n kort rukkie voor sonop te sien en sal binnekort te naby aan die son wees vir waarneming en sal eers weer in Augustus as die Aandster vir ons sigbaar word.

Mars beweeg vanaf die horings van Taurus na Gemini en dan al vinniger deur Leo na Virgo en Libra.

Jupiter word al groter en helderder in Sagittarius maar mens vind hom makliker deur vir die Teepot te soek.

Die maan is nuut op die 6de April en naby aan die aarde op die 7de, ongeveer
361,000 km; altyd `n goeie kombinasie vir reën in die Kaap.

Volmaan is op die 20ste, wat beteken dat die maan in sy laaste kwartierfase sal wees tydens die Prince Albert Dorps- en Olyffees. Dit sal dus `n goeie tyd vir sterrekyk wees.

Op die oomblik is veral die omgewing van die drie kruise baie pragtig in die suide bokant die Swartberge en die Groot Magellanse Wolk kan nog baie
duidelik gesien word.

Hou die sterre in u oë !

Need a lift …?

- André Jaquet -

At breakfast last week, I was alternating between grumbles and grunts through a spoonful of (sugar-free) muesli in my mouth and past my designer stubble, when a friend dropped in with an interesting piece of news that made me realise something that I had not picked up before: how frustrating it must be to live in our beloved dorp without transport.

I must explain that a recent illness prevents me from driving at the moment and I started to mull over such questions as how do you travel to and from George or Oudtshoorn when your car is being repaired there or when you don’t own any wheels, or yours wouldn’t make it over the mountain anyway? What do you do when you have a doctor or dentist appointment or simply need a change of scenery and are getting mall-withdrawal symptoms?

Having lots of leisure time these days, I mulled further. What is worse than having had a great day shopping and seen the latest movie only to find that your planned lift home has fallen through and you are stranded in George?

What do kids do when they have to travel to and from school and university or friends arrive at the airport? And let's face it, we all enjoy a good ‘skinder’ on the trip and many of us feel more secure travelling with company. I am not even going too whisper about the latest rise in the petrol price.
Anyway, as I was dwelling (or was it ‘dwaaling’?) about these things, my friend told me of the great service which originated from a discussion on Cafe Albert's stoep.
One of the group was looking for a lift to Cape Town and the idea of a shared lift service was suggested. Romy Mathews set up a data base of interested persons and Prince Albert Lift Services (PALS) as a not-for-profit community service, was born.
Intrigued, I called Romy to please explain.
“Well” she said, “You simply add your name and e-mail address to a membership list. Anyone may join; you don’t have to live here, just travel back and forth, and there are no conditions or charges for membership. All offers of lifts, either to or from Prince Albert, will be automatically forwarded to you by e-mail free of charge. Travel arrangements and any costs involved are between the members themselves.”

Romy added that those interested in becoming part of this community service could send an e-mail to her at kna@isat.co.za, call her on 023-5411-175, or if they didn't have an e-mail facility, could just drop off the their requirements and contact details with her at Café Albert on Church Street for her to forward to everyone on the membership list.

Portrait of a Village

- Kallie Erasmus -

Portait of a Village” by Annalize Mouton celebrates the 150 year existence of Stanford and captures for posterity one of the most detailed snapshots ever taken of a moment in the history of a town. The book was introduced to Prince Albert by Annalize and her husband Maré, who was responsible for the layout, in the Koggelmander garden one Sunday morning in March and without exception those who came were captivated by the book and the enthusiasm of its author. This, they agreed, was a book you may pick up because it is so beautiful but can’t put down because it is so fascinating.

In a world-first Annalize has photographed most of the people now living in the small Southern Cape town of Stanford and captured for posterity what their town is like. The book contains more than 700 exceptional photographs and a well-researched, easily readable history of the village that celebrates what Stanford was, is and may be, without shying away from the often disparate experiences of the different parts of the local community. Apart from being an engrossing and beautifully written and presented book, “Portrait of a Village” is an important social record of rural South Africa at the beginning of the new Millennium. It may focus on one village, but gives a valuable glimpse of what lies behind the modern façade of all South Africa’s rural communities.

Most platteland towns and villages still resonate with the presence of long-forgotten inhabitants that lives on in the buildings and places they left behind. Sadly, our collective memory of who they were and what the town was like when they were around is all too often just a guess. “Portrait of a Village” will not only tell future generations what we were about but, perhaps even more importantly, turns the mirror inward and reminds us of where we come from and what we are like. This makes it an extraordinary and important book.

“Portrait of a Village” can be bought at Koggelmander Kos- en Kunshuis for R580.00.

A Man(ager) with a Mission

- Linda Jaquet -

Dawid Rossouw, who served as Mayor of Prince Albert for 11 years until the local government elections in 2006, has been appointed the town’s Acting Municipal Manager until the end of April.

The Friend interviewed him less than two weeks after he received an unexpected telephone call at the beginning of March, telling him that the Council had decided that they needed him to fill the position. For a man, who has been in retirement for the last two years, Dawid Rossouw looked quietly confident and at home in his office.

“The Council has mandated me to drive the process of appointing the new Municipal Manager and I am confident that this will be finalised by the end of March. Hopefully, the successful applicant can start work at the beginning of May.” he said. Prince Albert has been without a Municipal Manager for over a year. Rossouw explained: “As we speak, the consultant appointed by the Council is screening all applications and will draw up a shortlist of the most suitable candidates for interviewing. Recommendations will then be made to the Council, which will make its decision.”

Rossouw is also determined to resolve a number of issues that have been lying unattended to for several months. Some require the Council’s consideration, while others are decisions and policies that have simply been gathering dust in various pigeonholes in the Municipality and need to be implemented. These include approval of the appointment of an engineer to manage infrastructural projects for the next three years.

The Council also needs to reach urgent agreement with the Kweekvallei Irrigation Board on the laying of a pipeline to replace the furrow bringing water to the town, while the question of where the Sentech communications tower should be erected also has to be resolved. Sentech technology will enable the community of Prince Albert to access more SABC TV and radio channels. Rossouw also indicated that he was tackling the surveying and selling of plots in the industrial area in a transparent manner and wants the Council to look seriously at a proposal to reduce the use of electrical power by the town.

Rossouw clearly revels in the challenges of his position. He finds the work load heavier than when he was last in government and the expectations of service delivery a lot higher. He is working long hours and has hardly seen his wife, Jean, since his appointment. However, he says that he she knows that he can make a difference and he has her full support.

What does he regard as his most important achievement during his long tenure as Mayor? Rossouw pointed to his battle to ensure that Prince Albert remained a local municipality in its own right rather than being absorbed into Beaufort West. The deciding factor in Prince Albert’s favour, he said, was that the town’s finances were sound and sustainable. Laughing, he recalled a resident shaking his hand and commenting: “Jy is ‘n bul van ‘n man!”

“We were vindicated,” he says. “Prince Albert and Laingsburg are the only two Karoo municipalities that have shown economic growth in recent years. This is vital for service delivery and also explains why we attract newcomers who love the town as much as those who have lived here all their lives. They see the possibilities and bring with them their expertise and their skills.”

Rossouw felt that while residents were justified in getting irritated with some of the Municipality’s shortcomings, the appointment of a new Municipal Manager provided both the community and the Council with the ideal opportunity to develop a good relationship. When asked what message he would like to give residents, he said “Please offer your advice to the new Manager, share your knowledge and your passion for our town. After all, it is your town.”

Brett the Vet - The Milky Way

Mammals are warm blooded vertebrates of the class secreting milk to feed the young. The word originates from the Latin mamma meaning breast. This is a phenomenon humans share with all other mammals ranging from shrews to elephants, including whales and dolphins. Instinct drives the newborn straight to the teat, the post umbilical lifeline.

Mother’s milk! There is nothing quite like it for the infant: A perfect blend of all the nutrients required to nurture the growing mammal, presented in the most sensuous manner imaginable. There is something immensely satisfying about babies suckling from their mothers. They convey all the signs of contentment and good health.

Strangely there is a market driven tendency in the western world to feed baby humans artificial substitutes for the sake of la bella figura. Animals must breast feed, unless they are calves born on a dairy farm where they are separated from their mothers soon after birth once they have taken colostrum. They are given milk substitutes in a bucket which inevitably gives rise to digestive problems. Cow’s milk bizarrely becomes part of the so called ‘balanced diet’ of humans where it can ironically also lead to digestive upsets and other health issues in some people.

The profit driven modern dairy industry is concerned with size and quantity. This comes at a price for cows that are treated like machines in a factory. The calves, particularly the males, are often grossly neglected or sold to inappropriate ‘farmers’ where they suffer and die. Or worse still, they endure brief and miserable lives as part of the veal industry: This so called delicacy is derived from the most indelicate process. Connoisseurs of veal demand soft, pale meat. To achieve this calves are raised inside dark barns, in cramped crates and fed nutritionally deficient rations. This process of deprivation and suffering turns out inferior flesh. It’s a shameful disgrace on the perpetrators and consumers alike.

The level of humanity found in small scale dairies becomes a serious consideration if we are to encourage and support good animal husbandry from farmers who truly care for their animals. When we choose a product of known origin we can make an informed decision about ethically sound agricultural practice.

In Prince Albert we are fortunate to have Gay’s Dairy where the well being of prize Guernsey cows takes priority. Cows graze on pastures as much as possible. They are even given names, reflecting a tradition of individual consideration and care. Calves, although removed from their mothers after a week, are given space, love and lots of attention. The heifers are raised to join the herd later, and the males are selected for stud. Any surplus calves are homed to carefully screened owners.

Pasteurization feeds into our fear based, insurance bound view of the world. We can indeed contract serious diseases from the milk of unhealthy dairy herds. Our main concerns here are brucellosis and tuberculosis. But if the herd is established free of these diseases by a simple test, and they are kept in dry, hygienic conditions, the milk need not be pasteurized, as is the case with Gay’s Dairy. We’ve all observed what happens when heat is applied to the white of an egg. A similar process occurs invisibly to the proteins in heated milk, which some say render it less nutritious and possibly even harmful to drink. Milk certainly tastes better fresh from the cow.

Food of animal origin always comes with a sacrifice the conscientious consumer simply cannot ignore, because he or she has the power to make a difference to the way animals are dealt with behind the screams.

AVIS Car Hire in Prince Albert

- Charles Roux -

The Prince Albert Tourism Association has announced that Avis Rent a Car has appointed the Prince Albert Tourism Office as a booking office for their hire car services.

According to Gadija Jappie, the manager of Avis’ Garden Route office, this is probably the first formal relationship between a major international car hire company and a tourism office in South Africa.

Zelia Mullins, Prince Albert’s Tourism Manager, in making the announcement, said, “We are extremely proud that Avis has selected us for this recognition. It means that we can now arrange for Prince Alberters and their guests to hire cars at any location in the country and, for a small additional charge, we can also arrange for their cars to be delivered to or dropped off in Prince Albert.”

Zelia noted that for each vehicle hired through the Tourism Office, the Tourism Association would receive a small commission and this would be used for the benefit of members and the community at large. She commented that “It follows that the more that people use this service, the happier we shall be!”

For bookings or more information visit the Tourism Office or give them a call at (023) 5411 366.

JP Meyer se verrassing vir die Biblioteek

- Reinie Smit -

Teen die einde van 2007 ontvang een van Prince Albert se voormalige inwoners, JP Meyer, sy nuusbrief van Exclusive Books as lid van hulle Fanatics-Klub. Deel van die nuusbrief sê dat hy as lid aan ’n kompetisie kan deelneem waarin hy ’n biblioteek nomineer wat dan ’n prys kan wen. Gelukkig vir ons nomineer JP die Prince Albert Biblioteek.

Na ’n paar weke, toe hy al amper daarvan vergeet het, kry hy uit die bloute ’n geroep om te sê dat Prince Albert Biblioteek een van die pryswenners is. En die prys? 250 Splinternuwe boeke van Exclusve Books! Afrikaans, Engels, fikse, nie-fiksie, volwassenes- en jeugboeke. Ons besluit nog wie is die meeste opgewonde, ons of die lesers!

So ’n duisend dankies aan JP en Exclusive Books vir ons heerlike verrassingsprys. Glo my, dit sal BAIE nuttig in Prince Albert benut word!

Thank you JP – your friends here in the village really appreciate the 250 books Exclusive Books have sent us after you nominated the library for their “end of year surprise” competition!

Life in our Village

- Sonja Mckenna -

And then there was darkness!

On Friday evening, 7 March, as we laid the table outside for supper, I confidently announced to my American visitors that they needn’t worry about rain; after all we do live in a desert.

“What about blackouts,” they asked.

“Oh those, no, they don’t happen very often and usually they last for only a few hours,” I replied!

Fortunately, the parents enjoyed their candlelit dinner inside and the toddlers their bath by candlelight while the hostess mopped up the leaks from the torrential downpour. I don’t think they’re going to believe anything I say in future.

And “the Blackout”, what happened there?

My neighbour and I entered into a discussion over this, while I was hanging up washing and he was watering the garden some days later.

En toe vertel hy my sy storie. Agtuur in die oggend, die Saterdag, begin hy bekommerd raak omdat sy yskas, vol vleis, vis en hoender, begin afloop het.

Toe besluit hy om Eskom te bel – Beaufort-Wes – en toe kom hy by 'n sentrale plek in Bloemfontein uit. Die dame kon hom geen inligting gee nie – en sy was nie eers bewus waar Prince Albert is nie.

Hy besluit om Prince Albert se noodnommer, 08222 00848, te skakel. Die man wat geantwoord het, kon ook geen inligting verskaf nie. Eerder vir hom gesê hy moet sy vleis, vis en hoender aan behoeftiges vat en uit deel – dan sal dit nie vrot word nie.

Who is responsible for reporting power outages in our town? Could we have her or his number so as to remind her or him to do so? And could the person answering the emergency number be better briefed – so we don’t remain “in the dark!”

Museumnuus: Stories

Van die beste herinneringe uit my kinderjare, is van Jakomyn wat kom stryk, terwyl ek op die hoek van die stryktafel sit, afwagtend op nog ‘n storie uit die mond van ‘n baas storie-verteller. Ek onthou die reuk van die sissende primus, die warm strykysters, die reuk van die styselmengsel vir die tafeldoeke, maar die beste van als, die wonderlike stories…

Ons is besig om die kuns van storie-vertel, te verloor. Ons jaag werk toe. Ons jaag om met ons werk klaar te kry. Vanaand, tuis, uitgeput, jaag ons nog steeds! Stories en vertellings oor belangrike gebeure, ou rate, pittige sê-goed, en die speletjies wat kinders vyftig of honderd jaar gelede gespeel het, gaan verlore. Die rede? Ons is te besig om hierdie wonderlike inligting, ons erfenis, met ons kinders te deel.
Helena Marincowitz het jare gelede al die waarde van stories (mondelingse geskiedenis) besef toe sy navorsing moes doen om boeke soos Gamkaskloofstories en Kontreistories, te kan skryf. Sy is verlede jaar met ‘n baie spesiale toekenning: The Order of the Disa, vereer: “Her commitment to capturing the oral history of our nation reflected her conviction that history is not about the past, but is instead a window to the future for generations to come. Her oral historiography was premised on what has come to be known as public history of ordinary people that would otherwise be lost.”

Christine Thomas het na wonderlike, en soms baie hartseer stories geluister toe sy besig was om die geskiedenis van ons Kleurlinggemeenskap se verskuiwing na ‘n nuwe woonbeurt, op doek en papier vas te lê. Baba Lekay was bekend vir die stories wat sy met soveel deernis kon vertel terwyl sy met besoekers deur die dorp gestap het.

Ons museum bewaar nie net tasbare dinge soos antieke meubels, fyn dooprokkies en fotos uit vervloë dae nie. Die nie-tasbare dinge soos lewensverhale en historiese gebeurtenisse moet ook vir die nageslag bewaar word. Volkskultuur kan net bewaar word as ons die stories van geslag tot geslag oordra.

Oupas en Oumas: Het u ‘n storie om te vertel? Die museum soek stories. Stories is net so kosbaar soos die boek of bord wat u vir ons wil skenk. Ouers: Vertel vir julle spruite stories. Dit leer hulle om te luister en om trots te wees op hulle voorouers, hul taal en hul erfenis.

Museumgroete
Debbie Badenhorst

Some Enchanted Evening…

- Renee Finn -

…you may hear a recital by Chrisna Smit (Piano-forte) and Peter McEwan (Bass) at that charming venue, the Jans Rautenbach Schouwburg in de Beer Street. The enchantment was experienced by an audience of nearly 60 on 1 March.

Mellowed by a glass of wine and the glow of the setting sun, we entered the air-conditioned theatre to take our seats. On the stage, beneath a spotlight, a piano awaited the artistes. They entered, she in red and black, and he – a true Scot, wearing the kilt. A Scots evening, we wondered?

Peter welcomed the audience and revealed the programme: music from Handel, Mozart, Bach, Sibelius… opening with three arias from Messiah – and please, do not applaud until the singer takes his bow.

The evening flowed, music gently interspersed with gossip about each composer. Handel hobnobbed with snobs and Royalty; Mozart had to settle for second best in a marriage partner; Chopin’s lover, George Sands wandered about in her underwear when they lived on Majorca (heat levels on a par with Prince Albert!); Beethoven wrote music for his secret “Beloved” but never kept his dates with her.

Peter entranced us with Jean Sibelius’ “Be Still my Soul” and I especially enjoyed “In diese Heiligen Halle,” the High Priest’s aria from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. Peter sang with great dignity, reaching down into those deep bass notes.

Chrisna’s accompaniment is always in perfect unison with the performer, but when she comes into her own as the soloist, she is an artiste totally absorbed with the instrument and the music.

Her rendition of Beethoven’s Adagio from the Moonlight Sonata was beautifully “moody” and I didn’t want it to end. When it did there was a momentary hush before the applause. You were wonderful, Chrisna. Her Chopin Valse Op. 60 was scintillating and from where I sat I watched her hands fluttering and hovering over the keys like butterflies, teasing the notes from the instrument.

Peter offered a ‘mystery’ song – whoever knew the title would win a bottle of Bergwater wine. All were baffled, save Rosemary, his wife, who revealed that “A gift to last” came from a bygone TV series.

Peter ended the evening with a stirring rendition of Kipling’s “On the Road to Mandalay” and when an encore was demanded, sang that old favourite: “Without a Song” which really touched the heartstrings, for we all know that “there is no love at all, without a song.”

So ended our Enchanted Evening … we drifted home with our hearts and minds filled with music.

Net in Prince Albert

- Jeanetta de Lange -

Dis ‘n Koel Woensdag-oggend.

‘n Groepie genooides skaar om Daddie Bothma. Op die bank sit ‘n ry poppekinders, groot oog in afwagting...

Orde word geskep en dan word ‘n aller mooie poppebaba deur Babsie Mulder ingebring – die spierwit dooprokkie soos ‘n bruids-sluier.

‘n Paar gevleude woorde, sonder agterste-voor sin-snedes en dié poppekind word “gedoop” in die teenwordigheid van al die tannies.

Die ke’rant was amptelik genooi en die kliek en kliek. Mamma Daddie straal, die poppekind is guitig, lag vir almal en deel net soentjies uit.

Die amptelike doopfoto is die moeder, Daddie, “baba” en die pleegmoeder: Rina Gouws.
Na die naam-gee-seremonie is dit aansit by ‘n fyn teetafel – hoe dan anders?! Vars rose, geborduurde tafeldoek, en en en – waar wás julle tog?

En die dogtertjie se naam?... Dottie Bothma.

Net in Prince Albert kan só ‘n Kers-storie ‘n gelukkige einde hê.

Prince Albert: Unique Dorp or Blikkiesdorp?

- Derek Thomas -

The sudden appearance of a new form of structure and architectural aesthetic in an historic area of Prince Albert has raised some questions, and understandably, some hackles. The innovative building system used to construct a new dwelling in De Queekvalleij, next to buildings which have observed the traditional vernacular associated with the town, is an insensitive intervention. The neighbours would be justified in their objections to it. At worst, if this form of system–building is permitted to proliferate throughout the historic core of the town, the integrity of Prince Albert’s renowned heritage will be seriously impaired.

The De Queekvalleij developers were sensitive to the historic importance of the site and prepared guidelines for development on the Estate “which reaches back 230 odd years to the earliest origins of the village of Prince Albert. De Queekvalleij was the name of the original land grant by Cape Governor Ryk Tulbagh to ‘den landbouwer Zacharias de Beer’ in February 1762. He established a flourishing farm and within 100 years, a church had been built with a tiny town emerging at its feet.” Regrettably the visionary guidelines issued to the buyers of the plots on the Estate have been overlooked by the developers of the new building, but also by the municipal authority.
The design team responsible for this building method, and its inevitable dubious aesthetic, justify their decision to use this building system on economic, historic precedents (not in Prince Albert) and a ‘shortage of skilled artisans’. They forgot to mention expediency. They claim that “‘Karoo’ style is as much a state of mind as it is a style of building”. In support they cite “the rural nature of the property's surroundings and town of Prince Albert”, “the aesthetic properties of the material and being true to the material”, and “speed of construction”. It is doubtful whether any of the adjoining owners would find those supporting arguments actually lessen the visual intrusion into their neighbourhood.
The effect on the capital depreciation of adjoining properties, no matter where in the town they are situated, is a factor which, so far, no one has addressed. If the municipal authority, whose duty it is to protect the interests of all rate paying property owners in the town, wishes to avoid enraged property owners in the future, it is of prime importance that a proclaimed policy with guidelines is formulated without delay. My suggestion is that the authority could well adopt the following procedural and aesthetic guidelines as a matter of official policy:

All plans using these alternative building methods should require adjoining owner approval prior to being processed or passed by the Council. To achieve this it is proposed that the architect/designer be required to obtain the relevant signatures on the plans, from which the Council will be relieved of the onus of acting unilaterally in a potentially controversial situation. Adjoining owner endorsement should not supersede Council approval.
Certain sectors of the town are more important heritage areas than others. With the resources available to it (Pistorius Survey 1995), the Building and Heritage Committee is in a position to identify the heritage significance of the various areas.

In the design of the architecture, alternating the metal cladding with plastered walls could be used to aesthetic advantage. Opportunities such as the plastered brick external chimney, and stone plinths will help to reconcile the innovative construction with the traditional/conventional of neighbouring buildings. A minimum external area of say 25% in plaster on all elevations should be the rule of thumb applied for all system–built domestic structures. The cladding should have a painted finish in a colour in keeping with the immediate context.
Under no circumstances should system–built structures exceed one storey and the roof design should follow Victorian examples found in Prince Albert. Gables and parapets are just not acceptable using this form of construction.

[Derek Thomas is an architect resident in Prince Albert and has been involved with various initiatives to draw attention to the need for development guidelines and the heritage significance of the town’s unique architectural and cultural legacy.]

Prince Albert’s A – Z Directory launched

- Sally Arnold -

The Prince Albert business women’s forum has realised a long awaited business tool for the town's consumers and suppliers alike. With the first free edition (distributed in 500 free copies around the entire town) of the Prince Albert A – Z Directory of Services, a platform has been created where shop owners and service providers will now be able to place a boxed ad for R25.00, or remain listed with basic information. Modelled loosely on the free info leaflets available along the Garden route and in Oudtshoorn, this first for Prince Albert will offer you a handy overview on where to find a snake catcher, how to call the fire engine in case the snake has set fire to one of your trees, and which doctor or herbalist to call should the snake have harmed your personal health in any way!

Indeed, life in the Karoo presents us with the most unusual circumstances. Red Roman catchers and Tortoise Lifesavers are not yet listed. However, you will find more mundane, but highly useful, info such as babysitters’ telephone numbers, those of much in demand handymen and house painters, bakeries, lawyers and similar. New for some residents may be the fact that one can now engage a personal trainer, book ballroom dancing lessons, hire a rental car or take your loved ones for a photo shoot session with one of the town's experienced photographers. Though this first print run may not be fully comprehensive, it aims to give a broad outline of services offered and also includes a sneak preview of those hard to get numbers not even Telkom's directory has listed. The women’s business association welcomes all corrections, more useful info on new services offered and hopes the A - Z will go from strength to strength. The brochure encourages the spreading of business details reflecting the economic stability and growth of Prince Albert and will be funded by ad revenue and donations to the non-denominational, non-political business women’s association.

Life in Karoo Country

- Elizabeth Storey –

I have been snow-bound on a train in the Canadian Rockies, pea-soup’ fog-bound in London when one could not see the end of one’s nose, let alone follow it, and in one of the coldest instances of curtailment, ice-bound on a ferry in the middle of an Alaskan lake.

After years of working in cities, I was inured to taxi strikes, bus strikes, subway strikes, and great sections of thoroughfares being closed off due to the visit of a foreign dignitary or, over an even greater expanse, the U.S. President.

Travelling abroad, I have safely landed only to be stopped dead in my tracks by labour shut-downs, saint’s days, sporting contests, holiday closures and even a national day of mourning (I never found out who it was that had died and deserved the complete cessation of commerce).

On a small yacht, I have been port-bound by hurricanes and ominous tropical depressions. I have even been doldrums-bound in the South Atlantic Ocean where the wind simply ceases. Various other modes of transport have caused me to be: sand-dune-bound in Namibia when my budget rental car agency economized by not providing spare tyres; Boeing 747-bound when the exit door mechanisms refused all efforts of release by electrical impulse or human intervention; and just quietly locked in a loo when my train reached its final station (no one bothered with a head-count of passengers).

Something as ordinary as an elevator managed to entrap me, and three others, for 49 stories as we descended by gravity when the power failed. It took only four hours but seemed the entire night.

I thought all the stresses and vagaries of urban life to be behind me. In my new life as a farmer’s wife in the Great Karoo, I am assured of constant sunshine, winds below the minimum “Beaufort” category (the classification of ocean storms) and hardly a rumble on the “Richter Scale”. Snow is a picturesque oddity on the far mountains and ordinary precipitation is something that happens only on the near horizon. So much so that I have re-named our farm: “Why Is It Raining Over There And Not Here – Fontein.” Sheep have no proclivity to strike and all disputes are settled by simple head butting.

Imagine my incredulity at finding ourselves River-bound! I had finally adjusted to the use of this word in its figurative sense; a sandy, reed-filled and occasionally cattle-filled concavity in the landscape across which one drove with scarcely a memory, or in my case, the knowledge, of the hollow ever having been filled with Water!

But for a week it had rained and rained and rained. Not on our farm, of course, but ‘up-river’ and so that gentle sandy stretch was now an impassable torrent of debris-filled division. My husband was flooded-in and I, having spent the day in Prince Albert, was flooded-out!

Karoo charity knows few bounds. For three days whilst the river spent its fury, our neighbour stood at the ready, like Charon alongside the Styx. Rather than row the dead, he towed the living with his indefatigable John Deere tractor, back and forth until all had been either re-united or re-provisioned. No coin was ever asked or accepted.

In Karoo Country, farmers exchange rainfall statistics even before the most heartfelt salutations. I, too, am learning to scan the skies for moisture-laden clouds. But each day now as I trundle through the riverbed, returned to its normal desiccated state, I muse…”Be careful what you wish for!”

Schools Lead the Way to a Cleaner Town

- Imke Maeyer -

Wherever we turn these days, we are faced with crime, upheaval in politics, global warming and poverty. These are vast and varied topics, but somehow they are all linked and affect every living being on our planet.

One small way in which we can contribute towards a healthier environment is by getting rid of the vast amount of litter that lies around our town. And how do we do that? We need to pick it up. But where to from here? If we take all our litter to the dump it will get burned, NOT what our environment needs!

Two schools in our village, Hoërskool Zwartberg and Prince Albert Primêr, have decided to take action and help our town to start looking and feeling better. As a kick-off to the new recycling program that is in the process of negotiation with the Municipality, the schools are going to have a Litter Pick Up Day at the beginning of June 2008.

The aim is for the children (and any other interested parties) to pick up litter in designated areas of the town, take it to a central point and there divide the litter into recyclable and non-recyclable piles. The recyclable litter will then be taken to the Oudtshoorn recycling yard. It is astounding how much of our litter is recyclable or better still, reusable. The bags we will use to collect the litter are feed bags donated by farmers who might otherwise have had to burn them! (Yes, please, we need more bags.)

The school curriculum has changed tremendously and reusing and recycling is starting to be accepted by children all over the country. Our teachers are enthusiastic about this new curriculum and are getting involved with our project.

To help raise awareness, the Patchwork Theatre will be doing performances with a focus on litter, recycling and saving our planet in various venues around Prince Albert. They will target everybody, not only children (watch this space for details).

As everybody is well aware, all schools in South Africa struggle financially, and therefore our schools are going to use this opportunity to raise some funds. It will work on the same principles as a Big Walk (people sponsor every bag of litter collected). There will be prizes for the most successful, enthusiastic teams or individuals.

After the initial Pick Up Day, we hope to start a collection system where the children will bring recyclable litter from home (NOT the rubbish dump) to school. This will earn them points which they can then exchange for useful items such as school stationery.

Why is litter such a problem? It affects our planet and all of us in many ways. But, it is closest to home that it creates squalor; when we live surrounded by litter, how can we feel any pride or pleasure in our surroundings?

Children walk barefoot in our warm climate and constantly run the risk of being cut by glass. By clearing litter, there might follow a sense of pride and with that, an inspiration to do something with a recently-cleared space: raising funds for a playground, or planting a vegetable garden or tree. The possibilities are endless, and we can only hope that at least a fraction of our ideas become reality.

As well as clearing up the town and learning about recycling and not littering, the aim is to have a fun day out! More details will follow in the next edition of the Prince Albert Friend.

Anybody that is interested in assisting in a hands-on fashion or financially (e.g. sponsorships) should contact:
Imke Maeyer on 023 5411184.

Ons ryers ‘tem’ die ‘Argus’

- Denise Ohlson -

Sewe fietsryers van Prince Albert het aan die baie suksesvolle 31ste Argus Fietstoer in Kaapstad gaan deelneem. Volgens klas het hulle op verskillende tye weggespring by die Parade in die Moederstad. Van daar het hulle dapper tot by Vishoek getrap en tot by Chapman’s Peak gevorder… Nog dapperder het hulle Suikerbossie ook oorwin, en na die laaste steilte by Kampsbaai het hulle die persoonlike oorwinning gesmaak om die mylpaal by Groenpunt te bereik – na 109 km in die saal.

Lulu Jooste het haarself weer as ‘n voortrapper bewys deur eerste in die groep te wees met ‘n tyd van 3uur 11 minute. Onder die vrouejaers in die resies was sy 5de junior dame. Sy het hard probeer om ‘n “sub drie” te ry, maar het net-net nie geslaag nie.

Tweede in die Prince Albert-groep was haar pa Chris met ‘n tyd van 3uur en 19 minute.

Vervolgens was dit Johan Fourie 3:40, Dawid Rossouw 5:00, Jamie Botha 6:26, Tanya Odendaal 6:47 en onse Bokkie Botha het met sy 6:56 die afsnytyd van sewe uur met vier minute getroef!

Hou maar gerus vir Lulu dop – sy word dalk nog die jongste vrou om hierdie wedren te wen.

Hoërskool Zwartberg Atletiek

- Diana Koorts -

Ons het weer eens ‘n baie warm en opwindende atletiekseisoen agter die rug. Die 26 Januarie het die Super Reds en die Goue Army mekaar die stryd aangesê op ’n snikhete warm dag! Almal het in ’n pragtige gees deelgeneem en tot aan die einde was dit onseker oor wie met die oorwinningsbeker huis toe sal gaan. Merweville het ook pragtig presteer en so ook 15 van Prins Albert Primêr se 0/14’s en 0/15’s. Die rooispan se gees was ontembaar – en dus is die geesdrifbeker aan hulle toegeken. Die goudspan het die meeste punte aangeteken en was dan ook die wenspan van die dag. Die uitblinkeratlete van die dag was soos volg:

Junior Victrix Ludorum: Rochelle Adolf
Senior Victrix Ludorum: Leoni Lodewyk
Junior Victor Ludorum: Oscar Maeyer
Senior Victor Ludorum:
Marquin Fredericks
Beste Enkelprestasie Junior Dogter: Rochelle Adolf
Beste Enkelprestasie Senior Dogter: Leoni Lodewyk
Beste Enkelprestasie Junior Seun: Oscar Maeyer
Beste Enkelprestasie Senior Seun: Elrico Jacobs

Op 2 Februarie het 41 van ons atlete ook aan die SOK byeenkoms op Joubertina gaan deelneem en werklik pragtig presteer. Daar het ons 16 eerste, 13 tweede en 17 derde plekke behaal. Die 0/11 seuns het besonder goed presteer en baie eerste en tweede plekke behaal en hul aflos met byna ’n volle oorgee gewen! (Hulle was Nelius Koorts, Ryan Ferreira, Oscar Maeyer en Izak Vorster.) Baie dankie aan mnr. Riaan Coetzee wat 3 leerders geborg het vir SOK – anders sou dit nie vir hulle moontlik wees om daar te kon deelneem nie!

Daarna het ’n hele aantal atlete aan verskeie byeenkomste op Oudtshoorn deelgeneem en goed presteer. Die kompetisie daar is geweldig sterk – veral die laerskoolbyeenkomste, want ons ding mee teen baie groot skole! Baie dankie ook aan ’n anonieme skenker wat ’n finanasiële bydrae gelewer het– dis wonderlik dat die publiek ons so ondersteun om ons kinders van die nodige te voorsien! Op ’n leë maag kan niemand presteer nie!!

Ons skool is met reg trots op Oscar Maeyer wat ingesluit is in die SWD span vir gewigstoot – seuns 0/11. Baie geluk – al die harde oefening in die hitte het goeie vrugte afgwerp!!

Zwartberg Runners’ Fun Run

- Linda Jaquet -

The Zwartberg Runners certainly know how to organise and have fun at the same time – they hosted another successful and very exuberant Fun Run on Thursday evening, 13 March. Thirty-eight teams representing a wide cross section of the community took part in the relay race, where each member of the team had to run or walk one kilometre along a closed-off section of Church Street.

Many teams got into the spirit of things and came in fancy dress, while others took the event far more seriously. In fact, the winning two-man team, Petrus Bostander and Marius Williams, whizzed home in no time at all and hardly seemed out of breath! They were closely followed by the four-member “Untouchables” Soccer team and the “Dangerous Municipal Force” – no prizes for guessing where they work! The first children’s team across the finish was “Grade 9”, with the “Pirates” as runners-up.

Apart from awards for athletic prowess, prizes for creativity and originality also went to the “Cowgirls”, “The Survivors”, the “Nuns”, “Top Secret”, the “Gypsies” and the “Hoolas” for their fancy dress outfits.

Well done, too, to the teams from Huis Kweekvallei, who participated in wheelchairs and on foot and to their companions of the Thursday Group, whose enthusiasm was catching! They certainly did things in style, sipping port and cheering others on when they had completed their race.

The Fun Run was a fundraiser for the official Zwartberg Runners’ Half Marathon to be held in May. The club has to raise R11 000.00 as hosts of the race. The relay raised R1 260.00, while a raffle of a lamb donated by the PHL Trust of Victoria West, brought in a further R2 070.00. The winner of the raffle, drawn after the race, was Kay Howes.

The Run organisers were overwhelmed at the community’s enthusiasm and encouragement. They thanked all those who donated prizes and sponsored teams and had particular praise for the SAPS. “The Police were wonderful; we could not have done it without them,” said Janet Modra, one of the moving forces in the Zwartberg Runners.

What’s next on the club’s schedule? Seven members are tackling the Two Oceans Ultra and Half Marathons over the Easter weekend. Terry Barnato told the Friend that the club is already full steam ahead in its preparations for a fun run and a race for more serious runners during next month’s Prince Albert Town and Olive Festival.

“The real biggie for us,” she said, “is organising our first official half marathon in May in accordance with the strict requirements of Athletics South Western Districts (ASWD). But, with a dynamic organising committee and the town’s support we are sure we can pull it off and show just what Prince Alberters can do.”