Jack Parrow, Katie, Mmê Emily and The Help

In a recent post about Afrikaans rap and Hip-Hop music I mentioned how I'm not a big fan of the Afrikaans rapper Jack Parrow. But let me not be a spoil sport for others that enjoy him. Someone just now showed me the video below of a help (maid) in South Afrika, most likely working for a white family, and listening to the Afrikaans rapper on television. Watching her do her work with that amount of enjoyment she derives from Afrikaans rap will bring a smile to anyone's face and is possibly the best marketing for popular alternative Afrikaans music I can imagine.



It also made me think of Koos Kombuis' Afrikaans song "Katie", in memory of the maid that worked for his family and helped raise him. In the lyrics of the song he proclaims that their maid "was not merely a maid / but also a mother" [my translation] to him. In the video below Christo Wolfaardt does a rendition of the song "Katie".



This song by Kombuis is one of his most famous, probably because it resonates with so many white South Africans that grew up with an "Ousie" (Afrikaans word derived from "ou suster", meaning older sister, and used to describe a maid or house help). For many white South Africans of around my generation "the maid" was more than just another worker; for many of us, our Ousie was a second mother.

Me and my "mother" Emily.

Mine, was definitely a second mother. She worked for our family for 27 years. Her name is Emily but I often called her "Mmê Emily". Mmê is Sesotho for mother. She is actually ethnically Zulu, but the area we lived in was predominately Sotho, so she spoke Sesotho to me. The name I use and which all my family and friends use is a Sesotho name and was actually given to me by Mmê Emily.

She is retired now and currently lives in the Sebokeng-area, Vaal Triangle. The last time I visited her was in 2008. I hope to go visit her again next month, God-willing, when I visit South Africa.

Recently I watched the film The Help (2011), based on the 2009 début novel by Kathryn Stockett. The Internet Movie Database gives the following synopsis: "An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960's decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis," and gives it a rating of 8 out of 10. The American Film Institute listed the film as one of the ten films of the year. For people like myself, coming from a white family, who grew up with a nanny who is a person-of-colour, the film was particularly touching. Although the set-up in America and in South Africa worked differently, the similarities are enough for South Africans to also appreciate The Help, and appreciate our helps, as I appreciate my Mmê Emily.

(Suid-) Afrikaanse Rap

Ek kan nie sê dat ek noodwendig 'n aanhanger is van rap is nie. Wat ek bedoel is, ek is nie 'n super fan nie, is nie ophoogte met al die nuutste albums nie, en hou nie trek met al die nuwe kunstenaars nie. Terselfde tyd kan ek ook nie sê dat ek geensins na rap luister nie. Ek was ook opgesweep met Eminem en terwyl ek nie tans juis na hom luister nie, het ek waardering vir sy sosiale kommentaar. Ek luister ook graag na K'naan -- was bewus van hom sedert sy album "Dusty Foot Philosopher", voordat hy 'n fenomeen geraak het tydens die sokker wêreldspele met sy "White Flag"-enkel. Dan is daar Kanye West. Ek het twee van sy albums, die nuutste een waaroor ek nie huistoe sal skryf nie, maar ook die vorige een 808's & Heartbreak, wat ek beweer 'n baanbrekersalbum in die Hip Hop-industrie is.

Wat Suid-Afrikaanse rap betref, Die Brasse vannie Kaap het my regtig opgewonde gehad en ek mis hulle nogals. Hulle het inderdaad 'n verskil onder die Kleurlinggemeenskap gemaak en was sonder twyfel baanbrekers in Afrikaanse kontemporêre musiek-industrie.

Na Die Brasse het ek eintlik min Afrikaanse rap gehoor. Ek het bewus geraak van Jack Parrow en Die Antwoord (soos almal maar), maar nie juis met enige intensie om hulle musiek op my speellys te hê nie.

Onlangs het ek bewus geraak van nog 'n Afrikaanse rap-groep, Bittereinders. Wat 'n bevange naam! Hierdie is wel 'n groep waarvan ek meer wil hoor en beplan om hulle album te koop wanneer ek volgende maand Suid-Afrika toe gaan.





As jy op YouTube soek na Afrikaanse rap kry jy 'n klompie videos van skoolkinders waarvan hulle eerste taal nie Afrikaans is nie, maar wat vir 'n projek hulle gunsteling rap songs in Afrikaans moes vertaal en voordra. 'n Vyfhand vir die onderwyser! Dit maak my uitsien na al die Afrikaanse musiek wat nog voorlê!

11.11.11

November 11 (11.11) is Pepero Day in South Korea. A Pepero 빼빼로 is a "cookie [stick] dipped in chocolate", a favourite snack in South Korea and Japan, where it is known as Pocky. Pepero Day is somewhat similar to Valentine's Day, but instead of chocolates, roses or other typical Valentine's Day gifts, the gift of choice is Peperos.

This year, however, November 11th is extra special in Korea as children born will have identity numbers that start with "111111". To ensure that their children have a sestet of ones in their identity numbers many pregnant mothers have gone out of their way to get c-section surgeries scheduled for today. According to Reuters, c-sections scheduled for 11 November 2011 is up by 20% from usual. (I'm obliged to a South African friend for sending me the link to the news article.)

Speaking of South Africa, annually on the weekend closest to 11 November, South Africa celebrates Poppy Day. It is in remembrance of those that died and fought in battle during World War I, World War II and other wars. World War I ended at the eleventh hour on 11 November 1918 when Germany signed the armistice. In South Africa it is known as Poppy Day because poppy flowers are traditionally sold as part of fundraising initiatives by the South African Legion to help veterans of war. The poppy was chosen because it grew on the battlefields of Flanders (Western Front), where many soldiers died. A poem written by Colonel John McCrae (a Canadian medic) brought wider attention to the poppie connection.

In Flanders Fields -- John McCrae

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place;wait and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead, short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields!

The red poppie became the symbolic flower of remembrance.

In South Africa Poppy Day remembrance ceremonies are held on the Saturday nearest 11 November and some services are also held on the adjacent Sunday. It is not a national holiday, so I'm not sure how many people actually observe it, but it's function is similar to Remembrance Day or Armistice Day celebrated by countries of the Common Wealth and Veterans Day in the United States which is also celebrated on November 11th. South African's typically use Poppy Day to remember South African soldiers who died in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Border War, as well as surviving veterans of war. Ceremonies are typically held in Cape Town and Pretoria.

November 11 is also Nigel Tufnel Day kept by the cult following of the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. This day was chosen because of the recurrence of the number 11, which became a significant number in the movie, based on one particularly scene in which the character Nigel Tufnel explains how they can turn the volume of their amplifiers "up to eleven", making them "one louder" that other bands that can only go up to ten. The quote "up to eleven" has become pop-culture idiom, suggesting that something is done better, beyond it's expected limitations. I'm not sure exactly how one celebrates Nigel Tufnel Day; I guess you make sure to do something "up to eleven."

Also from popular culture and linked with 11 November 2011 is the movie that is supposed to have been released today, 11-11-11. While it may have gone on circuit in other parts of the world, I didn't see it showing in Korea (I went to the movies today). Then again, I'm not particularly interested as I avoid horror movies; this film was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of SAW II, III and IV, none of which I've seen. On the other hand, I do like science-fiction films and this is a sci-fi horror. I'll wait a bit and first see how it rates on RottenTomatoes before I make my decision.

On a more philosophical note, 11 November is the anniversary of the death of the Christian philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, the father of Existentialism. Existentialist thought was most notably expounded upon by later philosophers like Friedrich Nietzche, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre, but it was Kierkegaard that first focussed on the human dilemma of freedom of choice and the existential angst this causes. He wrote about it in his book The Concept of Anxiety. One example in which he explains this angst requires us to imagine a man standing on the edge of a very tall building and looking down. The man experience two kinds of fear: "the fear of falling, and fear brought on by the impulse to throw himself off the edge. This second type of fear, or anxiety, arises from the realization that he has absolute freedom to choose whether to jump or not, and this fear is as dizzying as his vertigo" (The Philosophy Book, p. 195). In short, Kierkegaard argued that apart from the freedom to be born, God endowed us with free choice. Because making life-altering decisions always cause much angst in me, I'm quite attracted to the Existentialists. Kierkegaard died at the young age of 42 on 11 November 1855.

11 November 2011 is also a day on which New Agers celebrate "Interconnectedness Day", with heavy focus on the Green Agenda. Previous such Interconnectedness Days were celebrated on 10 October 2010 and 9 September 2009. I guess next year on 12 December 2012 will be the last year Interconnectedness Day will be celebrated in a very very long time.

On a personal note, my first best friend, Matthys du Preez, and I used to celebrate 11 November as our friendship day. I can't remember exactly what the reason was that we chose this day as our friendship day, but we celebrated it as a birthday. Matthys was literally my first friend. I cannot recall any friend before him. Our parents were friends and because we were of the same age we naturally became friends. We also went to the same elementary school (a "plaasskool") together. We grew up on farms in the same farming community and there was only one elementary school where all the children in the community went -- a little school with hardly 300 pupils. We were so close in personality that many people mistook us as twins, to our delight -- I guess the fact that we often dressed alike contributed to it. We often finished each other's sentences and my mother told me that we seemed to communicate telepathically as we would sometimes just look at each other and seem to know what the other was thinking. Unfortunately my first best friend moved away when we were about 11 years old and due to the distance our friendship waned until we completely lost contact. In recent years I've started to increasingly think about my old friend. I was able to look him up and sent him an email with the hopes of meeting with him at the beginning of this year while I was in South Africa, but he didn't respond to my email. I guess he's not as sentimental as I am about those early years. In our late teens, early twenties, we both lost our mothers to illness. I think we could have been a great comfort to each other had we stayed in contact. I sometimes wish I could have been there for him during that time of loss and during other trials he may have experienced as a child. I have fond memories of our friendship and I remember quite distinctly the good and caring friend he was. I am very blessed with some great friends in my life. I have, in part, Matthys to thank for that. Because my first friendship had been such a very close one, that has become my expectation of a real friendship. Matthys' care and loyalty as a young boyhood friend inspired me to become the same type of friend later in my life.

Happy 11 November, for whatever reason you decide to celebrate it.

My kar is gevind!

Wie sou dit nou kon raai?

Ek het verlede week gerapporteer oor my kar in Suid-Afrika wat gesteel is. In die skrywe het ek genoem dat "if it is found I doubt will be worth more than its value in scrap, for the robbers will strip it down to its frame." Ek was verkeerd. Die kar is vandag gevind en die skelms het sowaar waarde toegevoeg tot my motor!

Hier is die kort e-posboodskap wat ek van my broer se lewensmaat ontvang het. (Haar seun is 'n polisieman.)

Ek hoop ek bring baie goeie nuus. My seun het vandag in Orange Farms gewerk en soos hul ry, sien hy 'n blou golf van voor af aankom en besluit om hom af te trek en doen die nodige ''chassis'' en enjin nr toetse oor polisie radio. Daarna bel hy my en vra vir kenmerke en ek noem 'n hele spul goed en hy antw...mamma ek't die golfie gekry. Hy't 2 gearresteer. [Jou broer] gaan mre oggend voertuigtak toe in Vereeniging. Die kar is oorgespray, volgens [my seun] lyk die kar mooi en daar is 2 nuwe mags agter op, maar daars nou 'n ander injin in, 'n passat enjin. So ja, sal jou weer na more op hoogte hou. Prys ons Hemelse Pappa...dankie Jesus.

Hoop my boodskap bring 'n glimlag op jou gesig.

Ek was in die versoeking gebring om te dink dat die rede hoekom ek my rugsak, wat nou die dag verlore geraak het, weer kon opsoor te make het met die veilige hawe wat Suid-Korea is; en dat ek nooit weer my kar sou sien nie omdat Suid-Afrika so 'n kriminele plek is. Die onwaarskynlikheid om my kar weer terug te kry is 'n wonderwerk en dit herinner my dat my rugsak, met al die waardevolle items wat daarin was, wat ek terug gekry het ook 'n wonderwerk is en nie eenvoudig met Suid-Korea se veiligheid te make het nie. Ek het allermins gebid! Alhoewel ek al baie dinge hier verloor het en weer terug gekry het, het ek ook al duur dinge hier verloor en nooit weer terug gekry nie.

Where's Mandela? And What's Up With Prince Charles?

Associated Press -- Source

When was the last time former president Nelson Mandela was seen or heard from? In what condition is he? Is he even still alive? Let me know, I'm really curious and concerned.

A few days ago Brittain's royal couple, Prince Charles and Lady Camilla arrived in South Africa. They are on a five day visit in South Africa. Yesterday they met with Mandela's wife Graca Machel but not with Madiba. I find it curious. Yes, former president Mandela is sickly and weak, but ever the more reason for Prince Charles to at least drop in and give his old peer a nod, for surely he is unlikely to see Mandela again. Unless, of course, the reason he is not visiting with Mandela is not because Mandela "is not receiving visitors," but because he cannot receive anybody since he had passed away. Yeah, all conspiracy theory stuff, but there would be good reason for the powers that be to keep news of his passing hushed for the time being. In politics timing is everything!

Regarding the royal visit: The comments I read under some [1, 2] news reports of Charles and Camilla's visit was most unfavourable. One person said that they are "as exciting as a bar of soap", another wrote "who cares?!", another suggested to get "eggs and naartjies ready" presumably to throw them with, and yet another suggested that they "go back to their island." Gathering from these and other even less flattering comments, it would seem that the average South African is not too keen on the English royals.

The prince is spending much of his time in South Africa talking about climate change (his favourite topic) and economic ties between South Africa and Britain. On Sunday he will depart for Tanzania, which is another African country like South Africa with very strong trading ties to China and lots of local Chinese investment. Maybe his visit to South Africa had more to do with concerns about China's foothold in Africa, than anything else. As I wrote last month, the ties between South Africa and China is much more sinister that we are led to believe.

Car Got Stolen

Isn't it ironic how my previous (Afrikaans) post was about how much I miss the farm ("Die plaas"); i.e., how I miss South Africa, and then I get the news from my brother that my car in South Africa got stolen yesterday. Now foil this against the post I wrote on Monday ("Lost & Found") about losing my backpack with all its valuables inside here in Korea, but getting it all back intact--not a dime missing. While the possibility of getting things back in Korea is quite high, the possibility for the same thing happening in South Africa is pretty darn small. I have little hope that my car will be found and if it is found I doubt will be worth more than its value in scrap, for the robbers will strip it down to its frame.

Admittedly, it is not a terrible loss for me personally. Since I live in Korea and only visit South Africa for a couple of weeks per year it is not as if I'm using the car regularly. Okay, so it wasn't an expensive car. As a rather old Volkswagen Golf, it is considered an entry level car and is probably worth less than R10 000, based on today's exchange rate that is less than US$1300. 

During my 2009 visit in South Africa I lost a tyre after
I hit a pothole. It was a lovely day to change a tyre,
and I didn't even get robbed, raped or hijacked.
One has to count one's blessings! 

Nonetheless, it is still a loss. It is something that belonged to me and that was taken away from me. Furthermore, I lend my car, which is pretty light on fuel consumption, to my brother whom is going through some financial difficulty. So not only was I stolen from, those I care for are inconvenienced by this crime. 

Now here is the truly disturbing thing. I am thankful that my brother was not in the car when it was stolen, because hijackings in South Africa often lead to the murder of the victim. I am thankful that my family was not harmed and weighed against their lives, I'd gladly give up a car. What is sad about it, is that South Africa is such a criminally violent place that when your car gets stolen without someone being injured or killed in the process, you consider it a blessing. "Hey, my car got stolen. Nobody's dead. What a blessing!" Sadly this is not a joke. I spoke to a South African friend a week ago, who told me of a friend of his who was stabbed to death a few days earlier. The robbers took his cellphone. In South Africa a life is worth a cellphone! For South Africans such crimes are so common that we forget that it is actually abnormal. We live there without thinking it strange. Here in Korea I enter my apartment and immediately lock the door behind me. The force of habit. Most Koreans don't bother. In Korea I'm the strange one for being so over vigilant. In the martial art class when I teach self-defence they think my techniques are overly excessive and I guess in a country like Korea it probably is. 

Die plaas

Pierneef, "Plaas naby Derdepoort"
Beeldbron: Litnet

Ek wou 'n skrywe geskryf het oor my verlange na die plaas vandag, maar toe onthou ek dat ek reeds so 'n skrywe gemaak het sowat twee jaar gelede. As ek vandag die skrywe sou skryf, sou dit basies 'n woordelikse herhaling gewees het van wat ek toe geskryf het: Ek verlang na die plaas. Die plaas bestaan nie meer nie. Daar is dus geen lafenis aan my verlange nie.

In die verlede, nadat ons plaas onteien is, het ek darem weekliks 'n draai by een van my vriende wat ook toe nog op plase gebly het, gaan inloer. Op 'n Vrydagmiddag het ek saam met Howard die beeste gaan haal en kraal toe gejaag of oor 'n naweek het ek by Jaco gaan kuier en ook so tussen bees of skaap gaan stap. Vandag bly albei van hulle in dorpshuise.

My broer bly op 'n plot. 'n Plot is seker beter as 'n dorpshuis omdat daar darem diere op die plot is: perde, hoenders, honde. Maar 'n plot is nie 'n plaas nie en ek verlang na die plaas. Groot oop stroke veld. Doringbome. Reuse bloekoms. Klipperste klip. Rooi grond. Suid-Afrikaanse blou hemele. Kiewiete wat raas as jy verby stap.

Ek sit in my kantoor in Korea en merk vraestelle. 'n Kantoor is beslis nie 'n plaas nie. En Korea se plase is nie soos Suid-Afrika se plase nie.

Gee Engels Oorsee

Baie Suid-Afrikaners gee Engels in Korea. Dis ook hoe ek die eerste keer in Korea beland het. Korea is nie die enigste land waar Suid-Afrikaners Engels kan gee nie, soos hierdie onlangse skrywe in Beeld wys. Mense met gepaste grade kan byvoorbeeld in Georgië gaan Engels skoolgee. Die geld is bitter min, slegs R2000 per maand, maar verblyf en etes is gedek, wat beteken dat jy byna geen uitgawes het nie. Natuurlik gaan jy nie juis geld maak nie en is 'n plek soos Georgië eerder gepas vir mense wat bloot nuwe ervaringe wil beleef.

Many other places, particularly in the Orient are also open to South Africans to teach English. Japan is a great destination with a relatively high salary; unfortunately, Japan is a very expensive place and saving money there is more difficult. Some South Africans I know also teach in Taiwan. Teaching in Hong Kong in the public school system is a good option, but I'm biased towards Hong Kong, although I personally would not want to teach children. I know of people teaching in Saudi Arabia and surprisingly even educators (i.e. people with degree's in Education) that are welcomed into England, Canada, New Zeland and Australia.

Hoe het dit gebeur?! Ek het glad nie besef dat ek vanaf Afrikaans oorgespring het Engels toe in die vorige paragraaf nie. Hierdie is definitief 'n gevaar wat jy in gedagte moet hou wanneer jy besluit om oorsee te gaan Engels gee: dit kom ten nadeel van die ander tale wat jy magtig is. Ek funksioneer byna uitsluitelik in Engels en vind dat my vlotheid in Afrikaans baie aangetas is.

Wanneer jy besluit om oorsee Engels te gee, stel ek voor dat jy twee dinge moet bedink. Wil jy geld maak of wil jy nuwe lewenservaringe hê en jouself in die gasheerland se kultuur verdiep? Die twee is nie noodwendig in tweestryd nie, maar die kanse is goed dat jy in plekke soos Korea of Japan by harder en langer ure gaan werk (alhoewel jy meer geld verdien), maar gevolglik minder tyd gaan hê om te verdiep in die plaaslike gemeenskap. Daarinteen, opsie wat minder geld bied, bied baie keer meer interaksie met die plaaslike gemeenskap. Neem byvoorbeeld die Beeld berig hierbo. Slegs R2000 per maand, maar jou etes is in die huise en aan die tafels van die plaaslike mense.

Watse kwalifikasies het 'n mens nodig om oorsee Engels te gaan gee? Gewoonlik moet jy 'n vier-jaargraad hê. Daarby saam is dit verkieslik dat indien jou graad nie in 'n gepaste veld soos Engelse taal- en letterkunde of Onderwyskunde is nie, dat jy 'n sertifikaat in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) beskik. Nie alle lande vereis so 'n sertifikaat nie, maar dit sal jou aansienlik meer bemagtig en meer deure oopmaak indien jy wel oor so 'n sertifikaat beskik. Twee ander kwaliteite wat jy benodig is geduld en aanpasbaarheid. Ek het gevind dat Suid-Afrikaners inderdaad oor die algemeen oor meer geduld en aanpasbaarheid beskik as baie mense uit ander lande. Ek vermoed dat Suid-Afrika se multi-kulturele atmosfeer nogals daarmee help.

Former Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama / South Africa and China

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama
Image Source

In the past I supported calls for South Africa supplying the Dalai Lama with a visa to visit South Africa. See here. My main motivation was the importance of freedom of religion and freedom of expression. The recent controversy leaves me slightly less sympathetic. The Dalai Lama was invited by former Archbishop Desmond Tutu to attend his 80th birthday celebrations. Tutu was born on 7 October 1931. My question must be, what was Archbishop Tutu thinking? He must have known that South Africa will again deny the Dalai Lama his visa, because of South Africa's strong ties with China. His invitation only brought humiliation on the Dalai Lama and put South Africa in a negative light. Or was that the purpose? The Dalai Lama gains much international sympathy from such China-related dismissals.

What I've mentioned thus far has probably been said by many other news analysts. So here are my two cents:

First, South Africa ought to give a clearer message as to why they are against the Dalai Lama's visit. At present we only look like a puppet of China, which, as the economic leader in Africa, we definitely do not want to come across as. Of course our camaraderie with China cannot be denied, but the government's media spin doctors can definitely come up with a better story. For instance, Tibetan Buddhism is surprisingly quite patriarchal and even misogynistic. Modern orthodox Tibetan Buddhism preaches that it is practically impossible for a woman to attain enlightenment. In future reincarnations they first need to be born as a male. Then there are the use of female sex “volunteers” by the highest level Lamas as part of their tantric practices. For more on this, read June Campbell's personal account as a Tibetan Buddhist insider. You can read an interview with Campbell here. If South Africa were to motivate its decision to deny a visa for the Dalai Lama on more grounds than just its ties with China, for example Tibet's religious subjugation of women, it would get much less backlash from the many South Africans who are looking favourably on the friendly Dalai Lama.

Second, it is not covered in the mass media, but on more than one account have I heard of military bases (at least two that I know of) manned by Chinese soldiers in South Africa. What is the purpose of two Chinese military camps on South African soil? One estimate that I recently heard of counts the number of Chinese soldiers in the thousands. Now this is something we South Africans ought to find much more disconcerting than South Africa's denial of the Dalai Lama's visa. Is South Africa in some greater Chinese grip, something much worse than mere economic relations, than most of us are aware of? This is the real story that needs to get media attention.

Things like Information Security Bill gets a much more sinister tone if scene with the aforementioned as a backdrop.

Zahara's "Loliwe"

South African Xhoza singer Zahara performs her title song "Loliwe", from her recent album in the video below. The song is causing a lot of buzz in South Africa. In part because of its beautiful melody and Zahara's rich vocal quality. However, it is not only the aesthetics of the song that is causing the talk -- it is the confusing lyrics. The narrator in the song tells her audience to wipe the tears from their faces because the train is coming, the train is coming, "loliwe", but then the lyrics make a strange turn in the bridge, saying that heaven is only filled with Christians, so if you want to go to heaven you should pray.



Since the album is not a gospel album, it would seem that the lyrics are somewhat insensitive, even, hyper liberals can argue, politically incorrect as it clearly suggests that there is no salvation for anybody of a different faith. The lyrics are further confusing as the connection with the coming train and heaven is never made clear. Is the train a reference to the Second Advent in which the living in Christ and those that died in Christ are spirited away into heaven -- transited to heaven in a metaphorical train, like Elijah in a flaming chariot (II Kings 2:11)? The coming train is obviously meant to be good news, for it is the reason why they should wipe away their tears and stop crying. But why are they crying in the first place? Are they the one's that should pray? Are they crying because they are not going to heaven? If so, why should the announcement of the coming train be of comfort to them?

Any Xhoza readers or other South Africans of this blog that can help to decipher the song?


Update:

I just saw in the comments under another "Loliwe" related YouTube video one YouTube viewer translate the section in question as: "in heaven only the holy ones stay there so if you also want to stay [then you should] pray". Since it is a native speaker's translation, I assume it is much closer than my assumption that it was only Christians staying in heaven. But myself and others are still confused about the connections between the crying people, the coming train, and heaven.

Ek kort kuns -- ek kort 'n Aardklop

'n Portret deur Marie Stander
vir haar Aardklopuitstalling:
"Antjie is wat die kinders my noem."

Binnekort is dit weer sulke tyd -- Aardklop-tyd. En as daar nou 'n tyd is van die jaar wat ek Suid-Afrika mis is dit hierdie tyd van die jaar.

Hoe graag sou ek nie na Amanda Strydom wou gaan luister het! In my opinie is Strydom Suid-Afrika se nommer een verhoogdiva. Haar vertoning "Binnekamer" is in same werking met Deon Opperman, vir wie ek baie respek het sover dit sy bydrae tot die vermaaklikheidswêreld in Suid-Afrika betref.

Of Rocco de Villiers en Annake de Villiers se "Beeld Skoon / But Beautiful" beloof om 'n musikale rit te wees soos min. Albei is uitmuntende musiekante. Ek onthou die eerste keer wat ek Rocco lewendig beleef het; ek het onmiddelik die CD gaan koop.

As ek myself moes dwing tot slegs twee shows sal dit eerstens Nataniël insluit. Sy vertonings dryf jou tot trane. Soms huil jy van die lag. Ander kere huil jy net vir die elende van mens wees. Nooit verlaat jy 'n vertoning sonder dat jy oor diep dinge gedink het nie. Verskeie gaskunstenaars deel die verhoog in "Weeksaand: Las Vegas". Die ander show wat ek bitter graag sou wou sien is "Projek: Nuwe Maan" met Laurinda Hofmeyer, Riku Latti en Les Javan. Iemand wat lief is vir woorde, vernaam Afrikaanse woorde kan nie verkeerdgaan met die vertoning nie. Aai . . .

Lucas Maree se "Ek sal kan doen met 'n miljoen" gesing in Frans

Hoe kan 'n kabaretliefhebber soos ek Myra Maud se Afri-Franse vertoning "Viva La France" misloop? (Sien en hoor 'n voorsmakie hier.)

Dan praat ek nie eens van die visuele kunste nie! Dink byvoorbeeld aand die poësie in beeld vertoning deur Kai Loss Gott, of die feeskunstenaar uitstalling van Sam Nhlengethwa, of die Leonard Cohen-tribuut, of . . . so kan ek aan hou.

Ag tog! Ek mis die kunste. Hier in Korea kry ek blootstelling aan baie wêreldklaskuns, maar tydens Suid-Afrika se kunstefeeste, soos Aardklop, is dit net soveel meer gekonsentreer. So in jou gesig. Dis wanneer ek aan die kunste en kunstefeeste dink dat ek voel dat my huidige job is nog nie presies waar ek in my lewe wil wees nie. Ek's geluk in my werk -- het net vandag weer dit vir myself hardop gesê -- maar ek kort nog meer kuns in my lewe. Ek kort 'n Aardklop!

Just Some F-ing Thoughts on Hate-Speech and Other Words

I've always been a little on the edge regarding this whole hate-speech thing. I'm speaking specifically about Julius Malema's rally songs in which he sang “kill the boer” / “dubhula ibhunu”. Yes, it makes me uncomfortable, but I am a supporter of freedom of speech and expression. Drawing the line between what is allowed and what is not, is a very delicate matter. I have to agree with Chris Chameleon who recently tweeted (@chrischameleon) that he has always been more offended by the “kill” in the slogan, than by the derogatory term for “boer.” Being called names, even derogatory names, is just an oppinion. But this is not what the slogan “kill the boer” is all about. The slogan, if taken as it is, is a call to action—a call to murder. So as I understand it, that is what Judge Collin Lamont basically said in his recent High Court ruling: Julius Malema's singing “kill the boer” amounts to hate-speech.

A few months ago I posted a song by Miriam Makaba, “Kwawuleza”. It is a song in which a child warns his mother that the police are coming. During the apartheid regime a slang word for a policeman developed: “boer”. The word for white farmer became synonymous with white policeman. So the phrase “kill the boer” could be interpreted to mean “kill the policeman”; the basic suggestion is to overthrow those in power. With Malema's rhetoric that white people are still, even now, yet in power, it continues to be a troubling thing to say.

But back to Makaba's song “Kwawuleza”. The hypersensitive and ridiculously politically correct may claim this song to be inappropriate. What about that beautiful poem by Ingrid Jonker, speaking of a “kafferboom”? When will I be indicted for inappropriate speech—possibly hate-speech—for using a word like “kaffer” in a poem? I haven't yet used this word in a poem, but since it is such an emotionally charged word it is obviously a word any poet would take note of. Is Jonker's poem on some blacklist as something that is potentially inappropriate?

Yes, words and their associations are terrible, and insults like “kaffer” and “nigger” and “white pig” and “coolie” and “chink” and the list goes on, are definitely inappropriate. However, how we respond to these insults are equally important. Take for instance that African-American man that assaulted an elderly Korean man because he thought the Korean called him “nigger”, when in fact he said something completely different. (I posted about it here.) Who is the most serious offender here—the person that possibly said the N-word, or the person that physically assaulted someone.

There's a saying that “words can kill” and the Bible says that in the tongue resides the power of life and death. Yes words matter. But so does freedom of expression. When you force people to keep silent you are not necessarily doing a good thing. What we are allowed to say or not to say is the topic of many a dictatorial regime. Orwell spoke not for naught about the muting of words as a means of control in his famous novel, 1984. As a person that spends a lot of time with words, I want the freedom to use any word I so please. And because I know the power of words, because I know the value of words, I use them carefully. I do not use derogatory words, and cussing comes uncomfortably to my mouth. Not because I'm afraid to say these words, but because I am free to use them and know their power. In any case, if I use the F-word as my main adjective, what will I say when something really F-worthy happens?

Skydive for Rhinos

We all have something we care enough about to become vocal about. Some of us even have certain charities that we support. My friend Mary-Jane, for instance, feel strongly about the protection of sharks, my friend Christine is passionate orphans that are blind or deaf, I care strongly about issues regarding liberty (religions liberty, freedom of expression, a right to privacy, etc.), and so on. Social networking is a great tool to make other people aware of the things that are worth being aware about. So when I received this forward in my inbox I thought I'd share it with you. Maybe it is something you care to get involved in too. It is a project run by my "extended" family.

...ooOoo...

Good day

Meyer Productions is proud to be a part of the Skydive for Rhinos awareness and conservation campaign to prevent the decimating and senseless slaughter of South Africa's rhinos, counted among the magnificent Five of the country's wildlife.

In support of this campaign to protect this diminishing species, Meyer Productions has produced a 1080p high resolution video, which you can view from the link below. We hope that you will watch this video and share this link with others and by so doing, help spread the message and generate support. To view the video, click on:



Here is some more background and information about this project:

Skydive for Rhinos is the brainchild of the staff of the African Conservation Trust (ACT), who in May this year, were moved beyond the point of outrage and spectatorship;, to taking personal action regarding the slaughter of rhinos in South Africa. It started small, with six women volunteering to skydive for the first time and in doing so, raise funds from their friends and family to improve anti-poaching efforts and increase public awareness of the increasing numbers of rhino being poached. But within a couple of weeks, the volunteer skydive group reached 40 and the campaign went viral.

The jumpers came from all walks of life, all ages and race groups, with 20 ACT staff members making up the bulk of the skydiving team. Others who joined in were Jabulani Ngubane (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's Rhino Protection Officer) and Andrew Zaloumis (CEO, iSimangaliso Wetland Park) and concerned members of the public, including varsity students, entrepreneurs, a female helicopter pilot and even a couple of youthful grandmothers. What they had in common was an over-riding passion to halt the extermination of a species that is intrinsic to South Africa's culture and heritage, voluntarily willing to put their own lives on the line for a 7 minute, 10,000ft skydiving feat that was a world-first in conservation circles.

 Skydive for Rhinos took place on 13 August 2011 at Angels Way, Durban Skydive Centre's base in Eston, KwaZulu-Natal. It was an incredible day, made possible by a group of amazing people and supported by tens of thousands others backing this campaign. Some of the skydivers had never been in a plane before - yet they put aside their nerves, embraced this new experience...and then threw themselves out of perfectly functioning aircraft in a courageous show of support for rhinos!

In just 10 weeks, these 40 people raised over R180,000 in cash from their friends and family and generated business 'in kind' support to the value of around R240,000. 100% of the funds raised are going to improve bona-fide, but under-funded, anti-poaching efforts in KZN, including aerial surveillance of threatened reserves, equipment for anti-poaching patrols, camera traps and micro-chipping identification of vulnerable rhino. In addition, a large cyber-tracking company approached us with an offer to donate their technology and we're now planning to introduce this in to the reserves in great need of this form of surveillance.

The campaign received excellent media coverage in all the major KwaZulu-Natal newspapers; as well as East Coast Radio. Some magazines also carried the story, including Africa Geographic and Wildside, as well as a large number of online media websites.

As of today, 276 rhino have been killed this year - the latest being the tragic story of the Aquila rhino in the Western Cape. We at ACT will be continuing our efforts to raise funds for those on the front line of the rhino poaching crisis.

We really hope that you will join us in helping to spread the message, generate support and keep the conservation message alive.
.
To make a donation you can visit ACT's website www.projectafrica.com (click on the skydiving rhino animation), or see www.facebook.com/skydiveforrhinos - this page is also a conduit to a host of national initiatives and networks that are trying to halt rhino poaching.


Kind regards

André Meyer
www.meyerproductions.co.za

Donate now!
Bank: Nedbank
Account Name: ACT Rhino Fund
Branch: Musgrave Centre, South Africa
Branch code: 130126
Account No: 1008662976

For International Payments:
Nedbank code: 198765
Swift Number: NEDSZAJJ

Vat vyf, Zapiro!

'n Demokrasie is 'n hoogskosbare fragiel affêre

(Source)

In 'n Demokrasie regeer die mense -- hulle word nie regeer nie. Dit is die plig van die goewerment om die wil van die mense uit te voer. Met ander woorde, die mense is baas en die goewerment is klaas. Indien die mense ontevrede is met hoe die goewerment sy plig nakom, dan kan ons hulle via 'n verkiesing vervang met verteenwoordigers wat ons wil meer getrou sal uitvoer. Die mense is dis in beheer en om hulle taak ordentelik te doen moet hulle vrye toegang hê tot staatsinligting. Sonder sulke vrye toegang is dit nie 'n demokrasie nie, maar 'n diktatorskap waar die goewerment baas is en die mense klaas is.

Die "Wet om Beskerming van Inligting" wat deur Suid-Afrika se goewerment voorgestel is, is drakonies van aard. Dit is daarop uit om inligting van die mense te weerhou. Sonder vrye inligting kan die mense nie ordentelike landsbesluite neem nie en is dan nie instaat om in beheer te wees nie. Eenvoudig gestel, hierdie wet verander die land vanaf 'n demokrasie in een-of-ander vorm van diktatorskap. Dit mag dalk nou nie onmiddelik Noord-Korea word nie, maar dit lê die fondasie waarop 'n Noord-Korea of 'n Zimbabwe of 'n Ivoorkus maklik gebou kan word. Intussen raak dit 'n piesangrepubliek.

Daarom is ek teen die voorgestelde "Wet om Beskerming van Inligting." Hoe meer geheime 'n staat het, hoe minder ware vryheid bestaan daar en hoe skraler is die kans om 'n werkende demokratiese stelsel. Soos Thomas Jefferson tereg gesê het: "Information is the currency of democracy." Sonder toegang tot inligting kan 'n demokrasie nie bestaan nie.

Raak betrokke in hierdie stryd. Dit handel oor groter dinge as bloot joernaliste en fluitjieblasers. Dit raak die kern van hoe ons land regeer word -- is die mense baas of is die goewerment baas? 'n Demokrasie of 'n diktatorskap? In watter tipe land wil jy bly?

Een manier om betrokke te raak is deur die "Right to Know Campaign"-petisie te teken. Neem deel aan protesoptogte. (Elke persoon behoort ten minste een keer in sy of haar lewe aan 'n protesoptog deel te neem.) Skryf briewe en vertel mense. 'n Demokrasie is 'n hoogskosbare fragiel affêre. 'n Mens moet dit daarvoor veg en dit pamperlang.

Nataniël

Soveel mense weet nog nie watse briljante kunstenaar Nataniël is nie. Met die ou legendes soos Tolla van der Merwe en Jan Spies reeds lankal ondergronds, is Nataniël seker ons land se mees humoristiese storieverteller. Maar om Nataniël met Van der Merwe en Spies te vergelyk is soos om trifle en chocolate mousse met mekaar te vergelyk. Albei is heerlike poedings, maar jy sit nie albei op dieselfde nageregtafel nie. 'n Trifle is geskik, sommer vir enige partytjie. Jy kan trifle eet by die kerkbazaar, 'n kinderverjaarsdagpartytjie, na die Bulls gewen (of verloor) het, by die skoolkermis, op 'n Sondagmiddag. Chocolate mousse is bietjie anders, is dit nie? Daar is iets aan 'n goeie chocolate mousse wat nie heeltemal pas in skoolsale, langs die braaier, of by 'n (geheiligde) vlooimark nie. 'n Ordentelike chocolate mousse is nie 'n alledaagse nagereg nie. Dis nie vir kinders met snotneusies en vuilbekkies en -kloutjies nie. Dis 'n grootmenspoeding. Jy moet bietjie lewenservaring hê vir chocolate mousse en jou tong moet kan onderskei tussen goedkooplekker en kwaliteitlekker. Nataniël is soos chocolate mousse. As jy nog nooit 'n Nataniël storie gehoor het nie, luister na een van sy vertellinge hier.

Maar hy is nie net 'n storieverteller nie. Dalk vertel ek meer oor sy ander talente op 'n ander geleentheid. Intussen, hier is sy webbladsy: www.nataniel.co.za

Khawuleza!

I was suddenly in the mood for Miriam Makeba and went to YouTube to listen to some of her songs. The first one I listened to was the song "Khawuleza" in which the child tells his/her mother to hurry up, because the police are coming.



It's seventeen years after the change of government and I wonder what has changed as far as the police is concerned? Police brutality in South Africa is something that's making the news quite often these days. Again, I think, the children are shouting "khawuleza, mama!" South Africans do not trust their police. I know that I do not. When I see a police officer in South Africa I feel nervous instead of safe. They say you only need to fear the police if you are guilty of some crime, but that is not true. There is good reason to feel afraid. Afraid because police corruption is so rampant. Affraid because tsotsis sometimes dress-up as police officers. Afraid because we saw what happened to Andries Tatane. "Khawuleza, mama, khawuleza!"

So while South Africans wait to hear the result of the elections yesterday, here's another Miriam Makeba song:

A Call from Frontier Advisory

Today I received a call from Frontier Advisory in Johannesburg, South Africa. I was in Taekwon-Do training at the time and missed the call. I'm very curious about the call because it was made to my landline number in South Africa that is automatically redirected to my phone here in Korea. It is an unlisted number and a very specific group of people have the number and none of them works for Frontier Advisory. Also, it is not the type of number one would accidentally call as it is not a typical land line number. I returned the call, but the phone operator could not help me determine who the call was from.

Here's what I'm wondering: How did they get my number? And why would they call me?

Lady Gaga se "Judas" en die stryd met sonde

Lady Gaga se nuwe song “Judas” vanaf haar onlangse album “Born This Way” word baie ongunstig in Suid-Afrika bevind. Vele radioluisteraars het gevra dat die lied van die lug af verwyder word.

Die spreker in die liedjie noem dat sy verlief is op Judas en dat sy Judas se voete met haar hare sal was. Die spreker trek dus 'n paralel tussen Jesus en Judas en sê dat soos Maria Magdalena Jesus se voete met haar trane gewas het en met haar hare afgedroog het, so sal die spreker ook Judas se voete was. Judas word dus 'n paralele Messias of aanbiddingswaardige figuur. Haar liefde aan Judas is onvoorwaardelik. Sy sal Judas vergewe al sou hy haar belieg (“[lie] through his brain”); selfs al sou hy haar bedrieg, “three times,” sal sy Judas vergewe. Judas is nie goed vir die spreker nie, nogtans het sy vir Judas onvoorwaardelik lief, en daarom beskryf die spreker haarself as a “Holy fool.” By implikasie is Jesus dan ook 'n “Holy fool” omdat Jesus se liefde onvoorwaardelik is en omdat hy ons wat hom so gedurig bedrieg vergewe.

Die lied maak 'n vreemde draai met die brug wanneer die spreker haarself as 'n “Fame hooker, prostitute wench” beskryf wat haar gedagtes “vomits.” Die prostituut wat Jesus se voete gewas het, het haar vergifnis vir haar misdade in Jesus gevind. Die spreker in die “Judas” liedjie vind haar vergifnis in Judas: “Judas kiss me if offensed.” Maar ons weet dat Judas se soen die soen van 'n verraaier is. Sy is ongelukkig dat haar lojaliteit aan Judas nie volkome is nie, want “something's pulling me away from [Judas].” Dit is Jesus wat haar wegtrek van Judas af. Sy vind haarself in 'n tweestryd: “Jesus is my virtue, / Judas is the demon I cling to.”

Wat presies Lady Gaga se intensie met die lied is weet ek nie. Indien Judas die sonde in haar lewe is waarmee sy 'n “liefdesverhouding” het, dan het ek baie simpatie met haar. Ek het ook al geskryf oor my eie (liefdes)verhouding met sonde—gedigte geïnspereer uit 'n stryd met gewoonte sondes.

Belydenis

Ek dans met haar. Vat haar styf
om die lyf. Speen aan haar peul-
bors. Hawe haar kors tortuur tong
in my mond. Stort my ongebore
half-kinders in haar kreng brakbuik.
Miopies beskou ek haar vigs
minnenswaardig. Noktambulis
eienaardig is my sinlike wellus
vir haar. Sonde is my houvrou.

Sonde

sy flankeer met my,
lek haar kraakblou lippe af met ’n skilfer tong
en flankeer met my
haar koue linkerhand krewel my broek af
haar benerige regterhand speel met my hare
haar asem, lou soos die dood, walm vanuit ’n diep kasme
in my nek – die tyd vir vrek het aangebreuk
my siel slaan in sweet uit soos na seks
bevlek met onne:
onheil
ongeregtigheid
onbarmhartigheid
só flankeer sy met my,
en ek weet – nou’s dit tyd om te sterf,
af te sterf en die wêreld ’n reiner plek agter te laat,
’n bietjie purer: daar’s een sondaar minder
en daarvoor sterf ek gewillig

En nes Lady Gaga het ek myself ook al as 'n hoerbeskryf, in baie erger terme as sy:

Soos ’n opgefokte hoer
met ’n pruimmoer, ’n suursmoel,
’n opgedroogte hart wat lanklaas
geklop het, lankal uitgeplukte oë
en afgekapte hande, vuilsiekte
en wonde, ’n swartsak vir ’n siel.
Só, het die sonde my gepimp.

Vier hierdie tipe gedigte het ek kritiek ontvang. Daar is vir my gesê dat deur ek oor die sonde skryf (al is dit my eie stryd daarmee), dat ek "rol in die sonde". Dat 'n mens nie in die sonde moet rol nie, is sekerlik goeie raad, maar die kunstenaar het 'n ander motief: om kommentaar te lewer oor die werklikheid. 'n Foto joernalis neem nie slegs fotos van blomme en mooi sonsondergange nie. 'n Ordentlike foto joernalis neem ook (of veral) fotos van ellende, van die afskuwelikheid van oorloë, van pyn en hartseer.

Enige een wat 'n eerlike bewustheid het vir sy of haar eie sonde, weet dat dit 'n tipe verliefdheid tot die daad is. Jy weet dit is sleg vir jou, maar kan dit nie help nie. Selfs die Apostel Paulus was eerlik hier oor:

Rom 7:18, 19, 24 “Want ek weet dat in my, dit wil sê in my vlees, niks goeds woon nie; want om te wil, is by my aanwesig, maar om goed te doen, dit vind ek nie. Want die goeie wat ek wil, doen ek nie, maar die kwaad wat ek nie wil nie, dit doen ek . . . Ek, ellendige mens! Wie sal my verlos van die liggaam van hierdie dood?”

Paulus was dit eens dat as 'n Christen voer 'n mens 'n tweestryd: “Want ek verlustig my in die wet van God na die innerlike mens; maar ek sien 'n ander wet in my lede wat stryd voer teen die wet van my gemoed en my gevange neem onder die wet van die sonde wat in my lede is” (Rom 7:23). Daar is twee wette in ons; twee magte: een goed en een sleg; die invloed van Jesus en die invloed van Satan. Lady Gaga se lied beskryf dit as: “Jesus is my virtue, / Judas is the demon I cling to.”

Daar is 'n oomblik van hoop in Lady Gaga se lied, daardie sinsnede “Jesus is my virtue.” Nêrens probeer sy haarself verdedig nie. Sy erken dat sy 'n “Fame hooker, prostitute wench” is wat aan sonde vasklou – byna sonder hoop. Paulus se uitlating is soortgelyk: “Ek, ellendige mens! Wie sal my verlos van die liggaam van hierdie dood?”

Maar dan antwoord Paulus sy vraag: “. . . Jesus Christus, onse Here!” (Rom 7:25); soos Lady Gaga: “Jesus is my virtue.”

Ek probeer nie Lady Gaga se liedjie verdedig nie. Ek stem saam dat dit 'n onsmaaklike trand het, nes my sonde-gedigte. Nietemin, dit openbaar 'n pertinente Christelike punt: Die stryd met sonde is 'n intieme werklikheid – byna soos verslawing en wat is verliefdheid anders as verlawing? Maar daar is hoop: “Jesus is my virtue.” Paulus gaan verder in sy rede en sê dat “die Wet van die Gees van die lewe in Christus Jesus het my vrygemaak van die wet van die sonde en die dood” (Rom 8:2). Paulus se raad is om ons hoop op God te hou en ons gedagtes weg te draai van die “vleeslike,” en eerder geestelike dinge te bedink. Dit verg 'n doelbewustelike keuse om eerder die “geestelike dinge” te bedink (Rom 8:5). Uiteindelik, soos Jesus gesê het, moet ons kies—ons kan nie twee meesters volg nie. Dis of Judas of Jesus.

Totdat jy nie self uit ervaring weet hoe moeilik dit is om teen intieme sondes te stry nie, moet nie te haastig wees om Lady Gaga te oordeel nie. Totday jy nie self weet hoe dit voel om deur sonde "gepimp" te word tot 'n "opgefokte hoer" nie, moenie my te vinnig oordeel nie.

Daar is twee dinge wat ek oor Lady Gaga kan sê. Dis nie my tipe musiek nie, maar daar is geen twyfel dat sy 'n uitmuntende stem het nie, en baie talentvol is nie. Tweedens, sy's braaf. Dit sit nie in enige een se broek om te doen wat sy doen nie. Noem dit maar sensasionalisme as jy wil. Hoe ook al, dit vereis binnegoed om jouself so bloot te stel.

Ten laaste, wat dink ek van die reaksie van Suid-Afrikaners om te vra dat die liedjie van die radiogolwe verwyder word? Ek hou daarvan. Verbruikers moet meer proaktief wees in wat hulle behoeftes is. Dit is nie nodig dat ons alles opvreet wat die media vir ons gooi nie. Ons moet 'n keuse gegun word en ons strewe moet wees na kwaliteit. Ek hoop Suid-Afrikaners sal ook begin om al daardie ander (Afrikaanse) gemors wat die radiogolwe so besoedel te kritiseer.

Eminent Future

Image Source



The unrest in the Middle East (and especially the possible "Day of Rage") will cause oil prices to increase dramatically world-wide. This will cause the U.S. Dollar to drop in value. As the Dollar drops, the price of gold and silver will increase even more dramatically. (Buy gold now, before it's too expensive.)



Some more guesses for South Africa:

The weakened U.S. Dollar will strengthen the South African Rand, but at the same time the price of fuel in South Africa is bound to go up. Riots in South Africa will commence in March, particularly driven by unions, and will increase in the following months. The politicians will try and appease the unions with all kinds of promises, especially with the coming elections. The question is whether the unions will believe such promises.