SPEECH ON THE OCCASION OF AN HONORARY PRESENTATION TO
FLORIS ABRAHAM BROWN BY THE STIGTING VIR BEMAGTIGING DEUR
AFRIKAANS.
UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH VERSINDABA 24 SEPTEMBER 2011
CHARLES P BEUKES
Late one Saturday afternoon I sat in the upper room of a guesthouse in Auchterarder, a small
village in Scotland close to the world famous Glen Eagles Hotel where my daughter does her
practical work, and I started writing about Floris Brown. Just because I have been considering
to write an article for some or other publication.
I never thought that this spontaneous piece of work would get expression at today’s
proceedings here at the US where Brown is being acknowledged by the SBA. It is a
tremendous honour for me to be part of this prestigious event. Thank you, Boeta, for
bestowing this honour upon me.
Say the name FLORIS BROWN and several images run through your mind.
It’s the composer, the instrumentalist and singer, creator of many Hit Parade songs.
It’s the English poet, the Afrikaans poet, the international poet.
It’s the cultural activist, the laureate sport legend who was honoured for his contribution to
chess among black players in 2007.
Boeta for his music followers across the country and F A Brown for the culture ghurus of
South Africa and The Netherlands.
Al these qualities in one person, but always as his life calling number 1 – the teacher of
Worcester.
Floris Abraham Brown was a teacher before teachers became educators.
Born in Worcester on 10 September 1948 as the oldest son of Johnny and Maggie Brown he
started his school career at the Primary School of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
and completed his schooling at Esselenpark High School. He studied for a teacher at HEWAT
and Bellville Training Colleges.
Our paths crossed for the first time when my father started the Boy Scouts in Worcester and
Boeta was our troup leader. SInce then I have been privileged to write several articles about
this very talented man.
Brown has recently published his 23rd volume,
Kaleidoskoop, and in March this year he was
already working on three new volumes of work, of which one is a manual for the volume
GLOEI.
Brown’s mission is to inspire people NOT to hide their God-given talents, but to utilise them to
the full, despite being less talented or feeling inferior due to a physical disability.
His music talent was stimulated by his father. At the young age of 15 his musical leadership
was proven when he already played in a band,
Romeo 5, and at 18 he established the
Restless Children
, which was destined to become one of the country’s most popular bands.
They were in a class of their own, namely a band with their own original compositions, of
which
Until Tomorrow burst through the racist colour barrier to make the official Top 20 of
South Africa. It also achieved GOLDEN RECORD STATUS. At that stage he was already a
member of the prestigious “Guild of International Songwriters and Composers” in England.
Those of you who used to follow the “Allemans” on radio on Saturday mornings would have
heard him and his new band,
Bacarasj, on the program. One of his compositions, Hard to
Reach You
, was used in the movie “Dollars and white pipes”.
I might add that even today – in post-apartheid South Africa – his compositions are still an
eye-opener to many of our countrymen, as though there is a musical revival of an era on
which they missed out due to apartheid. Many people missed out on the privilege of hearing
the super group Restless Children because it would not have been politically correct to
support a local artist of colour, as a friend of mine found out in standard 9 when he
announced his intention to buy his fellow-townsman’s record. Today he is the biggest
collector of Restless Children compositions.
I was privileged to have been the first journalist to write about the Restless Children, but I was
somewhat irritated with the headline of “Tokkel Tokkel kom hulle oor die bult” in RAPPORT
EKSTRA. It sounded so common, and I thought for a moment that, had it been an urban
group, the headline would certainly have been less banal.
Boeta plays the keyboard, flute and guitar with ease and is one of those artists who has the
ability to make a whole recording on his own with al the instruments and then sing as well!
Like their father, his children Rumacques, Natasja, Glireska and Rhaändi all have musical
talent, but they mainly apply it to religious music.
Brown has appeared in numerous television programmes as individual, as well as with his
band on SABC2, SABC3 (Focus & Pasella) and Kyknet, while Radio Sonder Grense and
other stations have also had him as guest on their programmes.
He started writing poetry at the age of 12 and must have been one of the youngest published
poets – in America and England of all places. Some historians may regard this stage of his
life as typical of the situation in our country in those years – with many talented sportsmen,
singers and also artists of the word looking abroad to utilise opportunities which did not come
their way in South Africa due to apartheid. Basil D’Oliveira, Precious McKenzie, Danny
Williams … to mention but a few.
Boeta said farewell to his life-work – teaching – in 1999, but unlike other retirees his work
tempo has doubled after his retirement if you look at the number of creations that flowed from
his pen since. He would, however, not allow the black victim syndrome to keep him prisoner
2
as was the case with so many other potential black achievers – No, Boeta was not a passive
victim of apartheid, but he fought actively against it.
His wife of 40 years, Gloria, says that there was never a chance of having a relaxed
retirement. The focus just shifted but the volume of work increased. I could not contain my
curiosity as to how Boeta proposed to her, seeing as he is such a fundi with words. She
answered, “He never asked me to marry him. After 40 years I’m still waiting for him to ask
me!”
Unlike other artists he is everything but an introvert and his true love and compassion for his
people and his environment is woven through his work like a golden thread. Many of his
volumes were sold exclusively to provide much needed funding for charity institutions like
Chipros Rural Empowerment and Eden Day Care Centre for the Intellectually Impaired.
In 2000 he establishes the Breedevallei Dichters with the aid of Mrs Christine Gerber, Head
Librarian of the Breedevallei Municipality, as a launching pad for many new and upcoming
Afrikaans poets who would otherwise never see their work printed. To me this meant a whole
new dimension to the culture in Worcester – that of launching poetry volumes and reading
poetry out loud.
In 2001 he was honoured by the Worcester Junior Rapportryers as Worcesterite of the Year.
The Breedevallei Dichters initiative brought even more work, as he is now wearing the
mentor’s cloak for many young aspiring poets. One of these is Kiwidore Fielies, who made an
exclusive contribution to the World Cup legacy in 2010 by launching a competition among
learners of Worcester in which they had to write poems with the World Cup as their theme.
This was exclusive, as this is the only known competition of its kind in South Africa, and
Brown also had a hand in this.
His own contribution to this once-in-a-lifetime event was an internationally played World Cup
song for the Breedevallei World Cup Action, which was played regularly on Valley FM radio
and at the World Cup fanjol in Worcester to inspire and mobilise the rural communities to
become part of this historic event. The Breedevallei Action was the only one in the Western
Cape and possibly South Africa, with our own fanjol signature tune on our local radio station,
Valley FM 88.8, our own World Cup song sung by Alexa Strauss, a Matie student, and also a
World Cup volume as legacy. In all of these F A Brown’s hand was instrumental.
His life motto is: Success lies in those things you leave behind for others to learn from. His
strong sense of justice and fairness can be seen in everything he does.
The pen is mightier than the sword and I believe that if history writes about the legacy of
Floris Abraham Brown one day, it will be reflected how he, as a non-violent activist, as a word
activist who fought against apartheid in a non-arrogant way, has shaken thousands of others
who saw themselves as victims of apartheid, out of their victim syndrome. With his music, his
compositions, his poetry and other written work he has set a living and inspiring benchmark of
how NOT to allow the dark side of externally enforced discrimination to extinguish the shining
side of your God-given inherent potential.
For this, today we salute with pride an icon in his own right from our lovely Breedevallei.
3
The Restless Child of Worcester – a poet
without acknowledgement
© By Michael le Cordeur
Dr Michael le Cordeur teaches Afrikaans for Teaching students at the University of
Stellenbosch.
The time has come for publishers to swallow their pride and acknowledge Floris
Brown as poet. Or will we wait, as was the case with another giant and coloured
community poet, Adam Small, until it is too late? Michael le Cordeur delivered a
speech at the “Versindaba” on the campus of the US on Saturday, in which he argued
that Brown has reached maturity as poet, despite being disregarded.
I first heard of Floris Brown when I was still at school and he, as songwriter for the group
Restless Children
, achieved golden status with his song Until Tomorrow. One of his songs
was chosen last year to be sung at fanjols and World Cup stadia. Our roads only truly
became intertwined, however, in 1985 when we became colleagues in school sport, where his
knowledge of chess impressed me.
The retired teacher of Worcester was always busy teaching; be it as poet, playwright, chess
master, teacher, songwriter, spouse, father or community leader. Floris never ceases to
remind us that there is always a tomorrow; you can never give up; you can never stop
praying, because tomorrow is waiting.
If I have to summarise his life, I would have to say that he has played an ongoing chess
match against authority; against the former government, his struggle against apartheid, his
being coloured, his God. Always ready to make the next move.
The Restless Child’s contribution to Afrikaans is comprehensive; more than 24 volumes of
poetry with poems in more than 72 compilations between 1974 and 2011; several short
stories, one-act plays and dramas. His writings include
Gloei (1994); Phoenix (1996); Waar
Aasvoëls Draai
(1996); Die Woudmaker (1998); Skadukinders (1999); Grysvos (2000); Die
Koei Stort ’n Traan
(2000); Klank van die Byl (2000); Roep van die Maanwolf (2002); Rott
(2003);
Blokhuis (2005); Altyd die liefde (2007, in Belgium) and more recently Kaleidoskoop
and
Sing vir my (2011).
Anthologies in which his work was published include
Aankoms Uit Die Skemer; Groen en
Reënboogstemme; Different Horisons; Nuwe Verset; Taal van Liefde
and Carved in Stone.
He also published in The Netherlands, among others in
Honderd Nieuwe Dichters 3, De
Afrikaanse poëzie in 1000; De Dichters uit Epibreren
and Gedichten bij de Netring .
His last volume,
Kaleidoskoop, is to me the culmination of Brown’s repertoire; a multicoloured
extravaganza in which he moves the borders frequently, as though he is afraid to
restrict himself. This volume offers a caleidoscopic view on the current workers class’ way of
life. He has an intense appreciation of his own history and the contributions of his own people
4
towards the public good. In
Skertsend (Gloei, 1994) he refers to the contribution of one of the
town’s most colourful characters, Mr Frikkie Dairy, who drives the dairy lorry:
sonder oom Frikkie Dairy
sal die tee en koffie swart wees;
en geen smaak aan die mieliemeel;
ja dit sal brand in jou keel.
And in
Films he cries over the bioscope (“Bies”) of Oubaas which burned down:
Next week se sereal,
Me Tarzan You Jane
lê asvaal verbrand in die as en die pyn.
(Let op die woordspeling tussen
puin en pyn..)
Waar aasvoëls draai
(1996) is about his love for his family and his efforts to protect them
against the modern vultures. In the poem
Klein Hartedief he writes affectionately about the
arrival of his youngest daughter:
Jy het soos ’n dief in die nag gekom
versigtig eers loer, skelm-skelm
suutjies het jy jou voetjies
oor my drumpel gestoot.
In this volume he constantly makes the readers aware of the suffering and poverty of his
people:
Sewe honger kinders klop aan my deur
gee brood en vleis asb meneer
ek vra die oudste: is julle nie op skool?
hy wys my sy skoene sonder sool.
He also provides (in Kaleidoskoop) solutions how his people could escape from the poverty:
Huisnood
Al trek ek net met ’n tafel op my kop
In my munisipale huis
Dan het ek alreeds baie gedelf
Al die ander goed kom vanself
.
5
Phoenix (1996) is a volume about the struggle era in South Africa as it is written in
Apartheidsvloek,
among others, in which he struggles with God and asks questions like:
Was dit God se toorn?
vir hulle wat ons so vermink
ons kinders begrawe in hole stink
vir hulle wat ons inhok
ons kinders verkrag in ’n gommatrok.
He dedicates this volume to Mr John Beukes (Charles’ father) who was Chief Leader of the
Boy Scouts, and like a true Boy Scout this remarkable man showed us the way long before
1994. He describes the death of Mr Beukes as follows:
Die seer-uur sal vir ons aanbreek op Sy Tyd
die gemis aan ’n leiersfiguur wat nie meer daar is
sal met die aanstap van die tyd verdwyn
en so ook die pyn.
It is significant that Brown already started asking questions about the ruthless killing of our
rhinos back in 1996. In
Renoster he writes:
oor ’n asvaal stofverwaaide grysland
soek ’n renosterkind haar ma
in ’n gedroogde meer
het sy kom kry haar moeder se oorskiet
bebloed sonder ’n vlymskerp horing of snoet
His volume
Die Woudmaker (1998) depicts a struggle with his Creator and is about the curse
of having too many pigment cells, as Brown puts it. Poems like
Pigmentsel and Kleurgrens
are about the injustice of apartheid. Brown writes that love is colour-blind, and as we
contemplate this, a child is shot dead in Robertson. His advice is to Pray (
Bid), and
Remember God in your life (
Onthou God in jou lewe). He ends with Onrustige kinders van
God
, an indication that the Restless Child has not yet found his rest.
In
Kaleidoskoop the reader is exposed to Brown’s multitude of skills: there is an AIDS drama,
limericks, a short story, stories from his area, and my personal favourite – a few quatrains in
which he makes some social comments about life: He takes a swing at the establishment’s
literary fundis who do not utter a word in support of the struggle poets, of which he was one:
Waar is julle
O julle letterkundiges
is so oorverdowend stil
6
S-o-o oorverdowend aan het swyg
Is julle druipstert na jul gate aan het hyg?
He writes about his life for his wife, Gloria:
Toe ek geen verskuilde agenda aan jou kon vind
Het ek geweet ons liefde is vir altyd gebind
As sport administrator he also dishes it out to the Springboks:
Dit is die toets vóór die toets
Waar die bokke faal
Hul struikel oor rassisme
Terwyl hul na die doellyn nael
But his bitterness about the publishers’ refusal to acknowledge him threatens to dominate his
poetry:
Mense hou nie daarvan om
Woorde te lees wat kwel
Aan hul vel, dus, is ek tot vandag
Geen Uitgewer se pêl.
But then the chess master makes a brilliant move: When nobody wanted to publish his work,
he published it himself:
“
terwyl uitgewers soos tipiese blokhuise nog steeds net hul voorkeurskrywers publiseer, is
selfpubliseerders soos onderstromige wingerdboer produseerders wie se vrugte een of ander
tyd soet op die tong val
” (Kaleidoskoop, p41).
In a time when everyone is worried about the future of Afrikaans, it is unforgiveable that an
Afrikaans poet had to publish 24 volumes of poetry himself, that his work was published in
Belgium and The Netherlands, yet he is not acknowledged in his own country. He could have
turned his back on Afrikaans, like so many of his contemporaries who were born and bred in
Afrikaans, but he didn’t – thanks to a passion for Afrikaans, as exhibited in
Moedertaal:
Seun vergeet tog nooit jou eerste kontakwoord
diep uit jou moederlong
se vriendelik omgee tong
7
is die pêrel deur God geskenk
aan jou my kaalvoetklong
I would like to respond thus when he asks:
Hoe sal ek ’n digter word?
Hoe sal ek tog dan nou kan maak
Dat uitgewers ook van my ’n digter maak
Na wie sal ek my gedigte stuur
As ek my jare vasloop teen ’n loodreg muur
?
Boeta, you ARE a poet, and now that Adam Small’s voice is silent, you may just be the most
credible voice of the Afrikaans-speaking people from downtown.
8
ADDRESS BY FLORIS ABRAHAM BROWN
DURING HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AT THE
WOORDFEES VERSINDABA, PRESENTED BY THE
STIGTING VIR BEMAGTIGING DEUR AFRIKAANS
ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2011 AT STELLENBOSCH
© Floris Abraham Brown (63)
Born 10 September 1948
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to discard the word “reply” and bring my message under the heading “
Gratitude
towards God and my fellow-man
”.
I would also like to dedicate this day to my late parents, Johnny and Maggie Brown, as well as
my parents-in-law, Hendrik and Sophia Bailey.
When Gio Aplon, Springbok wing, scored his first two tries in World Cup rugby against
Namibia on Thursday 22 September 2011 he put his hands in the air and gave all the glory to
God. As a young man he sent a very powerful message to our youth.
This morning is a glorious day in the presence of GOD’s grace. Thank you, JESUS, for a day
like today – a day that belongs to You. All glory, praise and honour to You.
Thank you, Professor Dorethea and Wium van Zyl, Melt Myburgh and their colleagues from
the WOORDFEES VERSINDABA, as well as Nicol Stassen and Louis Esterhuyzen. Dorethea
is a strong woman. See how she’s been pulling AFRIKAANS up higher and higher over many
years.
Thank you, Dr Michael Le Cordeur and Charles Beukes – people of this calibre are difficult to
find. You can read about them on the Internet.
CJ Langenhoven said:
“Stuur die luiaard na die miere, en hy sal daar rondom die miere lê en hy sal hom verlustig in
die vlyt en bedrywigheid wat aan die gang is. Want hy hou van werk – die luiaard: solank as
dit nie hy is wat werk nie.” (Weet nie of ek kan waag om Langenhoven te vertaal nie.)
A big word of thanks and appreciation to the Executive Officer, Dr Christo van der Rheede,
and his colleagues from the STIGTING VIR BEMAGTIGING DEUR AFRIKAANS, who came
upon the thought of acknowledging me after 40 years of writing passionate poetry, and who
made a day like today extra special.
Plato said: “With the first touch of love, each person becomes a poet.”
9
A special word of thanks to my wife – my first touch of love – Gloria, and our children:
Rumacques Zane, one of three managers at Shoprite Centurion, Gauteng; Dr Natasja,
married to Arrie-Paul Arends of Klerksdorp – both working at the University of Stellenbosch.
Natasja is currently working in the office of the Dean and Arrie is a lecturer in the
Biochemistry Department; Rhaändi, married to Mark Rensburg of Manenberg – they have
produced three lovely grandchildren for us – Nathanael-Mark, Maliika and Esthbeth – Jane.
Then there is our youngest daughter Glireska and her friend Bronwyn. Glireska is a proof
reader at Pioneer Printers in Worcester.
Gloria, I thank you for 40 years of support and the room to also provide a service to other
communities in South Africa.
It has been a privilege to spread my poetic wings to countries like
The Netherlands, with
anchors in Dr Alfred Schaffer; Mary Vlaming; Gerrit Komrij; Stadsdichter Joz & Tiny
Brummans – who co-published “Die Hand wat ons Voed is Weg” with me and with whom I
lodged during my stay in The Netherlands from 28 May to 23 June 2007; Rinze & Christien
Starkenburgh; Tiny Kraan; Professor Karel Bostoen; John Zwart; Loes Essen; Catharina
Loader; Corine de Maijer; Daan de Lange; Freek Leene; Marcel Linssen; Marlies Mertens;
Marja Verweij; Veronie Kramer Snyders; Yolanda & Ton Greuters; José Overkamp; Marjan
Hengeveld; Piet Luijer; Inneke Hamstra; Agaath Schultink; Lydi & Joop Krikke; Hemmie van
Reenen; Jesse Vermunt; Petra de Dreu; Petro Drijfhout; Peter van Halderen; Bramm & Uta
van der Wurff; Janneke Prins who co-published “Altyd die Liefde” with me. The Dutch
Ambassador and his wife, Rob & Marion de Vos, as well as Hilde Vaatstra who brightened up
our volume “Drieluik” with lovely photos.
Belgium
– Jan Biezen from Biezen who published my very first Afrikaans poem “Madalla”;
Hannie Rouweler who took a selection of 39 poems from my English publication “You and
your Grand Piano” and published it in “Blue Ribbons” through her publishing house Demer
Press; Joris Iven; Roger Nupie; Guy van Hoof; Paul Gellings and Hannie Rouweler, who each
gave five poems which I translated from Dutch into Afrikaans for the anthology “Liaisons
Invisibles – Onzichtbare Verbintenissen – Onsigbare Verbintenis, which was released by the
National Afrikaans Literary Museum in Bloemfontein on Tuesday 12 July 2011 during the
Vryfees in Bloemfontein under the guidance of Otto & Danila Liebenberg.
Rob and Marion de Vos were also at the Vryfees, so Marion could read the Dutch poems and
I could read the Afrikaans poems. “Heartscapes”, published by Hannie Rouweler Demer
Press was released at the same time.
Flanders
– Prof Dr W J R Martin;
Friesland
– Jan Kleefstra, who co-published “Sing vir My” and “Uit het legen Midde” with the
help of Jelma Knol, editor of the Frisian Press Boekerij in Friesland. This has been for sale at
the Woordfees of the University of Stellenbosch Versindaba of 2011.
England
– Margo Opperman;
America
– Dr Jacques du Plessis;
Charles Olsen says: “Poetry is to dance while seated.”
10
Thank you to my
light-the-candle people: Prof Jakes Gerwel & Dr Rassool, my Afrikaans
and English lecturers at the former Teachers’ Training College HEWAT; the influence of our
own Mayor of Stellenbosch, Conrad Sidego, who has had a profound influence on me as a
young student at HEWAT. The late Professor Ronnie Belscher; the late Rev Patrick
Petersen; Prof Flip Strydom, Project Leader of the SBA and my colleagues Willem Fransman
– drama; Elias Nel – Short stories – and Rev Eugene B, who, together with myself who did
the Poetry, wrote publications we presented at workshops for high schools until funding dried
up and the project had to be terminated.
Thank you to the Holy influence
of Sister Joe; Miss van Stavel; Dr Easter Daniel Gordon
and spouse; Miss Dorothy Gordon and spouse, as well as Pastors; Fred & Lucille May;
Rumacques Brown; William Coraizen; Sias le Roux and spouse; Hercules & Melanie; Carlos
& Elmaree; Hennie & Rochelle Swarts; Small groups and prayer team members of all Shofar
Family Christian Churches in South Africa and abroad – especially Ps Albert & Nancy Titus
and their children.
Thank you to my sounding-boards:
Antjie Krog, Christine Gerber, Otto Liebenberg and Arrie-Paul Arends who have kept me
standing as a poet over the years.
Under the poetic influence of
Prof Jacques van der Elst; Prof Abram de Vries; Prof John C.
Kannemeyer; Prof André Brink; Prof Ampie Coetzee; Prof Steward van Wyk; Breyten
Breytenbach; Theo Kemp – Breytenbach Centre, Wellington; Leon Vorster – Museum
Services, Cape Town; Amanda de Stadler; Dr Daniël Hugo; Prof Lina Spies; Louis
Esterhuysen; Margot Luyt; Anlo van Heerden; Mr Freddie Botha (CEO), colleagues and all
individuals from the Institute for the Blind; Johan Heyl; Brett Pyper (KKNK); Mia Breed who
filmed a chess insert of me for KYKNET; Anthony Wilson wdo did an insert for TV2 about my
life and the bomb explosion at Shoprite in 1996; Melvyn Whitebooi; Francois Marais;
Catherine Wiese; Julian Jansen; Prof Hein Willemse; Marion and Rob de Vos, the
Ambassador of The Netherlands and his wife; Dr Gerrit Brand; Naomi Bruwer; Leti Klein;
Celia Celliers; Miss Schroëder from TV3; Freek Robinson – FOKUS; Mandy Barnard from
Pasella; Prof Ronel de Goede; Claude Schroeder; Dr Deon Snyman; Kayode; Christine Smit;
Laurentia Robertson; Liomee van der Merwe; Seymore Bothman; Anette Braaff; Eurica
Muller; Sylvia Fourie; Shirley and Sandra Fransman; Alet and Jose Ontong; Deon Pick and
spouse; Catherine Francke and spouse; Johnny and Kayna Kruger; Linda and Lennie Cloete;
Vaughan Karriem and spouse; Clifton Frolick and colleagues from the local EMDC; Steenvliet
Primary School, Touwsriver; Breërivier High School and Dr Allen Grootboom; Tizzy Mangialli;
Bongani Mgijima and Beverley Thomas; Former President FW de Klerk,
I can still learn a lot
today.
All editors of publishing companies in South Africa and abroad; Thank you to all the umbrella
bodies that are keeping AFRIKAANS alive, as well as Zirkëa Ellis, Eurika Barnard; Hannetjie
du Preez; Derrick Grootboom; Prof Fanie Olivier, who has regularly invited me over the past
40 years to send one or more poems for publication in some or other anthology; Dr Danny
Titus from the ATKV; Dr Karel Prinsloo; Florence Filton; Petro Rhode; Isabeau Botha;
Marlene Le Roux; Jason Lloyd; Selwynn Willborrow; Ruben Bentley; Robert Pearce; Vincent
Oliphant; Diana Ferrus; Dido; Trevor Isaacs; Adrianne Sameuls; André van Reenen; Adv.
11
Maxwell Solomons; Adv. Lynden Bouah; Fasiegh Manie; Shabier Bhawodien; Roland
Willenberg; Anton Marais; André & Sonja Truter; Malcolm Fredericks; Mark Lewis; Karel
Cupido; Raymond Aukett; Anne Fredericks; Dr Joan Wootton; Elmarie van Aarde; Abey
Arendse (Abbangs).
Teachers’ Training College HEWAT: Crawford, Cape Town:
Former lecturers Greg & Esmeralda Voight. In 1996 Greg Voight gave his 15 HED lll students
in Afrikaans the assignment concerning my volume “GLOEI.” This work was published under
the title “GLOEI – HANDLEIDING”. By doing this, a small part of HEWAT Teachers’ Training
College in Cape Town lives on despite the fact that it does not exist any more.
Thank you for publications and articles in the Worcester Standard, Die Burger, Rapport, Die
Beeld, Gazette and Die Son over many years. A word of thanks and appreciation also goes to
publications in magazines and newspapers of many Afrikaans and Dutch umbrella bodies.
“Be there, be on time”
I am of the opinion that if we can apply this motto, one of the many keys to success, to our
daily lives, we can build a better South Africa. If this slogan can appear on every door and
toddlers say it out loud before the start of each lesson, no-one will ever be late for a speech or
appointment, not even the politicians in Parliament! It builds character and breeds faith in
others. People start believing in each other, because that person is trustworthy.
Today each one of these mentioned individuals represents vine-shoots enfolding my
grapevine, keeping it alive and prosperous, and by God’s grace I am harvesting the fruit
today, the sweetest fruit, in AFRIKAANS!
C. J. Langenhoven said:
“As ek die begeerte mog waag, sou ek dit graag so wil hê dat die
engel wat my kom haal huis toe, my daar bring met die verslag: ‘Ek het hom by sy werk
gekry’.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, I close with an Italian sonnet for every person who has chosen to live
AFRIKAANS in South Africa or anywhere in the world.
Voorlopers vir AFRIKAANS
© Floris Brown
Soos ‘n spierwit paddastoel, kernbom
Moedertaal. Pronk met vlerke soos ‘n pou
as skrywers briewe in koeverte vou.
Afpraters doemprofete staar verstom.
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Professore Doktore Rektore
Lektore Dosente Onderwysers
Studente Leerders bly rigtingwysers.
Proteas nagelaat in hul spore.
Hoër al hoër trek ons haar bergop.
Woordkunstenaars fasiliteerders krans
Springbokke. Stewige vesting met skop.
Ons taal nou lente met ‘n speelse dans.
In die reën met ‘n woeste hartklop,
bly Miere, Voorlopers vir AFRIKAANS!
Thank you very much!
13
florisbrown 