A late morning
enjoying the fresh Kokstad air before going down to the museum to participate
in the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Kokstad Museum which started
at 10am.
Day eleven - Kokstad,
13th October 2007
A late morning
enjoying the fresh Kokstad air before going down to the museum to participate
in the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Kokstad Museum which started
at 10am.
Image right: The article on my book launch that appeared in the Kokstad Advertiser last month.
Milner Snell acted as Master of Ceremonies - with the Priest who has now taken over Rev Dower's work, Pastor Michael Craig, opening the celebration. Sprightly old "Noo" Dorning (80) who started the museum then gave a fascinating insight into those early days and reflected on the importance of keeping history and traditions. Milner then asked me to get up and say a few words... after which I sold several more books to the 50 or so people who attended. There were about dozen Griqua women dressed in traditional Griqua gear - images below.
What followed was a fascinating and most enjoyable insight into the Griqua drama and language. Three elderly Griqua women, dressed in traditional gear with kappies, acted out 20 minute play with much hilarity and mirth interspersing the rambling dialogue that was centered around the need for Griqua unity and the superior culture of the Griqua over the coloured.
The
museum's open day celebrations closed just after midday and Milner took me
to Heather and Don Hogg's home at the Kokstad Girl's Boarding School where
I spent the next couple of nights. After a nice lunch we set off for the
the old laager at Mount Currie just before a violent thunder storm covered
the district. Here we saw some impala and I was able to get a close look
of "Godsaker" (God's acre) where the Griqua's who died on Mount Currie in
the 1860s were buried).
Image right: Chele and Scott dining in Kokstad
We returned to Kokstad and had a glass of beer with "Pie" Dorning ("Pie" is short for "Sweety Pie" - what her Dad called her).
That evening it was a pleasant dinner at the Spur before retiring early to bed for the long day travelling to Ongeluk's Nek tomorrow.
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The Griqua women |
Guests at the celebration |
Noo Dorning |
Traditional Griqua |
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The Griqua play |
and choir |
Noo being presented wiith |
Griquas with Mr Pienaar and |
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On the road to |
Mount Currie |
The old laager in the shadows |
Impala play on the slopes |
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The old laager |
Scott with the monument |
Milner at the old laager |
Kokstad Advertiser article |
