Kameel Stoepstorie: Vryburg Museum

  People without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. Marcus Garvey 

A short, but long overdue, visit the Vryburg Museum. It is situated on the N14 to Kuruman. The original wall of the goal that was built in 1887 is incorporated in the building and the masoned stones from the old demolished Town Hall were used to build the rest of the building which is the entrance to the Leon Taljaard Game Reserve. This building houses a museum and a Bio-museum.

  Vryburg, or “Fort of Freedom”, was established in 1882 as the capital of a short-lived independent republic called Stellaland, established by Boers escaping the clutches of the British in the Cape Colony. Just two years later the Stellaland become part of the Cape Colony. It’s located on the banks of the Huhudi River. The plaque commemorates the Stellaland era. The original flag of the Stellaland Republic is not on display. Van Niekerk’s house was situated on the piece of land where the Pick and Pay parking is now.

I remember preparing food for the thousands of Angolan Portuguese refugees passing through Vryburg in 1974. They were frightened & exhausted. They weren’t walking though but drove trucks carrying their families and possessions from Angola. A transit camp was set up in the veld at the old goal wall. There, the refugees could wash and rest for a while or sleepover. They were given water, food & essentials. Remember that there was a Red Cross tent treating minor injuries and ailments & tending to exhausted mothers with hungry & over-tired babies & toddlers. I remember clearly the pain of exhaustion & anguish and the loss of self-respect in their eyes.

Today there is a small mention of this happening. The memorial seems to be incomplete. 

 Reg van Toegang

 Direito de AdmissiaoVryburg

 03-04-1992

Vryburg was once used as a concentration camp by the British during the Boer War. The gatehouse was built on the former Boer War prison and where prisoners captured by the British forces were incarcerated. 

The plaque that commemorates the prisoners that were executed here should be at the museum but we could not find it due to the long grass that is growing around the building.

Copyright Johan Viktor via eGGSA 

 Google Earth Project Information:-

 GPSID: 4413

 GPS: Not available

We were met by Jennifer Lecholo. An energetic young lady who was giving her best to help us during our visit. There are two exhibit areas a Bio-museum where you will find a lot of stuffed animals that were not up to our alley and the museum. 

We love the rock engravings from Kinderdam the farm where we spend lots of fond memories visiting Uncle Alfie & Aunt Nellie Fincham. There is a small display with no information on the Koi-san.

The museum is small but we were charmed by the displays. Unfortunately, there is no information available and our guide is still new on the premises. It sheds some light on the town’s economic and social history.

 Feeding troughs made at Armoedsvlakte for the experimental on lamsiekte. The cattle have chewed the sides in their need for minerals.

Louis Botha

The silver trowel as bestowed to our family member.

 The bell of the now-demolished townhall

The Townhall now demolished

The old Gentleman’s Club that was later utilized as police quarters.

The Stellaland Flag should be on display in the Townhall is the original flag of the short-lived Stellaland Republic. Its history includes having been presented to Queen Victoria as a gift and hanging in Windsor Castle until 1934 when King George V returned it to Vryburg. The museum curator could not help with the location of the flag.

Till next time

Sandra and Hennie

 

Kameel Stoepstorie: Van Riebeeck Chairs

The old chairs and the reason for the name

Van Riebeeck chairs are not a brand or style it merely forms part of modern history in South Africa.  

Well in short Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town. On 24 December 1651, accompanied by his wife Maria de la Quiellerie, Jan van Riebeeck set off from Texel in The Netherlands for the Cape of Good Hope. 

He was to oversee the setting up of a refreshment station to supply Dutch ships on their way to the East. Sailing on the Dromedaris with two other ships, the Rejiger and De Goede Hoop, Van Riebeeck was accompanied by 82 men and 8 women. 

Land was sighted on 5 April 1652 and the ships docked the next day. 

Their son Abraham was born on October 18, 1653, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town

We found a beautiful piece of cloth that was printed with the Van Riebeeck story.
Hence the name of these 4 dining chairs as Van Riebeeck chairs. 

First we had to strip it down and give the wood a good treatment of oil.
This was a timeous process and we used mainly fine sandpaper and steel wool 

This was the first time we did this kind of upholstery
We must admit that we had to redo the first chair because the back was upside down.  

The first chair seat is done 

The first chair is finished 

Even the back section is showing in the right direction 

Done for the time 

Lots of blessing from South Africa 

Sandra and Hennie 

Kameel Stoepstorie: Kameel Veld plants

On Heritage Day we spend the day in the veld looking for something different than the usual. Decided to put on our camera strap and walking boots and get going.

After six months of living in the North West Province of South Africa, we thought that it is time to learn more about the heritage plants in the Kameel area.

There is grass and what we know as Vaalbosch but as you will notice the red sand is always visible.

We need to get a guide to learn us more.

 

 Our area is very dry with red sand and the summer temperature rises to 45 degrees Celsius. This year the summer rainfall was less than 100 millimetre. The grasslands are very dry and the wildflowers are far and in between. There are no big fields of flowers but when you find one it is almost an ecstatic experience.

It was a special experience to just wander and experience beauty.

It is was one of the strangest plants we came across. 

It grows not higher than 35cm but has this almost too big for its size seed pods

.If you can identify any of our plants we will appreciate it.

Till next time

Sandra and Hennie

Sunrise at Kameel

Kameel Stoepstorie: Kameel Rust and Vrede Accommodation

This accommodation on the edge of the Kalahari is situated in a garden that reminds of an oasis in the middle of red sand and thorn trees.

A visitor making use of the sun.

This establishment caters for everyone and offers en suite rooms, caravan stays and camping facilities. This Cape Wagtail booked in as a camper and build a camp next to the door to one of the guest rooms. 

This family will enjoy the stay in one of the re-purposed camper vans. It sits comfortably between the trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The previous years the swallow moved into the family room. This year the swallows booked late and on arrival, they found that the house sparrow family has booked early and were sitting cosy in their accommodation.

The garden offers a lot of interesting and quirky places to visit. This is enjoyed by all the guests. You can visit their Facebook page here

There is a variety of ways to enjoy the gardens and watch the feathered guests.

Till next time

Sandra and Hennie 

Kameel Stoepstorie: The Yard at Kameel is showing promise

DeOudeHuize

Testing the irrigationsystem.
We are fortunate to have enough water at Kameelhuisetussenspore. Looking forward to grow our own vegtables in our vegetable garden. The fruit trees are showing lots of promise. There are apricot, pear, apple, fig, quiche, orange, lemon and pomegrande trees growing in the Yard. We will be happy if the grapevines produce a crop this year. The blue berry bushes show promise.
NorthWest livingwithplants in an ecofriendly and sustainable living
at Kameel

Kameel Stoepstorie: Ouma Barlow en die dorp Stella

 

 Die dorp Stella het wonderlike kinderdae herinneringe vir my. In besonder Brandstraat.

Brandstraat

Brandstraat 10 soos dit vandag daaruit sien.

 Dit was die straat waarin Oupa Jimmy en Ouma Sannie se huis was. Nommer 10. Vandag lyk Brandstraat heel anders dan wat ek dit as kind kan onthou.

Die Klipsaal word vandag as stoorplek vir die Munisipaliteit gebruik

Brandstraat se huise het elkeen sy eie styl gehad. Almal was wit geverf. Almal naby die straat. 

Die water in Stella is brak want die soutpan lê naby die dorp. Vir baie jare is hier sout ontgin. Ongeag die brak water was daar heel party windpompe in die dorp, want almal het groentetuine gemaak. Ouma Sannie het ‘n Lemon Verbena by die agterdeur gehad. Dit was ‘n fees om die blare tussen ons hande te vryf en dan die reuk vir die hele dag saam te dra. ‘n Lekker vrugteboord was oupa se pride and joy. Die ingelgde geelperskes met dik vla, was ons kinders se gunsteling.

 Die Soutpanne na goeie reën

Oupa en Ouma was altwee kinders van die Willowmore, Patensie en die Gamtoos, soos Oupa het altyd na die Kolonie verwys as sy grootword wêreld gepraat het. Hy en Ouma het mekaar van kindsbeen geken. Hy het die plaas Langverwagt naby Kameel gekoop. Op hul oudag het hulle op Stella afgetree.

Ouma het geduld gehad met ons. Sy het die fynste kant hekel met sulke fyn gare en ‘n blink hekelpen. Dollies was ‘n groot gunsteling. Elkeen het die mooiste glaskrale gehad. Dit het geklingel wanneer sy die koffie ingebring het en dit oor die melkbertjie daarmee toegemaak was. Sy het geduld gehad om my te leer hekel – hotklou en al.

Die kombuis het ‘n houttafel gehad. So wit geskrop naby die koolstoof. In die eetkamer was ‘n bal-en-klou tafel wat ‘n verlengstuk gehad het. Op Sondae was die tafel gedek met ‘n gehekelde tafeldoek en haar beenhef eetgerei. Sy sou op ‘n oggend bel en sommer so terloops sê dat sy my pa se gunsteling skaapboud gaar gemaak het en ons moes oorkom vir ete. Sy kon selfs haar skoonseun onder ‘n wip vang met haar kos wat altyd vol verrassings was. Wanneer dit vetkoekdag was, was dit wonderlik om die vormpies van die vetkoeke in die olie te probeer assosieer met ‘n diertjie. Eendjies en hasies was altyd ‘n reg raai.

Ouma het lang hare gehad. Sy het dit in ‘n lang vlegsel aan die eenkant van haar kop gevleg en dan om haar kop gedraai. Na Oupa oorlede is en Ouma by haarself gewoon het, het die dogters op ‘n dag besluit – Ouma se hare moes kort geknip word. Wat ‘n tragedie was dit. Ouma kon nooit met die kort hare vrede maak nie. Ek het baie dae my tas gepak om by ouma te gaan bly maar het maar elke keer weer terug gekom huis toe.

Ouma Sannie het ook die swaar van die lewe geken. Haar een dogtertjie is oorlede en twee van Ouma se seuns is tydens WWII oorlede. Ek het altyd gewonder hoe sy dit oorleef het want daar was altyd ‘n glimlag op haar gesit. Oupa en Ouma met hul kinders op hul 50ste huweliksherdenking

Ouma het nog in die tyd van briewe skryf gelewe. Onlangs het ek hierdie stukkie kosbaarheid van ‘n niggie ontvang. Die brief is gerig aan haar suster, Tant Pollie, wat in Uitenhage gewoon het. Die inhoud is kosbaar!

Tot volgende keer

Sandra en Hennie