Rympies vir Jeugdag, 16 Junie, deur Petro Janse van Vuuren en Monica Bosman
This is all five sections of a trilogy in five parts for Youth Day on 16 June. With an original sound track created just for this moment. The rhyme is a play on a patriotic youth song from the old South Africa days called “Die lied van jong Suid-Afrika” (The song of young South Africa)
A little about how it came about…
I was visiting my mom in Stellenbosch (see this rhyme about that moment). We were playing with words as I often do with people who also like to do so (most of my family). We were playing with ideas that talk of hope and promises of better times – melk en heuning (milk and honey); kelke vol seëning (goblets full of blessing); geld sonder lening (money without a loan) etc. And from the side Mom says “En hoor jy die magtige dreuning” (And do you hear the mighty rumble?). It was a little out of the blue, but still, recalls a song that spoke of such hope and promise to the Afrikaner of the old South Africa. I knew immediately this was a seed for something important.
Part one came quickly in direct response to that playing with words. But it felt glib. IT needed the darker more critical side of where we are now in South Africa. Thus was born part 2. My sister then got wind of it (since she is my language editor, Monica Bosman). She offered Part 3 as a further development of the flip side of the rumble – die striemende stilte (the searing silence).
From there we went back to the milk and honey, but no longer as a sure promise, rather as something to be sought again. Listening to this Mom said she now misses the hope. That is how part 5 came about as a rhyme of critical hope.
It was truly a family affair.
Rhymes by sisters: Petro Janse van Vuuren en Monica Bosman…
Drawings by my son: Benjamin
Tunes by my cousin: Lara Kirsten
Video editing by my other son – who does not yet want to be named.
Rhyme text in Afrikaans
En hoor jy die Magtige Dreuning?
I – Petro
Deel 1
Vat my hand
Dan lei ek jou na die land
van melk en heuning
kelke vol sening
geld sonder lening
vir elk se ondersteuning
Hoor jy die magtige dreuning
die kragtige kreuning
die smagting na mening?
Oor die veld kom dit wyd gesweef
Die lied van ’n nuwe ontwaking
Wat harte laat breek en herleef
Deel 2
Van Kaapstad tot bo in die Noorde
Kruip sluipend en stil prewelwoorde
Styg spytige, gebroke akkoorde
Dis die verdriet van ’n stom Suid-Afrika
Dit is die krediet van honger Suid-Afrika
Dis die gebed van krom Suid-Afrika
Die geweld van grommende Suid-Afrika
Die ontsteltenis van jong Suid-Afrika
Dit is die lied van ons Suid-A-fri-ka
Hoor jy die magtige dreuning?
II – Monica
Deel 3
En hoor jy die striemende stilte
Van só baie goed ongesê
Van slagtings en menings
klagtes en steunings
die sagte smekings
waarop die sluier van swye swaar lê?
Verhale diep in harte en kaste begrawe
Wat nêrens op sosiale media rondlê nie
Wat komediante nie van verhoë af wil sê nie
Tonge gebyt vir die vrede
Stories van lank terug tot hede
Wat buite die narratief lê
Hoor jy die striemende stilte?
III – Ons albei
Deel 4
Vat my hand
Lei my na na die land
van melk en heuning
kelke vol sening
geld sonder lening
vir elk se ondersteuning
Boesmanland?
My Liewe land!
Vat my hand!
Lei ons déúr die bedroefte land
Behoefteland
Omgeploegde land
Onbeskofte land
Ons beloofde land
Deel 5
Ja, jy wat so sinies en afgemat kreun
Sien jy die tekens van hoop om jou heen?
Van Clifton tot bo in Musina
Hou tog op soek na jou Dina
As Wilhelmina
Katerina
Gesina
Marina
Én Karolina
Hier is om nou op te leun
Luister aandagtig vir ’n beter bedeling
Sien jy deur smart ook die seëning?
Proe jy die melk en die heuning?
En hoor jy die magtige dreuning?
The next rhyme?
Is coming out on Father’sday 19 June…
Title: Môre, Pa (Morning, Dad)
Here is the one for Mother’s Day too: Perlemoer (Mother of Pearl)