Some things I did in January & February 2015

First I spent a couple of days in Hong Kong. For a long time I wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve in Hong Kong and I was finally able to schedule my trip to South Africa in such a way that I could be in Hong Kong over the end of the year, and hailing in the new year while standing at the Hong Kong Harbor. After a couple of days in Hong Kong I continued my journey to South Africa where I stayed for about six weeks.

I got to see many friends and family. My trip in South Africa started in Johannesburg where I stayed for two days with my friend Franco. I then went to Vanderbijlpark almost a week, and then on to a road trip with one of my best friends to Pinetown where I stayed one night with another one of my best friends, and returned to Sasolburg the next day. From Sasolburg I went to Potchefstroom and stayed there for about a week--after Potchefstroom I went to Johannesburg again, then Pretoria, and then Tzaneen, Polokwane, back to Johannesburg from where I flew to Durban and Pinetown again. Finally I flew to Cape Town, went to a small Western Cape town, again to Cape Town where I stayed for about a week to spend time with my brother and another of my closest friends. From Cape Town I flew to back to Johannesburg to catch my international flight via Singapore back to Korea. As always, my South Africa trip was not particularly relaxing. All the travelling was rather stressful, and many of the people I care about are going through difficult times. Nevertheless, seeing so many of the people I love dearly was a great blessing. Because of my PhD studies I wasn't able to visit South Africa in two years, so it had been a rather long time not to see many people I care about. Also, because a might have my graduation ceremony during my break next January/February, there is a possibility that I may not be able to visit South Africa then.

Below are some representative photos from the trip:

This last picture is the first draft of a poem I wrote while in Cape Town.

My run in with a Snotkop fangirl

Two days ago I had my first run in with a fan girl. No, not of mine. This particular fan girl really dislikes me in fact. Actually she is a fan of the Afrikaans pop singer Fracois Henning aka Snotkop. (The name “Snotkop” is his stage name and literally translates as “snot-head,” but may loosely be translated as “punk.” I actually like the name, since it is an interesting play on words on the punk-pop genre he sometimes make Afrikaans covers of.) My run in with a die-hard Snotkop fan girl went like this:

A new person suddenly followed me on Twitter. I'm not particularly active on Twitter, so I'm not really sure why people I don't know would start to follow me. The more unusual thing was that miss “CALL ME CRAZY!! @ Mignon_Devitt” sent me a message, asking that I please follow her back. I didn't recognise any Mignon Devitt, and at first though it is a spammer; nevertheless, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and obliged. Almost immediately after I accepted her invitation she tweeted the following on her account:

CALL ME CRAZY!! @Mignon_Devitt

@SankoL skryfblok.blogspot.com/2010/02/lack-o… how could you write this about someone you don't know shit about? @Snotkop_Henning

12:56am · 3 Jul 2014

She tagged me, then listed a link to a post I wrote on my blog in February 2010, adding “how could you write this about someone you don't know shit about?”, and finally tagged her idol @Snotkop_Henning.

So how did I upset poor miss Mignon Devitt so terribly? Well it turns out that in a post I wrote four years ago I criticised the lack of originality in the Afrikaans music industry, and I used Snotkop as an example. I pointed out that his hit song “Kry jouself by die werk” (“Get Yourself to Work”) at the time (early 2010) is a cover of The Offspring's “Why Don't You Get a Job?” and how the beginning of his song “Shut up en soen my” unabashedly borrows from Suzanne Vega's “Tom's Diner.” My point was that I was disappointed with popular Afrikaans music, because it wasn't very original. O, and I also may have mentioned that I'm not very impressed with Snotkop's voice either and think that a lot of his and similar mainstream Afrikaans music is superficial.

Now don't get me completely wrong. I'm happy that Afrikaans music is active, even in the genres that I do not really listen to. The survival of the Afrikaans language depends on it being a thriving cultural commodity, and if pop artists like Snotkop make it seem cool among young Afrikaans speakers, that is wonderful, as it would cultivate a sense of pride in the language. It is just that I'm saddened by the unoriginal, superficial quality of mainstream Afrikaans music.

After “CALL ME CRAZY!! @Mignon_Devitt” made her tweet in which she tagged me, her idol, and my blog link, she started to send me a series of private messages on Twitter:

HI! I have seen one of your blog posts about afrikaans music and you using snotkop as an axample and what you wrote was just plain tasteless
01:20 AM - 03 Jul 14

yes so maybe he has directly translated some songs! so be it! he is one hell of an artist! we as afrikaans people would prefer him
01:22 AM - 03 Jul 14

over many international artist! he knows what he is doing! he has thousands of fans and I will defend him! he is a great artist!
01:23 AM - 03 Jul 14

And she finished with a Snotkop quote in which he acknowledges that:

"I take songs and translate them into Afrikaans and try and bring them closer to Afrikaans culture so people can better connect with them."
01:29 AM - 03 Jul 14

None of this, of course, takes away from my argument that mainstream Afrikaans music tends to be unoriginal and/or superficial—and my lament on my blog post that:

“The truly unfortunate thing is there are many talented artists performing in Afrikaans so that we need not be satisfied with such low quality music. As long as people are satisfied with fast food, quality cuisine will not become the standard; it is similar with music. While people are drunk on cheap pop music, there is no room for quality original music, which need not be the case in Afrikaans music, as we do not suffer from a lack of original artists.”

So Snotkop has thousands of fans? Good on him. And I really do mean that. I'm happy that an Afrikaans artist can make a success in such a small market. But having many fans does not a great artist make. Justin Bieber has legions more.

Turning my attention away from the South African music industry to the term “fan,” which is probably derived from the word “fanatic”, I must say that I'm intrigued by @Mignon_Devitt and the need she felt to defend her idol Snotkop from what she considered my terrible attack on him—in a post I wrote four years ago. She went through a lot of trouble, first by searching for a way to contact me, finding me on Twitter, following me on Twitter, asking me to follow her on Twitter, and then writing her tweet in which she linked to my—apparently—offending blog post, and tagged both myself and her idol @Snotkop_Henning, and then afterwards sending me a series of messages.


By tagging her idol @Snotkop_Henning in her tweet, I'm assuming she hopes that he will read it, that her intention is to impress him, to prove to him her devotion and loyalty, and how she's got his back—protecting his honour against this random blogger that wrote something about him in 2010.

I wonder if she did impress him. Or if he is oblivious to her. If he is such a hot shot artist with thousands of fans, he might be too busy—i.e. actually have a life—to read every little tweet about him. I'm pondering whether this is a case of a parasocial relationship, in which the fan has an imagined belief that they have a special bond with their idol, but it is actually a one-sided crush that may lead to Celebrity Worship Syndrome.

Also, I'm not sure if CALL ME CRAZY!! @Mignon_Devitt's attempt to call me out on Twitter in order to protect her idol Snotkop will have the desired effect. Her tweet just caused more people to read what I wrote, and what I wrote about was the lack of originality in Afrikaans music and I pointed out how Snotkop—in his own words—“take songs and translate them into Afrikaans.” Not only does he make Afrikaans covers of international bands such as The Offspring, but he also copies melodic parts from other songs for use in his songs, such as using parts of Suzanne Vega's “Tom's Diner” in his “Shut up en soen my.” Now more people who did not know that Snotkop “take[s] songs and translate them into Afrikaans” will read about him and my opinion on mainstream Afrikaans music's lack of originality. Because the Internet gives priority to sites that have links to it, @Mignon_Devitt has now made my blog-post more popular, which means more traffic will be directed to my page when they do an Internet search for “Snotkop”.

I have sympathy for CALL ME CRAZY!! @Mignon_Devitt—I have been quite smitten with a musician many years ago too. I “met” the Afrikaans cabaret diva Amanda Strydom on two occasions. The first time, I took a CD to be signed by her after a concert and when I got to the front of the line I was so awed to be in her presence that I couldn't even say my name. The second time I saw her after a show, I gave her some of my poetry naively thinking that she would be so impressed that she would turn them into songs, and I blurted out one of the most unoriginal things one could say as a fan: “I am your biggest fan!” To this day I am embarrassed to have acted like that. Thankfully I'm sure Amanda Strydom has forgotten about my silly behaviour—purely because so many other fans have uttered those same unoriginal words.

So CALL ME CRAZY!! @Mignon_Devitt, I empathise, and I'm sure I'd be offended too if someone said that Amanda Strydom doesn't have much of a voice. (Luckily for me and other Amanda Strydom fans such an accusation is unfounded.) I do apologise if my post caused you distress, but I also have the right to my opinion, just as you have the right to say that what I wrote is “shit.” May Snotkop realises what a wonderful, devoted, loyal fan he has in you.

By the way, I have nothing against Snotkop. He looks like a cool dude. And in all honesty, I haven't heard much (hardly any) of his music since I wrote that post in 2010. Maybe his music is more original and less superficial four years later. I don't know. I'm not a fan, so I'm not following his musical evolution.

Rooideur & Patriotisme

Ek weet nie heeltemal hoe voel ek hieroor nie. Ek het nog nooit lekker in gepas in my Afrikaanse subkultuur nie, maar weet feitlik niks van die Joods-Engelse subkultuur waaruit by pa stam nie. Ek het groot geword as 'n tipe "Third Culture Kid" met 'n groot dosis Hollywood flieks (my ma het 'n videowinkel gehad), fantasie boeke (ek het Lord of the Rings gelees toe ek nog op skool was, lank voor die flieks uitgekom het), Britse humor (Waiting on God, My Family en 'Alo 'Alo is van my gunstelinge), en my ma se liefde vir musiek: klassiek, country, Elvis, en musiekblyspele soos West Side Story. Min eg Suid-Afrikaanse kultuur. In my subkultuur is daar nie veel rugby, bier, en braaivleis nie. Die plaas . . . dis 'n deel van wie ek is. Maar dis onteien en verewig weg.

Terug by die Rapportryerbeweging en die Rooideur-projek wat kos voorsien aan minderbevoorregte Afrikaanse kinders. Ek dink daar is waarde in so 'n projek. Arm Afrikaners is inderdaad 'n groep wat oorgesien word weens historiese redes. Wanneer mense dink aan arm, honger kinders in Afrika, is dit nie aan wit gesiggies waaraan hulle dink nie, so hierdie is seersekerlik 'n afgeskeepte gemeenskap.

En ek was op 'n tyd self ook 'n arm wit "Afrikaner". Vir vele Suid-Afrikaners, en veral vir anderskleuriges is dit 'n anomalie. Ek onthou hoedat ek self nie geld gehad het vir kos nie, en swartmense dan by my wil geld bedel en selfs kwaad word vir my as ek nie vir hulle geld wil gee nie. Dis vir hulle ondenkbaar dat ek nie geld het nie -- in hulle gemoed is ek bloot 'n selfsugtige, wit leuenaar. Daar was een geleentheid wat 'n bedelaar my gevloek het, omdat ek nie vir hom geld wou gee nie, min wetend dat ek heel eerlik was toe ek verduidelik dat ek nie geld het om vir hom te gee nie.

Wat my pla van die Rapportryerbeweging se Rooideur-projek is die poging om patriotisme of nasionalisme te kweek. Daar is seker niks fout daarmee in opsigself nie, maar dit voel vir my amper soos daardie sopkombuise by kerke wat vir die armes kos sal gee, mits hulle na 'n preek kom luister. Die kos is nie werklik gratis nie--jy moet met jou siel daarvoor betaal. Kinderstjies, hier is vir julle kossies, maar sing saam: "Ek sal lewe, ek sal sterwe, ek vir jou Suid-Afrika!"

Vir my is daar niks fout met 'n trots in jou kultuur en land nie. Maar dit bly selde by net 'n onskuldige, trots. Baie vinnig slaan dit om in 'n selfvoldaanheid, 'n ons is beter as die res, mentaliteit. Patriotisme, soos nasionalisme, maak dit maklik om jou naaste--die mense wat soos jy lyk en dink--lief te hê soos jouself, maar moeilik om die wat anders as jy is lief te hê; want patriotisme is inherent eksklusief en nasionalisme is inherent aggressief.

Ja, asseblief, gee die kinders kos. En ja, leer hulle van hulle geskiedenis en kultuur. Maar wees versigtig oor jou motiewe.

My Aardklop wenslysie

Dit is weer Aardklop-tyd. En as ek in Suid-Afrika was met 'n goeie dik beursie geld sou ek die volgende gaan kyk het:

Riders from the Storm beloof om 'n warm (Suid-) Afrikaanse rock & roll jam sessie te wees. Ek bedoel met sulke Afrikaanse rock legendes soos Piet Botha, Mel Botes en Valient swart, hoe kan dit anders? En dan is daar nog Albert Frost, Nathan Smith, Ghapi en ander om die storm goed te laat donder. Soos die vertoning se etslyn sê: "die manne gaan bulder, die aarde gaan dreun"! Aai, ek wens ek was daar.

Amanda Strydom is Suid-Afrika se voorste Afrikaanse cabaret singer en as daar iemand is wat weet hoe om 'n goeie verhoogvertoning aan mekaar te sit dan is dit sy. Ek het nog nooit 'n Amanda Strydom vertoning gemis as ek dit kon help nie en is hiper jaloers op enige iemand wat hierdie vertoning oor 'n boeremeisie wat verlief raak op 'n rooinekloots tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlog gaan te sien kry. Ja, 'n mens kan altyd die CD na die tyd koop, maar jy kannie altyd Amanda se verhoogspel te siene kry nie. Gaan kyk dit, gaan hoor dit, gaan voel dit! Viva Amanda!

As jy van klaviermusiek hou en ook van koormusiek, dan is Amazing -- Rocco de Villiers nie te mis nie. Die klavier maestro span kragte saam met die Potchefstroomse Manskoor. Ek is seker dit gaan betower. Soortgelyk is Charl du Plessis se Pimp my Piano baie belowend: 'n vlegsel van klassieke musiek met moderne pop en jazz treffers. Ek oorweeg om die CD te koop. Ek is seker dat Zaza en die KunsteNar 'n lekker vertoning gaan wees en enige iemand wat hulleself as 'n gypsie sien sal waarskynlik ingetrek en meegevoer wees met die vertoning. En vir Jazz-liefhebbers, Jazz at Aardklop bring die van beste Suid-Afrikaanse jazz musici bymekaar en gooi hulle op 'n verhoog en siedaar! Aai, hoe jaloers is ek nou!

Ek is nie juis op hoogte met wat in Suid-Afrika se teaterbedryf aan die gang is nie, maar as ek moes kies tussen die teaterproduksies sou ek graag Die Leo's; As ek reg onthou; macbeth.slapeloos; Na-aap, 'n verweking van Franz Kafka se A Report to an Academy; en Wie's bang vir Virginia Woolf? wou sien.

Wat die visuele kunsuitstallings betref sal ek graag Maureen Quinn se The Hunt weer wil sien. Ek het die uitsalling van bronsgegote 'n klomp jare gelede gesien en dit het my geweldig beïndruk. Haar beelde skep in my angst en verwondering -- sy is waarskynlik my gunsteling Suid-Afrikaanse beeldhouer. Die uitstalling is gratis. Gaan kyk dit en laat die beelde jou siel jaag. Ek sou ook graag Robert Hamblin se uitstalling Onder konstruk wou sien omtrent manwees. Wat beteken dit nog, in hierdie tyd waarin ons leef, om 'n man te wees? Vir 'n meer prettige uitstalling dink ek Collateral -- 'n uitstalling van ontwerpersspeelgoed -- gaan lekker speels wees met allerande oulike snoesige monstertjies en wollerige husse.  

Ten laaste op my Aardklop wenslysie plaas ek Tussen hemel en aarde, 'n woordkunsvertoning gebasseer op T. T. Cloete ('n persoonlike gunsteling) en Carina Stander se gedigte.

Laat die kunste jou siel voed. Soos Hy gesê het, 'n mens kan nie van brood alleen lewe nie.

The South African National Anthem

Below is the South African National Anthem, with translations of the non-English parts in parenthesis.

It is a combination of two anthems, and combines five languages, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.

The first part (the first two stanzas) is the "Nkosi' sikelel' iAfrika" section, and is a hymn that was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga who worked as a Methodist mission school teacher. Later more verses were added in isiXhosa by the poet Samuel Mqhayi, and Moses Mphahlele translated it into Sesotho in 1941. The hymn was later adopted as an anthem for political meetings during the struggle years.

The second part of the anthem (the third and fourth stanza), is based on the poem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" by die Afrikaans poet C J Langenhoven in 1918. It was put to music in 1928 by Reverend ML de Villiers. In 1952 it was translated into English as "The Call to South Africa" and in 1957 it was adopted as the anthem of South Africa. Between 1994 and 1997 both "Nkosi' sikelel' iAfrika" and "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" were sung. The new combined National Anthem was adopted in 1997.


Nkosi' sikelel' iAfrika
(God Bless Africa)
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
(Raise high Her glory)
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
(Hear our Prayers)
Nkosi sikelela, thina lysapho lwayo.
(God bless us, we her children)

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
(God protect our children)
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
(End all wars and tribulations)
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
(Protect us, protect our nation)
Sethaba sa South Afrika -- South Afrika
(Our nation South Afrika -- South Afrika)

Uit die blou van onse hemel,
(From out the blue of our heavens)
Uit die diepte van ons see,
(From the depths of our seas)
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
(Over our everlasting mountains)
Waar die kranse antwoord gee
(Where the cliffs echoes an answer)

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
in South Africa our land.

Liewe Heksie

Ek het sopas na hierdie eerste episode van "Liewe Heksie" op YouTube gekyk. En dit was nou 'n fees!



Ek onthou hoedat ek gereeld na Liewe Heksie gekyk het toe ek 'n tjokkertjie was en onthou ook toe hulle op 'n keer aangekondig het dat daardie aand die laaste episode van Liewe Heksie was. Ek het snot en trane gehuil en my ma het hard gesukkel om my getroos te kry. Sowat 30 jaar later sit ek nou in Korea van alle plekke en kyk na Liewe Heksie. Hoe wonderlik!

Buiten vir hierdie eerste episode, het SABC ook agt ander episodes van Liewe Heksie op hulle YouTube-kanaal gelaai.

South African Coat of Arms

A character in Merlin, with a tattoo on his left arm.

I was watching the final few episodes of season 4 of the BBC series Merlin and a tattoo on the arm of one of the characters caught my eye.

A digitally enhanced
close-up of the tattoo.

Yes, it as none other than the South African Coat of Arms! Such anachronisms--one of the hall marks of Postmodernism--get's me all giddy. The average Joe watching the series would not recognize the tattoo for what it is. Who would have thought that the Coat of Arms could make for such a cool looking tattoo?

I've personally always liked the new Coat of Arms. From a purely graphic design point of view, it is a well thought through design. (I originally studied graphic design, and although I don't work in that field full time any more, I still have an appreciation for good design.)

The dawning sun, a symbol for both Africa and for a new beginning, crowns the Secretary Bird. The bird spreads its wings open in triumph and hope. The Secretary Bird is a bird of prey indigenous to Sub-Sahara Africa, known for it's unique way of killing its prey by kicking it to death. In the emblem the spear and knopkierie, two traditional weapons that also symbolize authority, act as the Secretary Bird's legs. The weapons are reclined into a guarded cross, indicating that they are used for defence, rather than offence.

The body of the Secretary Bird is both a diamond and a protea. The former representing South Africa's mineral wealth, and the latter referring to South Africa's flora. The protea is South Africa's national flower. Over 90% of all protea are found only in South Africa, in the Cape Floristic Region.

In the centre of the emblem, together with the spear and knopkierie is the traditional shield, a symbol of protection. Displayed on the shield are two human figures holding hands, symbolizing friendship, reconciliation, and unity and community. The figures are of Khoi-San (Bushmen) people, the first inhabitants of Southern Africa. I find this particularly touching that these truly indigenous South African people should be honoured in this way. The motto at the bottom of the shield is written in the Khoi language, "!ke e: /xarra //ke". It means "unity in diversity", referring to South Africa's multicultural community.

The ears of wheat symbolizes South Africa's agriculture--the bedrock of the country's health. They also signifies sustainable growth.

Finally the elephant tusks refers to the country's wildlife. Elephants are also symbols of strength and wisdom, while ivory represents longevity.

Sadly, this rich Coat of Arms also contains many ironies. The idea of a better life for all, a new beginning after the oppression of the previous regime, is quickly fading as the new regime, the current governing party, is becoming increasingly more corrupt. The reclined weapons that should indicate peace now seem to indicate the governments impotence to defend against the terrible violent crimes that plague the land. Especially suffering under these violent crimes are the agricultural industry. The systematic killing of farmers are also destroying the country's self-sufficiency. Instead of symbolising agricultural health, the ears of wheat are transformed into wreaths for graves. The illegal trade in ivory causes the butchery of elephants for their tusks and rhinos for their horns by poachers. The tusks that should symbolize longevity, now becomes reason for their premature death. The shield and the figures holding hands regularly seem to be and ideal only and the Khoi-San people are still some of the most marginalized, underprivileged people in South Africa.

Then, of course, there are the conspiracy theorists that believe that the Coat of Arms is a design chosen by the New World Order, seeped with occult symbolism.

Image Source

I'm not sure that I am truly convinced about this; however, there is that Eye-of-Providence on the pyramid. The fact that it is so conspicuously red, clearly indicates something sinister, doesn't it?

The Eye-of-Providence, also known as the All-Seeing-Eye, is also found on the American Dollar Bill.

Jacopo Pontormo's "Supper at Emmaus"
Circa 1525

In Byzantine and traditional Christian art, the Eye-of-Providence functions as a symbol for the omniscience of God, and the triangle is an icon used for the Trinity.

However, the symbol was not an authentic Christian icon. The Roman Church took it (and many other symbols) from paganism. The earliest version of the "eye" is probably the Eye of Horos, which symbolizes the Egyptian Sun-God, Ra.

That the Freemasons and other secret fraternity's often make use of the Eye-of-Providence as one of their icons is well established. If the little red triangle on top of the pyramid in the South African Coat of Arms is indeed a reference to the Eye-of-Providence as is also found in the American One Dollar Bill, then there may be room for suspicion that the powers-that-be in South Africa are not necessarily the ones doing the posturing in the media. As with most governments that are infiltrated by the New World Order, for example the United States of America, the politicians are merely puppets that dance to the strings of other, higher powers.

But, back to the South African Coat of Arms, it is fun to see that it makes for an interesting tattoo! And I enjoyed seeing it in the magical world of the Merlin-series.

Bene

Bene of borste? Die ding wat jou maak vergeet waarvan jy jou net gepraat het en (ongeskik, maar onskuldig) staar. Party mans is gaande oor borste, ander oor bene.  Ek is 'n beneman.

In Korea sien 'n mens nogals baie bene. Koreaanse vroue het nie juis borste nie, daarom paradeur hulle hulle bene. Een van die vreemdste dinge van Korea is hoedat jongvroue, veral in die winter, hulle bene wys. Terwyl gewone mense alle vleeslike opening toe maak teen die bibberkoue, loop vele Koreaanse vroue rond in “hot pants.” Wyl ek ten minste twee lae broeke aan het, vergaap ek myself oor Koreaanse meisies in minirompe. Ek wens die “vergaping” was 'n waardeuring vir hulle bene, eerder as 'n verstomming oor hulle bomenslike (waansinnige?) vermoë om die koue te weerstaan. Then again, I am from Africa. Van my studente meen dat vroue wat so met kaalbene in die winter loop doen dit om gewig te verloor. Glo brand jy baie kilojoules deur jou bene in die koue te ontbloot.

Dis baie jammer dat tipiese Koreaanse meisies se bene dit net nie vir my doen nie. 'n Mooi been moet 'n kurwe hê, glo ek. Die kuite moet 'n kontoer hê wat herhaal in die enkels—'n eggo van die middel en heupe. Die Koreaanse ideaal vind nie vroue met kuite aantreklik nie. Kuite is waarskynlik 'n historiese simbool van harde-arbeid. Die mooi vrou in Korea is gebasseer op die aristokrasie, bleek vroutjies wat deur hulle diensmeisies gepamperlang is: spierlose porselynpoppies. Tipiese Koreaanse meisies het kontoerlose bene, sulke omgekeerde "cones" wat in skoene verdwyn. Selfs Korea se mode-gurus kritiseer hulle celebrities indien hulle bene elegante kontoere het. Kyk hierdie ontstellende YouTube-video waarin meisies met mynsinsiens pragtige bene eufemisties afgekraak word oor hulle "healthy legs".



Toe ek vroeër vanjaar in Suid-Afrika was, het iets my opgeval—mooi bene. Ek het al vergeet hoe mooi bene kan wees en dit was lekker om soveel meisies met gesonde, mooi bene te sien.

Famke Jannsen is 'n Nederlandse model
en aktrise. Sy is 1,82 m lank, langer as meeste
Amerikaners waar sy in Hollywood werk.

Binne my subkultuur* verdien gesonde, gespierde vrouebene aandag. Dis moontlik die Hollandse genetiese imprenting saam met die Afrikaner plaaskind argitipe wat daar agte lê. Die Nederlanders is van die langste mense in die wêreld, en dus langbene. Die Nederlandse genepoel is sterk in Suid-Afrika en daarom hou ons subkultuur moontlik ook van daardie genetiese manifestasie. Daarby is die Plaas 'n geweldige sterk simbool binne die wit Suid-Afrikaner se psige. Plaaskinders wat buite speel en boomklim en skaap aanjaag en perdry en in die plaasdam swem is gesonde kinders met natuurlik gesonde spiere. Nie te praat van die hordes stories van ons oumagrootjies wat kaalvoet oor die Drakensberge geloop het nie. (Ek het so 'n storie in my familie; jy?) 'n Paar generasies later en elke hoërskoolseun vergaap hom aan die pragtige gesonde bene van die meisies in die netbal- en hokkiespanne.

In Korea is daardie tipe bene geensins die gekose bene nie. Hier in Korea is daar snaakse dinge van Suid-Afrika wat ek mis en nie mis nie. Ek mis nie braaivleis nie. Ek mis nie rugby nie. Ek mis bene wat my hart aan die jaag kry!


* Ondanks my Skots-Joodse herkoms, was ek in 'n plaasskool as kind en in 'n Afrikaanse hoërskool. My bewuswondering van mooi meisies is dus vanuit hierdie konteks.