Who was JRR Tolkien?

JRR Tolkien, whose fantastic stories made him a cult figure in the ‘”hippie generation” of the late 1960’s, was born in the South African town of Bloemfontein but moved to England in 1896. After studying at Oxford and taking part in the First World War, he taught at various British universities. 

From 1920 to 1925, he taught English in Leeds and from 1925 to 1959, he was professor of Germanic philology and literature at Oxford.   Inspired by his study of Old and Middle English and Celtic and Germanic myths, he wrote novels as well as scholarly works. “The Hobbit” (1937), originally conceived as a children’s book, an introduction to the world of the Anglo-Saxon and Nordic sages, he created a realm of fantasy inhabited by human-like creatures with a language of their own. In the trilogy “The Lord of the Rings “(1954 to 1955), which brought him an international reputation, he developed the story of the Hobbits still further. The three books describe, in the style of old legendary stories, the fantasy world of the Middle Earth with its struggle between good and evil. Although Tolkien claimed that his trilogy was a “historical report”, it was frequently seen as a utopian of allegorical work. It became a cult book among young people and inspired the fantasy literature, which proliferated in the seventies and eighties. 

Tolkien died in Bournemouth (Hampshire) on 2 September 1973. Five years after his death “The Lord of the Rings” reached wide cinema audiences as an animated cartoon film.  

The Prophecies Nongqawuse

By the middle of the 19^th century the Xhosa people of the Eastern Cape region in South Africa had suffered from eight frontier wars with Boers and a cattle plague brought in from Europe by settlers, which had killed thousands of animals. In their despair, they clung to the prophecies of sixteen-year-old Xhosa women named Nongqawuse who had promised her people the resurrection of all their herds and the destruction of the whites. 

On 18 February 1857, she prophesied that two suns would rise and a whirlwind would sweep the white settlers into the sea, and called for the killing of all cattle and the burning of all food supplies as sacrificial offerings. This was done: at least 200,000 cattle were slaughtered, and as a result more than 40,000 Xhosa starved to death and another 30,000 fled to other parts of the country in quest of food. Nongqawuse was arrested and imprisoned on Robben Island; she died in 1898 somewhere in the Eastern Cape, where she had been living in exile. 

The depopulated region was preoccupied by 2 300 ex-soldiers, veterans of the Crimean War, and 4 000 German immigrants. 

 

Well Done Blade Runner!

South Africa’s own beloved ‘blade runner’, Oscar Pistorius made history last Saturday (4 August 2012) when he made his Olympics debut in the individual 400m. 

Oscar had a long battle to be allowed to compete in the Olympics. He was given the green light for the Olympics following studies that found his prosthetics give him no advantage over his able-bodied rivals.

Unfortunately, Oscar Pistorius's historic Olympic campaign ended on Thursday (9 August 2012) as the South African team failed to complete their 4x400m relay heat after a dramatic fall.

Pistorius competed in the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympics.

He was born on 22 November 1986 without the fibula, the long, slender bone running along the outside of the leg from below the knee joint and down to the ankle, in each of his legs.

His parents consulted with some of the leading doctors in the world before making the heart-wrenching decision to have his legs amputated below the knee. 

They were advised that having the amputation done before Oscar had learnt to walk would be less traumatic for him and would greatly improve his chances of mobility in later life. Six months later, he received his first pair of prosthetic legs and within days, he had mastered them.

Supported and encouraged by his family, Oscar lived an active life, which led to him becoming a keen sportsman during his school years. Whatever the sport, Oscar played it, with his focus being water polo and rugby in secondary school. He also played cricket, tennis, took part in triathlons and Olympic club wrestling and was an enthusiastic boxer.

Oscar is an example to everyone for his courage, dedication and guts!

We are proud of him!

Nigel, South Africa

 In South Africa, in the province of Gauteng there is a little town called Nigel. I am from Nigel and I always wondered where the name came from - I thought it was named after maybe the founder of the town.

I was wrong and then I found this interesting titbit, which is a very interesting story.

In 1882, a farmer Petrus Johannes Marais of the farm Varkensfontein in the Heidelberg district made an agreement with a prospector named Johnstone allowing him to prospect for gold on the farm. 

Johnstone’s prospecting operations continued for a considerable time shrouded in secrecy. Then one day a stranger called on farmer Marais and made him an offer to buy the farm.

Fortunately, farmer Marais was at that time reading “The Fortunes of Nigel" by Sir Walter Scott, a story about a young man, Nigel Olifaunt, also known as Lord Glenvarloch who was the victim of a dishonest intrigue but eventually achieved his goal in life. This Nigel Olifaunt travels to London in order to ask the King to repay his father's loan. Nigel wishes to use the money to pay off a mortgage on his estate—but the Duke of Buckingham and Prince Charles already have their eyes on it. The lord is drawn into the chaotic life of the court, and when he becomes an enemy of the profligate Lord Dalgarno, he finds himself in grave danger.

The stranger's visit immediately aroused farmer Marais's suspicions to the extent that he decided to visit his farm himself. Once at the farm he found that his suspicions were well founded. With the experiences of Nigel, the character in the novel in mind, he determined not to allow himself to be cheated by cunning fortune seekers and at once set about to establish his own company. In July 1888, two years after the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, he achieved his goal. His company was registered as the Nigel Gold Mining Company. The town, which grew around the mine, still bears the name derived from Scott's book.

In 1888, the State President Paul Kruger declared Nigel as a public digging under notice no. 331 and since then the history and development of Nigel are inseparable from those of the gold mines. The town was little more than a mining camp until 1923, when the control of the town was passed into the hands of a Dorpvillage. The first meeting of this council was held on 2 January 1923.

The town is on the edge of the area known as the East Rand, the industrial engine room of Johannesburg.

Acknowledgment: Nigel.Gauteng

MAKE YOUR OWN BEER!

WIN WITH ROULETTE!

Dullstroom, Mpumalanga

At 2097m above sea level, Dullstroom is one of the highest towns in South Africa. It has a sub-alpine climate, and is well known for its cool, often misty atmosphere. The town's stone lodges nestle along cool trout dams and streams, where bright yellow arum lilies and 120 other species of indigenous wild flower carpet the region in a kaleidoscope of color every spring. With its many pubs, restaurants, lodges and quaint village shops, this is one of the most appealing tourist destinations in Mpumalanga. 

Dullstroom is ultimately about relaxing, breathing fresh air, be it by fishing, hiking, dining out or snuggling up next to a cosy fireplace on a misty night. The town and vicinity offers a choice of accommodation, ranging from camping to well equipped, self-catering houses, up-market lodges and hotels.

Dullstroom dates back to the early 1880's, when Dutch settlers came to the area. The town derives its name from one Wolterus Dull, chairperson of the Dutch immigrants. The "stroom" (stream) refers to the abundance of water in the area: The Crocodile River, which runs through the Kruger National Park, has its origin in Dullstroom. Other major tributaries, like the Lunsklip, Klip River, Steelpoort and Elands River, do not only feed important rivers and marshlands, but have also become synonymous with some of the best trout fishing in the country.

Visit Disney World!

Dullstroom and surrounds is primarily a haven for family fun, fly-fishing and country fresh air. The wide selection of elegant hotels and a variety of country accommodation, eateries, shops and activities, have made this an appealing tourist destination and an ideal stopover on the way to the Lowveld and Kruger Park.

Dullstroom - a true paradise for the nature lover.

Holiday Resorts: Badplaas

Badplaas [“Place of the Baths”], one of South Africa’s best-known warm water resorts, is set against the fantastic backdrop of the greenish-blue Hlumo-Hlumo Mountains. The spa complex is equipped with bungalows, chalets, caravan-park and a hotel. There are also four medicinal mineral baths. 

Adjacent is the Badplaas Nature Reserve, which entrance is on the Barberton road. There various species of animals and there are beautiful hiking and horse-riding trails in the park. Horses can be hired from the local stables.

10 Sporting Facts and Milestones

1. The first international cricket match played in South Africa was played in 1889.

2. The first South African to win the world Formula 1 Championship was Jody Schechter for the Ferrari Team in 1979.

3. So far, four cricketers born in South Africa have captained England’s cricket team - Tony Greig, Allan Lamb, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss.

4. Gary player became the fifth golf player in history to win the Grand Slam - the US Masters, US Open, the Open and the US PGA - when he won the US Open in 1965. He is one of golf’s greats.

5. With the 2012 Olympics in full swing now, Reggie Walker was the first South African to win an Olympic gold medal when he won the 100 metres in 10,8 seconds in 1908.

6. Karen Muir was a 12-year-old schoolgirl when she broke the world 110 yards backstroke in 1965.

7. Bobby Lock was the first South African golf player to win a major when he won the Open at Troon in Scotland in 1949.

8. The first Comrade Marathon was run in 1921 from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Only 23 runners participate but it became an annual event. The comrades marathon was initiated to commemorate comrades who had fallen during World War I.

9. Peter ‘Terror’ Mathebule was South Africa’s first black boxer to become world champion (flyweight division) in 1980.

10. Baby Jake Matlala became the first South African boxer to win four world titles.