A salutation to real heroes
Final article
Sydney Opperman is bringing to a close his series of articles on the origins and names of the country's indigenous (first) nation with this goodbye:
It must have been the words from the Augeries of Innocence by William Blake, "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, and a Heaven in a Wild Flower. Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, and Eternity in an hour" that inspired Doc Smit, a professor, to inspire a few of us one night around a camp fire with the following words:
"As jy in een korreltjie sand in jou hand die wêreld kan sien, en in een druppel die oseaan, dan hou jy in jou hand 'n oneindigheid en beleef, in een oomblik, die ewigheid."
I want to salute people like Doc Smit who broadened my perspective in life.
It is an absolute disgrace that a man of his calibre was so brutally killed some years ago in Cape Town. My country has become a place where there is no longer respect for life. Even kids have become killers while we sit on our hands. It is time that we force respect back into our communities. Those who do not respect the lives of others must expect nothing less. In every community we must stand up for righteousness and justice.
Many people think that the world owes them something. They demand, and if those sometimes unreasonable demands are not met, they destroy everything in sight.
In the mad season of elections we have now entered, so-called "leaders" will once again abuse their positions to poison the minds of the vulnerable and to drive wedges between the different sections of communities for short-term gains, without understanding that every seed one sows, bears fruit.
There are however people who have decided to "lay down their lives" for the benefit of mankind. These people, especially those who laboured and suffered under harsh conditions to do the research that assisted me and others, are the ones who gave input in the understanding of certain aspects of the history of the indigenous people of Southern Africa.
In June of 2008 I dedicated my speech during the budget debate for Arts and Culture to two of my heroes. Firstly to Dr Artif, a man small in stature but a spiritual giant who lives in seclusion in the Valley of Salt in Egypt, who taught me the importance of opening, reading and understanding the Book of a Nation.
Secondly, to Dr Cyril Hromnik, a researcher and historian who taught me the true meaning of research - in the veld of the Moordenaarskaroo, in the streets of Observatory, on the slopes of Devil's Peak, the mountains outside Hermanus and on the Outeniqua Mountain.
Thanks to Alida de Beer and the George Herald who gave me the opportunity to share around the Otentottu or Quena.
This is my last contribution in the George Herald for now. Love you all.
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