HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Oos-Afrika Vriendekomitee

The Queen Mother on her 1959 state visit to Kenya and Uganda receiving bouquets of flowers from an Asian, an African and a settler child in Eldoret. (Photo: East African Annual 1959-1960) Inside / Binne 2 General info 3 Moving Heaven and Earth – and the Equator (Elsie Cloete) 7 Ds. M.P. Loubser, merkwaardige Godsman (Magriet Doorewaard) 8 Four old Highlanders (Dan Steyn) 9 Oorlede / Deceased & Teruggestuur / RTS 19 Afrikaner contribution to Kenya Rugby (Paul Okong'o) 15 East Africa Women’s League Tapestry Panels (Elsie Cloete) 21 A request for pictorial material (Dan Steyn) 22 Stellenbosch vs Kakamega (Dan Steyn) 23 John Kagagi letter from New Zealand re Kenya Rugby 24 Kameelperde in koringlande (Christian Schlotfeldt) 27 Swahili Museum, New Kenya Railway, Kuki Gallmann 28 Kitale School Reunion 2016 29 The East African Safari Rally 1953-1963 (compiled by Elsie Cloete) 31 Foto: Kenia Saamtrek 2016, Pretoria (Krige van Heerden) 32 Map shared by Dave Lichtenstein HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 2

East-Africa Get-together Saturday 7 October 2017 at the shelter at the picnic site of the Voortrekker Monument See you there!

Oos-Afrika Saamtrek Saterdag 7 Oktober 2016 Voortrekkermonument se saal by die ontspanningsterrein Ons sien mekaar daar!

Please send your e-mail address if you prefer to get the Habari in electronic format.

EDITOR’S LETTER / REDAKTEURSBRIEF East Africa Friends Committee Oos-Afrika Vriendekomitee Thank you very much to everyone who sent articles, photographs and information for this year’s Habari. Danie Steyn (Chairman/ Voorsitter) 012 664 5349 Baie dankie aan elkeen wat bygedra het tot die ar- Posbus 17074, Lyttelton, 0140. tikels, foto’s en informasie in hierdie uitgawe van die Mobile: 083 2716 378 Habari. [email protected] [email protected] Rugby has turned out to be one of the strong themes this year – and it is also being researched Eddie de Waal (Editor/ by Kenyans today. See Paul Okong’o’s article on Redakteur, HABARI) 628 Page 16 and John Kagagi’s request on Page 23. Keerom Street, DASPOORT Please note that Dan Steyn is compiling a Kenya 0082 scrapbook for publication – read about it on Page 20 Cell: 0766049177 e-mail: [email protected] and find out how you can contribute to it. Dan is doing a great job, and you can be a part of it. Krige van Heerden - Editor Pieter Pieterse Dorie Boshoff Elsie Cloete ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER Janssen Davies Jan Boshoff Our annual get-together is scheduled for Saturday Piet Prinsloo 7th October. Isabel Prinsloo Venue: The shelter at the picnic site at the Voortrek- Rina Helberg ker Monument. Entrance fee: The last entry fee we received, was PLEASE send us your e-mail address that it would be R40.00 per person. The cost of postage is going up ... and our postal service is going down. To counter this, Donations are always welcome and helpful. U kan we have started issuing the Habari via e-mail. It works well – it is fast, you can see all the in die volgende rekening deponeer: Oos-Afrika colour there actually is, you can enlarge it on Vriendekomitee / Friends of East Africa Committee the PC screen, and you can share it easily. Acc no/Rek no 080602405 Absa Hercules. Die kode vir alle Absa takke is dieselfde. 632 005 is the Please send your address to code for all Absa branches. Rina Helberg at [email protected] HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 3

Moving Heaven and Earth gloved hand wav- – and the Equator ing. The weary children trooped Elsie Cloete back to school dis- appointed and dis- (Sources from the East Africa An- gruntled. nual 1959-1960 and with thanks to Estelle Bieri, Dan Steyn and Fanie Organisers of any & Sorette Kruger. The photos of royal visit will tell the Kruger family meeting the you that heaven Queen Mother are sourced from a and earth have to privately published book by Sor- be moved to en- ette Kruger, wife of Fanie Kruger, sure everything Die Kenya-konneksie: Die Storie van die Krugers en die Steyns, proceeds accord- 2011.) ing to established protocol and plan. uring February 1959 Sometimes, one D Queen Elizabeth, the has to move the The Queen Mother greeting settlers at Equator Queen Mother, undertook a Equator as well. Station. The sign is about 25 metres from the state visit to Kenya and Peter Lavers, small station building. Technically, the equato- rial line transects the station building and not Uganda. Kenya itself was still headmaster at St the sign. (Photo: East Africa Annual 1959-1960) under a declaration of a State Andrews, later told the children about of Emergency as a result of the from the southern hemisphere the Queen Mother’s stop at Mau Mau but the royal visit into the northern hemisphere was considered an essential within her suite. But there were The committee had aspect to mending fences be- technical difficulties in that tween the diverse communities planned that the Queen such an exact alignment would in the country. In Kampala she Mother should step over prevent the engineers from tak- would officially open Makerere the Equator, from the ing on much-needed water at University. Her visit coincided southern hemisphere the station’s water stop. Never with the Western Kenya Agri- into the northern hemi- daunted, the East African Rail- cultural Show at Eldoret and sphere, within her rail- ways & Harbours Corporation she journeyed by train from way carriage suite. re-erected the rather elaborate Nakuru to spend a few days on sign in order to accommodate the Uasin Gishu Plateau before both the royal visitor and the the nearby Equator Station – continuing with her journey. engineers. It remains in the the highest railway station in same spot to this day – looking The specially refurbished the Commonwealth at 8716 very much the worse for wear, steam train made a number of feet (2657 metres). As the some 25 metres off centre! whistle-stops along the line at name signifies, the tiny sta- small, country stations or wher- tion straddles the Equator. On the Plateau the Queen ever the train passed through a Here, the Queen Mother dis- Mother visited Rensburgrus, farm. Estelle Bieri (neé Cloete) embarked to meet settlers. the farm originally taken up in remembers that pupils at St The organising committee for 1908 by Commandant Jansen Andrews School at Turi were the royal visit had planned van Rensburg – leader of the each given a small flag and that the windows of the car- first Afrikaner trek to the Pla- walked to Turi station in their riage the Queen Mother was teau. The previous night, the Sunday best to wait for hours travelling in should align per- Queen Mother had spent the and hours for the royal train to fectly with the newly built night in her carriage, parked at arrive. In the end, the train Equator Station sign and that Soy Station. From there it was steamed past at speed and no she should be able to step just a short ride to Rensbur- one saw a thing, let alone a HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 4

Afrikaners in high esteem:

“A lot of them were very basic, Mum says. “They weren’t educated and they didn’t read anything except the Bible. But they were tough and re- sourceful and they could live off noth- ing, those people.” And then she sniffs and I can tell it wounds her to make the next admission. “Well, that was most of them. But some of them were quite posh. One Afrikaner family was so posh that the Queen Mother stayed with them when she came to Kenya in 1959.”

Mum pauses to let me absorb this startling knowledge. “Imagine that,” she says. “There’s no way our shoddy little house would have been fit for Fanie Kruger’s invitation to tea and royalty, but there they were – those coffee at his grandmother’s home. posh Afrikaners – entertaining the Queen Mother!” grus. The farm previously be- making a very significant con- (from Alexander Fuller’s Cocktail Hour longed to Jansen van Rens- tribution to the economy of under the Tree of Forgetfulness, Simon & burg’s grandson, SP Kruger Kenya and had served as Schuster, 2011. Nicola Fuller, who went OBE, a member of the colony’s members of the King’s Afri- to the convent, may well be remembered Legislative Council and instru- can Rifles during World War II for her successes in show jumping, racing mental in arranging for Plateau and as members of the and bending poles. In an arrangement with Flip Prinsloo, she rode his horse, farmers serving in the Kings Kenya Regiment during Mau Violet, at these meets.) African Rifles in north Africa, to Mau). Alexander Fuller, in a return and produce food for the memoir of her mother, Nicola There was show jumping to be Allied forces in Africa.(SP Huntingford, who spent her watched, livestock to be Kruger died in 1956, his widow, childhood in Eldoret, records viewed and a re-creation of a Joey, then owned the farm.) that Nicola did not hold most wagon train commemorating The Queen Mother had Photo below: Japie (JC) Kruger, his mother, Joey, the Queen Mother and Nan tea with the Krugers. (SPE) Kruger at Rensburgrus. Every member of the family, including children and grandchildren, re- ceived an invitation.

Some members of the English-speaking com- munity were rather non- plussed at the fact that the Queen Mother had requested a meeting with an Afrikaans family (nonplussed, despite the fact that the Afrikaners on the Plateau were HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 5 the large Afrikaner treks to the Plateau in 1908 and 1911. Ed- wina Wood, whose family lived at Turbo, writes that the Queen Mother was only supposed to attend it for half an hour or so, but ended up staying much longer. At the end she left her seat in the stands and went down to talk to some of the Afrikaner farmers who had staged a recreation of a wagon train, complete with one old lady who had come to Kenya on one of the treks as a babe in arms. Some of the oxen drawing the wagons were descendants of the ones who had pulled the wagons all those years After tea with the Krugers the rest of the Queen Mother’s day was ago, and were a lovely sight. They spent at the Eldoret Show Grounds in the company of local farmers had been groomed like thor- where she visited the home industries and trade exhibits. As usual, queues of settlers lined up to meet her. oughbreds, their coats brushed till they gleamed and their hooves and horns blackened and buffed with boot the participants remark- ing that it was a pity that polish. The Queen Mother spent quite a while the QM (as she was walking about and talking to the par- known) simply tossed ticipants and many of them said after- her bouquet of flowers wards that they had the feeling that onto the shelf behind the her interest was completely genuine. back seat of the Gover- (from “Dangerous Days – the Royal Vis- nor’s official car as it left its” by Edwina Wood in Childhood Memo- the grounds on the way ries of Colonial East Africa 1920 to 1963, to “Kapsiliat” where the The Queen Mother meeting the children edited by Jon Considine and John Raw- Queen Mother over- and grandchildren of SP Kruger at the lins, Bongo Books, 2006) nighted with Sybil Ridley, farm. Joey Kruger is doing the introduc- tions. The Queen Mother is always a personal friend. The remembered as being very gracious but any royal visit must be exhausting for all par- ties. When the newly dusted and gleaming black Rolls Royce pulled out of the show grounds I remember some of Photo right: The East Africa Annual1959-1960 captioned this photo as follows: “Throughout her tour the Queen Mother inspected many guards of honour but perhaps the smartest was that mounted by the Kenya Regiment when she visited El- doret in the heart of up-country Kenya.” HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 6

following morning she attended morning service at the tiny An- glican Church in Moiben.

Dan Steyn, who was at the Hill School, remembers that for weeks beforehand everybody was engaged in painting little flags and practicing all kinds of things (curtseying and bowing amongst other things) in antici- pation of the royal visit. On the day however, Dan missed eve- rything as he was home sick in bed. The Queen Mother receiving bouquets of flowers from children in El- The Queen Mother also re- doret. The red blazers are those of the Loreto Convent while the blue viewed the guards of honour at uniforms in the middle ground belong to Hill School pupils. Angela a ceremonial parade by the Morat, who attended Loreto Convent, remembers that the Queen Kenya Regiment in the Eldoret Mother stopped by a group of children and remarked that they “had town square. ~ lovely blazers”. (Photo: East African Annual 1959-1960) This photo was taken by Edgar Bryson from the top of the Hughes Building and gives an overhead view of the central square in Eldoret. Troops from the Kenya Regiment can be seen on parade. The Town Hall is on the right-hand side. (Photo courtesy of Dan Steyn) HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 7

Ds. M.P. Loubser, daar tydens ‘n vergadering op merkwaardige Godsman 17 Oktober 1910 besluit om by die Landkantoor aansoek te Magriet Doorewaard doen vir grond ter “plaats No.64”, wat beoog was die et feitlik niks nie behalwe totstandkoming van ‘n dorpie. M ‘n sterk geloof, het eers In antwoord hierop het die individue en later groepies Landkantoor laat weet dat vyf Boere ná die Anglo- akker vir ‘n kerk toegestaan sal Boereoorlog Suid-Afrika verlaat word sodra die dorp eers op soek na ‘n beter lewe in uitgemeet is. Loubser het dit ander lande. Die woord van ‘n aan die gemeente duidelik land “van melk en heuning” bo gestel dat hy nié sy pligte as in “Donker Afrika” het vinnig leraar kon navolg tensy dit in ‘n versprei en die ore van veral kerk plaasvind nie en, Boere in die Vrystaat en aangesien die uitleg en uitmeet Transvaal bereik. Al hoe meer vir ‘n dorpie nog jare kon duur, trekgroepe het uitgewyk na Ds M P Loubser besluit die kerkraad op 10 April Brits- en Duits-Oos Afrika (tans 1911 om ‘n struktuur van bekend as Kenia en Tanzanië). en sonder versuim die beroep bamboes op te rig wat tydelik Dat hierdie mense Suid-Afrika na Oos-Afrika aanvaar het. ‘n as kerkie kon dien. Op J.P. verlaat het sonder ‘n predikant Lang en innige band tussen Prinsloo se plaas word toe die het tot groot bekommernis Loubser en die Oos- later alombekende gelei onder veral die geledere Afrikaners begin in Junie “Bamboeskerkie” opgerig. van die N.G.Kerk. Die 1909 met sy vertrek na Oos- Plegtig het Loubser die landsverlaters self het ook hul Afrika.1 inwyding boodskap van die primitiewe kerkie oorgedra: behoefte uitgespreek dat ‘n Onmiddelik met sy aankoms permanente leraar by hulle “Wie volhard sal tot die einde, daar, begin hy lidmate van 4 moes aansluit. Die uitdagings die sal salig word”. die kerk (gemeente van ‘n onontginde land waar ‘n Vergenoeg) in Brits-Oos op te Met sy aankoms in Brits-Oos pad na beskawing letterlik en soek. Dit neem hom ses het Loubser gevind dat die figuurlik oopgekap moes word, maande, waarna hy in paar staatskooltjies wat toe het die pioniers op hul knieë Januarie 1910 ook besoek reeds tot stand gekom het, nie gehad. Die geestelike begin aflê by die Boere in voldoen het aan die behoeftes ondersteuning van ‘n Godsman Duits-Oos-Afrika (gemeente van die Boere nie. Die het vir hierdie Christene van Meru). ‘n Besoek vanaf Brits- onderwysdepartement deel allerbelang geword. Buiten ‘n Oos na Duits-Oos het hom mee dat indien die Boere paar besoekende leraars het meegebring dat hy eers per wil hê die regering moet vir dié geen predikant egter op trein tot by Voi moes reis, kinders ‘n skool oprig, hulle daardie stadium homself vanaf Voi tot by Tavetta per geen beheer mag uitoefen oor verkose gevoel om die fiets, en vandaar verder per wie aangestel mag word as geestelike lig na hierdie ossewa. Hy het selfs so ver onderwysers nie. Loubser het pioniers te neem nie. as die Kongo lidmate oral in gemeentevergaderings besoek.2 belê met die oog op die Teen 1908 het die toeloop na oprigting van ‘n eie skool met Oos-Afrika ‘n hoogtepunt Terug in Brits-Oos begin onderwysers uit Suid-Afrika. bereik. en die smeekbede vir ‘n Loubser dadelik planne Ongelukkig het hy nie baie predikant het toegeneem. Asof beraam vir die oprigting van ondersteuning gekry nie; so bestem, sou dit ook die ‘n kerkgebou. Op die plaas moontlik was die gebrek aan jaartal wees wat M.P. Loubser van Wil von Maltitz (waar hy 5 3 fondse die grootste probleem. as N.G. predikant georden is ook tuisgegaan het ) word Reeds in 1911 skryf hy in die HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 8

Kerkbode:5 van Wil von Maltitz en sy Afrika en somtyds self as “Mijne grootste moeilijkheid is seun Bokkie het opgetree as onderwyser ingetree. Deur sy het onderwijs; de kinderen onderwyser. Weldra het veldtogte en toedoen het talle loopen nog het zoo rond als Loubser ook gesorg vir die onderwysers later na Oos- toen zij uit het zuiden kwamen. oprigting van drie Afrika gekom. Die stigting van Zoodra ik van N’Yeri terugkom privaatskooltjies: Op die plaas die kerkskole op Sergoit en zal ik drie scholen openen. De van die weduwee Broederstroom kan ook aan sy regeering wil niet helpen omdat Engelbrecht, die plaas van arbeid toegeskryf word. ik Hollandsch in mijn school- Abel Erasmus en ‘n skooltjie Loubser het geglo dat as jy die cursus insluit.” op Kiboku. toekoms van jou kerk en volk wil verseker, jy met onderwys Eerste was daar ‘n skool van Deurentyd het Loubser moet begin.7 Dit was vir hom gebakte stene gebou met die steeds ‘n ernstige beroep belangrik dat Afrikaans as taal (finansiële?) hulp van die kerk gedoen op ondersteuning in eerbiedig word en die van Suid-Afrika. Dié skooltjie Suid-Afrika ter bevordering leergange van die Unie (Suid- was opgerig naby die plaas van die onderwys in Oos-

Four old Highlanders Dan Steyn

On April fool’s day 2017 four old Highlanders met at Dick Wheeler's house in Villiersdorp for a cup of tea and a chat. In the line-up above (from left to right) are Fanie Kruger, Dick Wheeler, Hettie Pohl (née Van Niekerk) and Dan Steyn.

We were all born in Eldoret, Dick in 1939, Hettie Hettie married Harry Pohl while still in Kenya; in 1940, and Fanie and Dan both in 1945. We they initially farmed on the Nandi Border, and all started school in the old Highlands School in after moving to the RSA, in partnership with Eldoret, James sometime around 1946 and Het- Hendrik Kruger they bought an apple farm in tie a year or so later, Fanie in 1951 and Dan in Grabouw. After Hendrik passed away, Harry 1953. After completing prelim, James went on sold his share to Hendrik’s widow and bought a to the Prince of Wales and Hettie to the Kenya farm in Ceres. After Harry passed away, Hettie High School (the Heifer Boma) in Nairobi. With moved to a retirement home in Somerset West. the amalgamation of the Highland and Hill After school Fanie studied at Stellenbosch Uni- schools in 1956 Dan and Fanie both moved to versity and later went on to work as a bank the Hill School. After prelim Fanie went on to manager. At one time he also ran his own busi- Belfast High in the Transvaal 1959, and Dan ness at Groot Brak River. Since retiring he also first went to Van Riebeek in Thomson’s Fall’s in came to live in Somerset West. 1960 and two years later on to HGH in Witbank.

We all left Kenya in the early to mid-1960s and After school Dan studied at the University of made our way down South. Pretoria and spent most of his career teaching at universities. After taking early retirement he Dick first worked as a livestock inspector and continued with his medical-legal practice. He later in the fruit industry in the Villiersdorp/ also lives in Somerset West and is doing his Grabouw districts. He is semi-retired and lives best to retire. ~ in Villiersdorp. HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 9

Afrika) is gevolg terwyl die HIERMEE DIE LYS VAN OORLEDENES, ASOOK DIÉ ONAFGEHAAL Christelike-Onderwys beginsel steeds as die ideaal vir die OORLEDE / DECEASED ONAFGEHAAL / RTS skole gestel is.8

Loubser se ywer het egter COETZEE DIRK 2017 BALABANHOFF WILLIE verder gestrek as slegs CROUKAMP TANT LETTIE 2017 DE WET G J primêre en sekondêre ENGEBRECHT FAIRY JNR ERASMUS CAROLINE skoolvlak. Een van die JVAN RENSBURG THEA 2017 ERASMUS HILDA nagevolge van die Anglo- KRUGER NAN NORTJE MEV E Boereoorlog was die verarming MALAN TINA PIETERSE KOBUS & MINA van die blankes. Loubser het in ROSSOUW BERYL JUNIE 2015 ROGER HANNEKIE (BRESSLER) Oos-Afrika gewaarsku dat STRACHAN LETTIE (KRUGER) indien daar nie drasties 2017 SOAR FRANK opgetree word, gaan Brits-Oos WILLEMSE OOM HENNIE VAN RENSBURG CONNIE sy eie weergawe ervaar van JUNIE 2016 VAN WYK MEV C J die arm (of behoeftige) WENGER PETRO Afrikaner. Die rede hiervoor aangevoer was die feit dat die kinders op daardie stadium nie Ongelukkig kon Loubser nie wat werk gekry het as stokers voldoende onderrig ontvang betyds die nodige befondsing deur die aanbeveeling [sic] het nie en daar geen bymekaarkry nie en dié van Ds. Loubser.” geleenthede was waarin die vakleerlingskap was toe gevul deur Engelstalige seuns. Tog Twee jaar later beswyk Afrikaner kinders hulself kon Felling aan malaria. Loubser bekwaam op tersiëre vlak nie, het Loubser die steun van Felling gehad want in Julie gaan lewer weer eens ‘n geen geleenthede om tegniese pleidooi, hierdie keer by die kwalifikasies te bekom of vir 1927 rig Felling ‘n skrywe aan die Direkteur van Onderwys nuwe direkteur van die enige beroep te kwalifiseer spoorweë, vir die verlenging buiten plaaswerk nie. waarin hy die behoefte aan ‘n beter onderrigstelsel en van die konsessie maar moes Weer eens was dit Loubser indiensneming van meer toe hoor dat hulle “were wat inisiatief geneem het deur blanke kinders uitstippel. forced to consider Indians die nuutaangestelde hoof van and Africans because they Loubser se woorde moes 11 Uganda Railways, Mnr. C.N.L. indruk op hom gemaak het worked well and cheaply”. Felling, te nader om hierdie want ook hy waarsku in sy Wat hierna gebeur het, is ‘n netelige kwessie te bespreek. skrywe “that if matters did not raaiskoot want in 1931 doen Tydens hul samesprekings in improve the ‘Poor White’ Loubser net verslag dat die Nairobi het Felling ingestem problem would be re-created vakleerlingskap-projek by die om tien tot twaalf seuns in te in Kenya.”9 spoorweë ‘n sukses was. Die neem as eksperiment. Die eerste groepie seuns het hul seuns sou egter self sorg vir Oom Frank de Lange skryf in opleiding geslaag en die hul akkommodasie en voedsel. die Habari:10 beste vakleerling was ‘n Boerseun nl. Naas Malan.12 Nodeloos om te noem, het “Die algemeene [sic] Loubser onmiddellik na Vir die dogters het Loubser bestuurder was ook ‘n Suid- verpleegkundige opleiding Kaapstad vertrek waar hy Afrikaner, Cornelius Felling. onverpoos gepleit, “gebedel” gereël. Sy versoek aan die Home en kollektes gehou het om Office in Londen was dat die Ook in Duits-Oos het Loubser sodoende die nodige fondse te jaarlikse aanvulling van hom beywer om die vind sodat hierdie seuns hul drywers die helfte uit Suid- omstandighede van die opleiding kon begin by die Afrika moes kom, dis hoe ek Afrikaners te verbeter. In die Spoorweë in Nairobi. daar geland het...Daar was vroeë 1930s het hy bv. ook ook 8 Suid-Afrikaanse seuns dáár weer tekens van HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 10 verarming onder die 14 Mei 1921. Loubser wat toe is nog in Tanganjika, waar hy gemeenskap van Meru al jare erge probleme met sy vir ‘n lang tyd siek was. Die opgemerk. Met die hulp van ‘n gesondheid ervaar het en wat laaste berig was dat hy sover paar plaaslike leiers is ‘n in dié tyd in Suid-Afrika beter was dat hy sy preke petisie opgetrek waarin deurgebring het om te sittende kon doen, maar hy samewerking van die betrokke herstel, het dadelik ingestem kan nog geen skoene aantrek regeringsdepartement gevra om weer as leraar in die nie.17 word om in te gryp. In beginsel nuwe kerk op te tree. Nie is dit goedgekeur dat ‘n 16,000 alleen het hy dadelik vertrek Loubser self skryf in hierdie tyd in ‘n private brief wat akker plaas met befondsing nie maar £700 saamgeneem 18 van £20,000 beskikbaar gestel wat hy ingesamel het vir die opgeneem is in die Kerkbode sou word om ongeveer 50 bou van die kerk.14 dat “...ongelukkig moes ek drie seuns op te lei as toekomstige weke in die hospitaal te Arusha landbouers in Tanganjika Reeds in Maart 1912 siek lê. Ek ly aan roos aan beide voete, en ek vrees ek sal (voorheen Duits-Oos en later het Loubser ernstige Tanzanië). Verder het Loubser nie meer lank in Oos-Afrika steeds pleidooie gerig vir gesondheids- kan bly nie.” Ek sal alte bly ondersteuning vanaf Suid- probleme begin wees as ons hier twee geskikte Afrika, vir finansiële bystand jong manne kan kry om die ervaar. werk voort te sit...” asook vir moontlikhede dat jong mense van Tangajika Die uitgestrekte gebiede en Inderdaad het hy, sedert hy sowel as Kenia (voorheen Brits omstandighede waaronder hy reeds in 1912 -Oos) skoolonderrig in Suid- sy gemeentlede moes bereik, gesondheidsprobleme Afrika kon ondergaan. By het sy gesondheid ‘n ondervind het, gepoog om geleentheid het hy tydens ‘n geweldige knou gegee. iemand te vind om sy plek as sinodale vergadering in leraar in Oos-Afrika oor te Sy ellende het begin op pad Transvaal daarop gewys dat, neem. Hy het selfs aangebied na die Meru-gemeente in sou ‘n kind in Suid-Afrika in om die plaasvervanger se Duits-Oos in 1912. Hy kry ‘n nood verkeer, daar Afikaanse reiskoste te betaal. Geen aanval van malaria, herstel weeshuise was, predikant het egter na vore daarvan net om kort daarna nywerheidskole, werkskolonies getree nie en Loubser het dus deur ‘n tweede aanval ens., wat nie die geval in Oos- met tussenposes van rus in neergepen te word.15 In 1914 Afrika was nie. Loubser voel Suid-Afrika elke keer weer kry hy ‘n toeval tydens ‘n dat die Transvaalse kerk vrywillig teruggekeer na Oos- konferensie op Prins Albert minder vir sendingwerk Afrika. Loubser as amptelike en word vir ‘n aantal weke in behoort te doen en veel eerder predikant van Oos-Afrika kan 13 die hospitaal te Arusha op sy eie mense konsentreer. opgesom word in vier versorg. In 1929 skryf G.H. fases:1909-1912; 1921-1923; Intussen het die gemeentelede Steyn16 in die Kerkbode dat 1925-1928; en 1932-1935 toe van die ou Bamboeskerkie tot “[R]eeds in die loop van hy finaal moes emeriteer maar die besef gekom dat die kerkie verlede jaar het Ds M.P. daarna nogtans sy veldtogte vervalle begin raak en in elke Loubser sy gemeente laat ter ondersteuning van die Oos- geval te klein geword het vir verstaan dat ter wille van sy Afrikaners voortgesit het.. As die gemeente. Tydens die gesondheid hy nie lank as gevolg van die roos aan sy Eerste Wêreldoorlog is daar predikant sal kan aanbly nie, voete, vind ons hom met sy reeds samesprekinge gevoer en in die aand van 10 laaste preke kaalvoet en om ‘n nuwe kerk te bou op ‘n Februarie is die afskeid sittende voor die preekstoel. stukkie grond wat Mnr. A.A.N. werklik geskied.” Ortlepp aan die gemeente Dis egter van belang om te geskenk het – maar a.g.v. vele Tog vind ons Loubser in 1932 noem dat, selfs wanneer hy nie terugslae kon die hoeksteen steeds in Oos-Afrika: Ons fisies in Oos-Afrika as van die kerk gelê word eers op predikant, Ds. M.P. Loubser, predikant betrokke was nie, hy HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 11 vir hulle gewerk het deur geld paard, de ander met in donkie Uasin Gishu (waar die in te samel. maar dit gaan schooltoe. Dan Vergenoeg-gemeente geleë kyk mr. Laubser als de was) met sy gunsteling perd Migael Scholtz (skuilnaam 19 kinders dié van duskand de genaamd ‘ou Black’. Later het Maie ) wat een van die vly kom, hoe de kinders deur hy ‘n Ford motortjie besit. ‘n Boerepioniers was wat de vly gaan. Ook was daar Ieder en elk, van ‘n Indiërklerk meegehelp het met die veel lief liefde (sic) tussen de tot ‘n Britse regerings- totstandkoming van die ouders en ons predikand laad amptenaar, had die grootste Bamboeskerkie, skryf jare later hy hom zooveel opgeoffer het respek vir hierdie getroue in sy publikasie: vir die geleerdheid vir de staatmaker-heer. Die “Loubser- “Baie moeite en opoffering het Africaans.” Die datum wat gemeente sou sy naam dra, hy hom moes getroos, dog Kok aandui, is 7 Mei 1911. asook die “Bwana Loubser nooit het ‘n sug of ‘n klag hom mission congregation” wat ontsnap nie. Geduldig en Alhoewel hy formeel gestig is in 1944.22 tevrede het hy ‘n opbeurende geassosieer was met sy amp woordjie vir almal. Sonder blik as leraar, was hy deur die Loubser was nie net ‘n of bloos het hy die weg gemeenskap gesien as hul bedrewe en bedrywige leraar bewandel, wat hy meen dat die redder in meer as een opsig: en verteenwoordiger vir die regte weg was”... “Ek dink nie belange van die Boerepioniers Steyn21 skryf:” Waar daar in ek sê te veel nie, as ek beweer nie; hy was ook deurentyd een of ander huis siekte was dat die Afrikaanse volk en bedrywig met die pen. het hyself [verwysende na volksgees daar grotendeels Gedurigdeur was daar verslae Loubser] gedokter en aan hom te danke is. Hard het gestuur aan die Kerkbode, verpleeg, want dokters was hy moes sukkel om al die gekorrespondeer met hier nie...vir wat hy tot stand mense te besoek – soms moes instansies wat hom kon help gebring het en vir feil gehad hy vir dae agtereen per fiets ry, met die uitvoering van sy taak het sal ons altyd dankbaar dan weer moes hy deur in Oos-Afrika, privaat briewe wees. Sy beminlike en [inboorlinge] myle en myle ver gerig aan individue wat ook navolgingswaardige gedra word, en dan moes hy ingesluit het die gemeentelede voorbeeld sal ‘n lewende krag weer per donkie, ossewa of op van Oos-Afrika. In sy in ons gemeente bly.” ‘n ander manier sien om oor publikasie “Onse die weg te kom. Nooit het hy sy Uitgewekene”23 blyk sy liefde, plig versuim nie. Waar hy In Tanganjika meelewing en waardering vir nodig was, was hy byderhand (Duits-Oos) het hy die Afrikaners in Oos-Afrika: en het hy mense met raad en fiets gery of soms op Hierin tree hy in die bresse vir daad bygestaan. Dikwels was die rug van sy diegene wat Suid-Afrika verlaat dit net sy persoonlikheid en het vir ‘n ander heenkome, helder deursig wat die deurslag geliefkoosde donkie, verduidelik hy aan diegene in in sake wat soms baie moeilik ‘Velbroek’, Suid-Afrika wat hulle was, gegee het.” opgedaag ... veroordeel, waaroor die verskuiwing gaan: Kok, wat dagboek hou tydens “Hierdie mense is die edele sy wedervaringe in Brits-Oos in Sommige onthou hoe hy hulle pioniers wat onnoemlike die jaar 1911 (in Doorewaard tydens die depressie besoek 20 moeilikhede en gevare trotseer (2011 ) gee aan Loubser die het waar hulle besig was om om ‘n heenkome te soek, om volgende erkenning: te werk op die goudmyne of Afrika te beskaaf en Gods terwyl hulle transport ry; soms Koninkrijk uit te brei:” Hy betig “Hy was ook in schoolmeester. te voet of met ‘n skotskar. In Hy had in heel klomp kinders. die bevooroordeeldes in Suid- Tanganjika (Duits-Oos) het hy Afrika: “Dit is te betreur dat Hy was ook baai lief vir zy fiets gery of soms op die rug schoolkinders, de kindertjies daar so weinig simpatie van sy geliefkoosde donkie, bestaan teenoor die en grood kinders. De ander ‘Velbroek’, opgedaag – in die loop {en} de ander ry met ‘n trekkermense; hulle is tog die HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 12 voorlopers van die beskawing, Op ‘n ligter noot: In die gemeente weer van plaas na hulle is die voorvegters vir dié Kerkbode brom Loubser26 oor plaas en van huis tot huis, om wat volg, hulle maak nuwe ‘n trekgroep wat besluit het vir Oos-Afrika geld in te paaie oop vir die handel en die om verder weg te trek van die samel.30 mark, en hulle doen dit steeds ander groepe in die Meru 31 onder die druk en die pijn van omgewing: “Sekengwe ... lag Deki beskryf Loubser as: ontelbare moeilikhede en buiten mijn bereik, en ik ging “...oorheersend-sterk, hindernisse.”24 Selfs in hierdie er niet naar toe, omdat het inspirerend-moedig, immer publikasie pleit hy vir finansiële heeltemal ondoenlijk was. De slaggereed en vreesloos, ‘n ondersteuning en voer aan as trek naar Muanza en man wat vir geen duiwel of motivering die onversadigbare Sekengwe ontstond uit een mens onder sy Gods vaandel drang dat die doel van doelloozen treklust ...” Aan sou wyk nie”. Dat Loubser lief Christenskap sodoende spitsvondige taalgebruik het was vir musiek en sang en uitgedra word verder as die dit hom nie ontbreek nie. “[S]y geoefende, kragtige, grense van Suider-Afrika. Dit welluidende tenoor stem het wil voorkom of hy opstandig gewoonlik tydens “...de gemeentesang ver bo alle raak wanneer hy skryf: “Die trouwlustigheid is man wat argumenteer dat die ander klanke uitgestyg en dit Boere liewer in Suid-Afrika hier even was altyd vir almal ‘n groot moes geblij het en uit die pestilentieel als in bekoring. Sy siel het in sy sang geleef”. binnelande uit, die man, de Transvaal” namelijk, wat teen die trekgees Aldus Deki, was Loubser in die is, is ’n man wat vir ons wijs Loubser wat self nooit getrou jaar 1900 op kommando. Nie hoe dat ‘n mens lijk wat deur sij het nie, skryf bv. in die eens sy broers en susters was nek praat”. Hy deel sy Kerkbode (opgeneem deur daarvan bewus nie, slegs sy gedagtes oor die sogenaamde Steyn27) “...de trouwlustigheid grootmoeder, aangesien sy trekgees: “Sweet, bloed, trane, is hier even pestilentieel als in moeder ook in 1900 oorlede is. ai! dit is pionier goed, en as die de Transvaal.” ”Nadat hy van sy twee wapens sweet en die bloed en die trane ontneem is, het hy nooit weer soms op dieselfde gelaat Sy inisiatief om geld vir die gemeentes in te samel, was ‘n vuurwapen hanteer nie. Op deurmekaar vloei, dan word jij jagsafaries was hy, anders as half bang om met daardie nimmereindigend (selfs ten tyde wat hy siek na Suid- baie ander Oos-Afrikaners, mense te praat, asof jij hom volgens wat ek weet, selfs sou verstoor in sij erns. Sij lije Afrika moes terugkeer). Onophoudelik het hy skrywe geen toeskouer nie. Die is heilig. Daar lê die bekende grootwildjagters, geheimsinnige Noorde; in dié verband gerig aan die Kerkbode, instansies en hoewel sy vriende, het hom onweerstaanbaar voel die nooit in hul avonture genoem trekker die trekkerdrang” en ander persone wat hom kon bystaan.28 Basaars is gereël nie. By geleenthede het hy “Hij self is onbewus waarom darem veral kinders vermaak die drang so knaend daarbinne en mense uit Suid-Afrika was genooi om in Oos-Afrika te deur van hulle noue in hom is. Dit is God. Die ontkominge te vertel. ‘n Trekker trek en hij weet nie dat kom vakansie hou: “...breng toch beetje Geldjes saam Gedugte wapendaer was hy, die trek lus hom van bo maar alleen vir Christus” en ingegee is nie.” Dat Loubser (hoofletter ‘G’). Wij behoeven nog £500..., ten behoewe van verder “...hoedat hy uit eie, waarlik geroepe was om 29 vrye beweging met ‘n klompie hierdie groep Afrikaners by te die nuwe kerkgebou”. In 1921 rapporteer hy in die burgers by Colesberg waar staan, word saamgevat in sy genl. Frensch vir genl. eie woorde: “Ek bemin Suid- Kerkbode dat dit hom byna agtien maande geneem het Schoeman moes keer om nie Afrika, maar ek het Afrika deur te breek Kaapland toe 25 om van gemeente tot liewer”. nie, oorgestap het om die gemeente te gaan, en in die massa-begrafnis van Britse HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 13 gesneuweldes by te woon en vasgestel kan word het fatsoenlijk en christelijk sommer spontaan, met die Loubser33 slegs een keer huisslijk leven van de verlof van die betrokke Britse nodig gehad om verslag te Boeren.” Dit is dus offisier in bevel daar, uit die doen oor die “zedelijkheid” in betreurenswaardig dat vuis ‘n roerende en Brits-Oos: “Rondom Nairobi Groen36(wat graag deur aandoenlike begrafnisdiens in word de Afrikanernaam oorsese navorsers as bron foutlose Engels gehou het.” tamelijk door de modder gebruik word) Loubser se gesleurd; menschen hebben verslag misinterpreteer in sy Dat Loubser ook vir sich aan dronkenschap vertaling na Engels en in die humoristiese oomblikke gesorg schuldig gemaakt; en ook proses die onsedelikheid van het, is nie altemit nie. Sonnie 32 was de luiheid grootelijks sekere Duitse inwoners Cloete deel die volgende oorzaak dat die naam werd rondom Meru, voor die deur staaltjie: en wordt geminacht ... Er was van die onskuldige Boere “Elke Vrydag in die vroëre dae eene tuchtzaak...” Huxley34 plaas. beaam die kuisheid van die was daar beesvandusies [sic] In beide Duits-Oos en Brits- en die bekende Oom Rooi Piet Boere-gemeenskap deur in haar publikasie te noem dat Oos het Loubser nie alleen Kruger was altyd daar om te sy plek as leraar volstaan nie koop en te verkoop, niks “...not that the settlers of the Plateau were a dissipated maar is daar ook na hom anders as swart osse nie. Na opgesien as leier en vriend. die vandusie is meeste dan community; on the contrary, most were sober, God-fearing Met deernis onthou Oud-Oos Central Lounge toe vir ‘n -Afrikaners hom: snapsie. Soms het Oom Piet individuals and many were sommer met die perd die kroeg confirmed teetotallers ... Tant Laal Prinsloo37: “Ds. ingery. Byde Engelse en Boere “A church was Loubser was ons staatmaker, was baie lief vir hom. Nou later het ons beroep toe het moes hy te perd huistoe ry net started before either dit beter gegaan, dit was ook voor Ds. Loubser se pastorie bar or bank...” Ds. Loubser wat die orreltjie verby, en soos die noodlot dit vanaf Suid-Afrika vir ons soms bepaal val hy eenkeer A church was started before gebring het.” (Verwysende na net voor die pastorie af. Ds. either bar or bank...”. In Duits- die kerkorrel van die Loubser tel hom op en neem Oos het slegs drie gevalle gemeente Vergenoeg wat in hom huistoe met sy chev. van “onegte” geboortes onder Oktober 1978 aan Huis karretjie [of dalk ‘n Ford soos die aandag van die kerkraad Vergenoeg ouetehuis in Suid elders berig?]. By die huis sê gekom: “twee van pas -Afrika, geskenk is.38) gehuwden en een van een hy, ‘Piet, ek kom môre.’ So 39 gesê so gedaan, en die ongehuwd meisje...”35 Mev. Sophie Steyn wat met volgende môre kom Ds. Inderwaarheid prys Loubser die leser deel hoe die Loubser daar aan. ‘Môre Ds.’ tydens hierdie verslag die Boervroue papirus wat welig sê Oom Piet, ‘Jy was gister Afrikaners se fatsoenlike lewe naby Eldoret gegroei het, op dronk nê Piet?’ ‘Ja, Ds.’ ‘Nou en vergelyk dit met dié van praktiese wyse benut het: ja, vat so’ en slaan Ds. anderlandse setlaars in Duits- “Naby die ‘swamp’ het ‘n Loubser hom skoon uit. ‘Gooi Oos: “In dit opzicht hebben sekere Mev. Nel gewoon wat hom nat’ sê hy vir Oom Piet se onze menschen het land een gereeld vir ons dominee vrou. So slinger, slinger kom heilzamen dienst bewezen, Laubser [sic] ‘n hoed van die hy reg en sê Ds. Loubser, ‘kom en de toon van het binneste deel van die plante, Piet, ons gaan koffie drink’”. maatschappelijk leven – gevleg het. Hy was tog te lief indien er van zoo een ding in vir hierdie hoede.” Dit wil egter oorkom of Loubser Oost Afrika sprake kan zijn – 40 min las gehad het van Marie van Wyk wat onthou is op getuigenis van Duitsche “...ek, klein vyfjarige, kruip “wangedrag” onder die zendelingen zeer verbeterd gemeentelede. So ver toe mos op ‘n dag onder deur en verhoogd door het die draad heining om ‘n HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 14 vuurpyl blom in haar plaas met ‘n donkiekar of het Sy Eerw. ‘n vername rol [verwysende na Mev. Ortlepp oskar gery. Met nagmaal het gespeel. Hy het almal geken, wat skynbaar aan die almal met ossewaens kerktoe vandaar die geheim dat sy kwaaierige kant was] tuin te gery. Vrydag word daar tente besoeke in elke huis seer gaan pluk, min wetende dat opgeslaan ... ‘n feestelike tyd geniet was. ‘n Iedereen het hulle getel was. Die volgende daar op Eldoret. Die tente vrymoedigheid gehad om met dag is die herrie behoorlik los staan so’n ry om die kerk. sy besware naar sy dominee te en ek tot verantwoording Dan word daar ‘n diens gaan om raad of hulp. Die geroep ... Dis toe dat ek in Ds. Vrydagaand gehou. vertroue in die leraar was so Tienie se ou Fordjie gelaai Saterdagmiddag is sterk, dat sy raad as die beste word en nou reguit tronk toe. voorbereiding en Sondag is beskou werd en noukeurig Ek het omtrent geskree en e-e- nagmaal. Maandag word die gevolg werd”...”Ds. Loubser u-e later, so onderkant by die tente afgeslaan en gepak. het ons verlaat, maar vir wat hy die ou Pioneer Hotel, daar by Daarna is almal weer op pad tot stand gebring het en vir ons die brug het my ma gelukkig huistoe tot die volgende feil gehad het sal ons altyd omgedraai en ek het tronkstraf nagmaal.” dankbaar wees. Sy beminlike vrygespring.” 42 voorbeeld sal ‘n lewende krag Steyn wat Loubser se in ons gemeente bly.” En hierdie pragtige getuigskrif, afskeid van 10 Februarie die outeur onbekend:41 1929 in die Kerkbode Loubser, gebore in 1871, was Predikante was maar skaar{s} rapporteer, meld ‘[D]at dit vir betrokke by die N.G.Kerk in in daardie jare, so om en by die gemeente ‘n gevoelige Oos-Afrika vanaf 1909 tot en die jare 1927, as ek nog reg slag was, was o.a. te met sy dood in 1942. Gedoop kan onthou. Ds. Loubser was verstaan uit die treurige as Martinus Petrus Loubser43 die Preditant [sic] van die stemming wat daar geheers was hy ook bekend as Tinie, N.G.Kerk in Eldoret. Die het van ook uit die deur sommige na verwys as Dominie [sic] was baie toesprake ... Byna elke “Ou Meneer Loubser”, deur ingenome met almal en het nie spreker het melding gemaak ander aangespreek as “Mr. verskil gemaak of jy sy lidmaa van die ywer, opofferinge en Lobser” maar sal deur almal {t} was of nie. Hy het sommer selfverloëning van Ds. onthou word as die vader van almal besoek en van plaas tot Loubser... In die sosiale lewe die Afrikaners in Oos-Afrika. ~

1. Changuion, L.J.S.. 1975. Die verhuising van Boere na Oos-Afrika 23. Loubser, M.P. (G.d) “Onse uitgewekene” De Nationale Pers. Kaapstad. 1902-1914 (M.A. Verhandeling) Pretoria: Universiteit van Pretoria. 24. Ibid p3,5,12, 2. Du Toit, B.M. 1998. The Boers in East Africa: Ethnicity and Identity. 25. Ibid. p30 Bergin & Garvey, London: Uit: Loubser, M.P., 1910. Het werk in 26. Loubser, M.P. 1910. “Duitsch Oost Afrika”. De Kerkbode 13 Oktober Britisch Oost Afrika. De Kerkbode 10 Maart pp113-117. p240. 3. Maie, Bana, 1928. Voortrekkerslewe in Donker Afrika. Pretoria, J.H. de 27. Steyn, D. 1981. “Kom ons gesels”. Habari p8. Bussy. 28. Marais, H. 1911. Een kerkje voor Britisch Oost Afrika: Open brief. De 4. Ibid pp76-78. Kerkbode, 28 September. p559. 5. Changuion, L.J.S. 1975, p161. 29. Loubser, M.P. 1921. De Boeren in de Kenia Kolonie. De Kerkbode 3 6. Loubser, M.P. 1911. Britisch Oost Afrka. De Kerkbode. 19 Januarie November p1311. p35 30. Loubser, M.P. 1921 “Oost-Afrika” De Kerkbode 17 Maart p294. 7. Changuion, L.J.S. 1975.p.161 31. Deki. 1983. “Wie was hierdie geheimsinnige Oos-Afrikaner?”. Habari 8. Van der Walt, P.B. 1987. Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk 1905- pp7-11. 1975. Pretoria N.G. Kerkboekhandel. p45. 32. Cloete,S. 1984. “Ons mense” Habari p5. 9. Du Toit, B.M. 1998. p112. 33. Loubser, M.P. 1910. “De Zedelijkheid”, De Kerkbode 10 Maart p114. 10. Habari. 1985. Oom Frank de Lange 1925-1965. p16 34. Huxley, E. 1957. “No Easy way” p65. 11. Du Toit, B.M. 1998. p112. 35. Loubser, M.P. 1910. “Duitsch Oost Afrika” De Kerkbode 20 Oktober 12. Ibid. p257. 13. Ibid pp135,142 36. Groen, Gerrit D. 1974. The Afrikaners in Kenya, 1903-1969. 14. Ibid p132. (ongepubliseerde doktoraal) Michigan State University. p33. 15. Loubser, M.P. 1912. “Duitsch Oost Afrika”. De kerkbode, 15 Augustus 37. Tant Laal Prinsloo. 2009. Habari p3. p 645. 38. Skenking van kerkorrel. 1979. Habari p3. 16. Steyn. G.H. 1929. ‘Vergenoeg, Oost Afrika’ De Kerkbode, 13 Maart 39. Steyn, S. 1982. “Die papirus” Habari pp7-8. p403. 40. Van Wyk, M. 1988. “Oom Hennie en Tant Frieda”. Habari p7-8. 17. Stieger, A.P. 1932. “Eldoret (Kenia-kolonie)”. De Kerkbode, 9 Maart 41. Habari 1986 (outeur onbekend) “Ds. Loubser – predikant van die p439. N.G.Kerk, Eldoret. p37. 18. De Kerkbode (red) 1932. “Tanganjika” De Kerkbode 2 Maart p343. 42. Steyn, G.H. 1929. “Vergenoeg, Oos-Afrika” De Kerkbode 13 Maart 19. Maie,Bana. 1928. p403. 20. Doorewaard, M. 2011. Trekkerslewe in Brits-Oos-Afrika: ‘n Joernaal 43. Scheepers Strydom, C.J. 1976. “Afrikaners in die vreemde”. Tafelberg- uit 1911. Pretoria. STN drukkers p21 Uitgewers, Kaapstad. p196. 21. Steyn, G.H. 1929. Vergenoeg, Oos-Afrika. De Kerkbode, 13 Maart p403. 22. Van der Watt, P.B. (Prof.) 1987. Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk 1905-1975 (Deel vier). N.G.Kerk boekhandel: Pretoria.p45. HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 15

he tapestry panel (left) T was commissioned in the 1960s. In the background is Sergoit with some Masai Gi- raffe and Kongoni in the mid- dle distance. The single figure represents the postal runner who conveyed messages and post to outlying farms. Masai or Rothchild’s giraffe and kongoni (Coke’s hartebeest) were abundant when the first settlers arrived. From the 1920s onwards al- most all the zebra, kongoni, lions and other large antelope had been decimated by settlers. East Africa Women’s League Tapestry Panels n the 1990s the EAWL commis- I sioned new tapestry panels for the towns in Kenya. The panel (right) represents the phenomenal growth of Eldoret with several high rise build- ings. The aeroplane is coming in to land at Moi International Airport out- side Eldoret. To signify its agricultural heritage over the last century, a Massey Ferguson tractor on the right is ploughing a field while the John Deere combine harvester is harvest- ing wheat. The Plateau is world fa- mous for producing almost every sin- gle Olympic and world record holder lockwise from top left Peter Davies has identified the middle and long distance champion C birds in the panel: over the past 50 years. The small an- 1. one of the widowbirds (almost impossible to identify telope, an oribi, replaces the kongoni accurately) of the earlier panel. The few remain- 2. Brown ibis (Hadeda) ing oribi on Sonny Cloete’s former 3. Northern Red Bishop farm, Concordia, were relocated by 4. Long-tailed widowbird Fanie Kruger to the adjoining farm at 5. Yellow Bishop or possibly Yellow-mantled Widowbird Sergoit. With the assistance of the 6. Sacred Ibis Kenya Wildlife Service, the remaining 7. Double-toothed Barbet giraffe were also relocated to Sergoit. 8. Crowned Guineafowl It is not sure whether these were Ma- 9. One of the ducks (female) local to the region but it is sai or Rothchild’s giraffe. The hill is impossible to identify it accurately visible behind the thorn tree. 10. Gray-crowned Crane (Mahem) HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 16

Afrikaner contribution to Kenya Rugby north to the British East Africa Protectorate. They eventually found their expansionary thrust into the Paul Okong'o Uasin Gishu plateau and settled in the area. They constituted the rugby sides and established modern ow did a large Afrikaner population end farming methods and techniques. The Plateau, a H up in the Uasin Gishu Plateau, Thomsons combination of players from Eldoret/Kitale/Soy/ Falls (today Nyahururu) in Kenya and the Turbo became the focal point for rugby upcountry. Arusha-Moshi area in present day Tanzania? The Rugby Football Union of Kenya, the only ad- These Afrikaner dominated teams went on to ministrative body in Kenya, Uganda and Tangany- dominate Rugby in the entire East Africa re- ika from 1921-1953 was affiliated to both the gion in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.They left (England) Rugby Football Union and the South Af- behind an indelible mark, still used today, the rica Rugby Board by the mid 20s. The Kenya Rugby Eldoret Sports Club off the Kisumu-Eldoret Referees Society re-formed in 1931 was also affili- road. It was not only the Sports Club left be- ated to the Witwatersrand Rugby Union and the hind but other institutions, Highlands Girls South Africa Rugby Referees Society. Touring sides School (today Moi Girls Eldoret), Jan Van Rie- from South Africa became a vital cog for the game beck School (today Ndururumo High School) in the Colony. and Hill School-Eldoret. Eldoret Sports Club, the venue was built by farmers In 1902 Joseph Chamberlain, the British Colo- from the locality in 1927 and 1928, just in time for nial Secretary, encouraged settlers to come to the 1929 and 1930 tour by the Combined South Kenya where there was ‘Perpetual Summer’ African Universities. The crew of the HMS Enter- and ‘Cabbages’ grew to the size of bicycle prise by passed Eldoret in September and October wheels. The Afrikaners disappointed at the on the 1928 tour of East Africa, but they stopped off pogroms and genocide carried out on their in Soy enroute to Kitale for a match. Eldoret & women and children during the Anglo-Boer Londiani combined to participate in the very first war between 1899-1902 decided to ‘trek’ Enterprise Cup competition played in 1930 on an

Eldoret XV at Prince of Wales School 22 May 1937 HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 17

Eldoret R.F.C. Enterprise Cup Winners 8 July 1939

The Eldoret team was made up of : Dudley Kelby, M West, D Tweedie, J Kirfoot, Plewman Meintjies, John Tweedie, Matheys Johannes Uys, ‘Stompie’ Jones, Vic van Germishuizen, William Goby, Norman Duirs (Captain), S Steyn, Gordon Goby, P du Plooy, J Kruger, and J Kopie Ecksteen.

Inter-District level. This scenario was repli- number of Enterprise Cup titles. Charles Fredrick cated in 1931 before the club representing Dis- Schermburker was a leading administrator not only trict was introduced in 1932. for the club but with the Rugby Football Union of The Eldoret team was liberally sprinkled with Kenya (RFUK) as well as the Rugby Football Union the South African farmers who had trans- of East Africa (RFUEA). He was one of those who formed the rich soils of Western Kenya into an helped secure and registered the land on which the agricultural power house. The large strong and RFUEA grounds stands. I want to look at the ca- deeply religious farmers of Eldoret carried all reers of three of the key players from that era. before them on the rugby field. Until World War II, Eldoret was always a good team and 1: MATHEWS JOHANNES UYS. (M.J.U) ‘STOMPIE’ had the edge on Ruiru and Nondescripts. Some JONES: EAST AFRICA 15S: KENYA 15S: ELDORET & of the finest players of the day were Mathews DISTRICT: ELDORET & KITALE: WEST KENYA Johannes Uys (M.J.U) ‘Stompie’ Jones, a human PROVINCE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION rubber ball, brothers Gordon Goby and Wil- M.J.U.’Stompie’ Jones was born on 15/09/1909 in liam Goby, Plewman Meintjies, J.F.Koppie’ Ex- Johannesberg, South Africa. The records are not steen, D. Sholto-Douglas, the Duirs brothers, clear as to when he trekked north to East Africa Norman and David, and the Tweedies. either as a child with his family or as an adult. He ‘The rest of their team sheets listed a host of played rugby for Kitale upto and including 1930. pop-singer like names such as Schermburker, That was the year he was first capped for Kenya on Engelbrecht, Hendrik and Nan Kruger, Scatty 11 January against the Combined South African and Bobby Meintjies. ’Stompie’ Jones and Universities and he scored, hoisting a drop goal in M.Lategan were a formidable half-back part- the match lost 7-39 at Kitale Sports Club. ’The ball hit the cross bar before going over’ read a match re- nership for the ‘64’ outfit and led the side to a port in the East African Standard. In 1931 he HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 18 changed clubs and moved to Eldoret. scribed as an India rubber man for the way he re- covered from knocks by pundits of the day. He was Eldoret and Jones won the Enterprise Cup five the guest of honour when he presented the trophy years on the trot in 1932,1933,1934,1935 and 1936. Jones and Lategan formed a formidable to A.Irving Maclean in 1954 when Nondescripts partnership at number 9 and 10 for both El- beat Eldoret in the Cup final. Stompie was in atten- doret and Kenya. Jones was usually the culprit dance at the 1958 Enterprise Cup final played be- when it came to instigating moves normally tween Nakuru and Kenya Police, at the Nakuru Ath- resulting in points. He was deadly with his letics Club in Nakuru, the first time the contest was boot when it came to conversions, penalties held outside Nairobi. and drop goals and many a time he ensured his Speaking to the Kenya Weekly News and the Sun- teams registered progress on the score board. day Post just before kick off. ‘I have just driven to The Plateau based team was dispossessed of and from South Africa in the last couple of weeks. the trophy by Nondescripts in 1937 and 1938. ‘Jones and Eldoret and the West Kenya rugby fra- Ahead of the 1939 final the East African Stan- ternity had always argued for the hosting of cup dard described Jones. ’Jones their fly-half is as finals outside the capital especially if the contest- good as ever and clever. He is tireless and re- ants came from the regions. ‘I was not going to miss sembles an Indian rubber man in his ability to the first cup final outside Nairobi as we have al- recover from knocks. Eldoret again captured ways argued for the same’ he concluded. The de- the coveted trophy defeating Nondescripts 13- bate on town versus country continues to this day. 0. M.J.U.’Stompie’ Jones was always in the thick He was succeeded by his son Nelson Jones who also of the action playing at either scrum-half, fly- played at scrum-half for Eldoret. half or centre. 2: G.P.’SCATTY’MEINTJIES: WEST KENYA RUGBY FOOT- He had played for Kenya against the Stellen- BALL UNION: KENYA & EAST AFRICA bosch University in January and February 1935 and was involved in battle with his Stel- The Afrikaner and Boer names are associated with lenbosch opposite number Springbok half- a strong rugby and by extension Springbok heri- back, Daniel Craven not only for Kenya but in tage. G.P. ‘Scatty’ Meintjes was born on the Eldoret & District game against the tour- 31/03/1936 in Eldoret in the Uasin Gishu Plateau ists. Twenty years after his first representative and naturally embraced rugby. It is not clear if his cap ‘Stompie’ Jones was called up to represent association with the game began in and around the the inaugural East African team against the Eldoret Sports Club or at the Prince of Wales School touring University of Cape Town. The Standard (today Nairobi School) where he went to school, Newspaper of Jan 9 1950 reported ‘that the but his father J.P.Meintjies a farmer was in and indefatigable ‘Stompie’ Jones was in the thick around rugby. of things but tired early against his opponent His father was a leading member of the Eldoret the younger J.A. Youngleson of Cape Town Uni- Sports Club which was dominant in the 1930s. versity’. The home side lost 5-33 against the Scatty represented the Prince of Wales School team. students in a match played at the Eldoret In his early teens in the 1950s he joined the Eldoret Sports Club, Joneses’ home turf. Sports Club, then one of the powerhouses not only M.J.U ‘Stompie’ Jones must have been a man in Kenya but in East Africa. He quickly became es- and player of consequence, winning the Enter- tablished in the three-quarters playing with distinc- prise Cup in the thirties and again in 1947 as tion at fly half, centre or on the wing and was well as playing representative rugby for at unlucky not to win the Enterprise Cup himself least 20 years. It was a remarkable feat playing when the men from ‘64’ lost to Nondescripts in the in all Cup finals from 1930 all the way to 1954 final. Scatty was again on the losing side in 1950.By the time he won his last Enterprise the 1955 final lost to Kenya Harlequins. Cup in 1947 he was already 38.He was de- HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 19

On Wednesday ter with good 28/08/1955, defense and he earned his strong with the first cap for ball in hand’ are East Africa the memories against the of his East Af- British Lions rica team mate at the opening Terry A. of the RFUEA Tory. Peter Grounds on Blunt his other Ngong Road. colleague on Meintjies the other hand earned succes- recalled that sive caps ‘with an Afri- against the kaans name like combined Eldoret Club: Winners of the Enterprise Cup 1947. his, he had to be Cape Town The winning XV picture includes J Tweedie, WR Arm- a solid rugby and Stellen- strong, B Tweedie, P Meintjies, F van Heerden, Stompy player and he bosch Univer- Jones, D Sholto-Douglas, N Duirs, D Kelbe, J Kruger, was a solid sity, Rhodes G Goby (Captain) L Duirs, R Stocker, S Steyn, A Cloete rugby player University, with the eye for and the Oxford and Cambridge University the blink for a gap of the first centre’. Scatty served sides that toured in 1955, 1956 and 1957. In on the disciplinary committee for the West Kenya 1958 he was capped against the Barbarians Sub Union in 1972 and 1973. and was in the Kenya team that beat Uganda 21-11 at the Nakivubo Stadium in Kampala, 3: GORDON GOBY: ELDORET & DISTRICT: WEST KENYA Uganda. PROVINCE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION & EAST AFRICA XV

‘From a David Opie Garryowen, Brian Gran- Gordon Goby was born on 17/04/1914 in Molo, ville-Ross was on hand to pluck it from the air Kenya while his younger brother Bill was born in commit the Ugandan full back Peter F.H. Wil- Durban, South Africa on 05/12/1917. Gordon Goby liams and off load to Scatty Meintjes who actually started playing the game aged 16 in 1930. scored the try.’ reported the Uganda Argus. He He went on and played for Eldoret for the next 24 converted a pushover try by Kenya after a years. He was an indefatigable individual and very good drive by the forwards. Continued the re- much at the heart of things for Eldoret Sports Club. port. Scatty was known to time and again He played against touring Stellenbosch University cause a merry havoc against the opposing de- in 1935. Kitale and Eldoret both plateau teams fence and went to win the 1959 Provincial fi- were thrashed on both occasions. Gordon Goby was nal when West Kenya overcame defending an integral member of the Eldoret teams that won champions, Central Kenya. the Enterprise Cup in the 1930s and lost in 1937 and 1938. During World War II when regular com- ‘George Barbour and G.P. Meintjes both played petition was suspended, the Goby brothers both an outstanding game in defence with low and played in the war-time events mainly against the hard tackles and both of them touched down in services sides for the Nairobi Railway Club. The the final.’ read the local dailies the next day. South African, Rhodesian and Royal Air force par- ‘Scatty’ Meintjies was older brother to Bobby ticipated as well as two civilian sides, Nondescripts Meintjies his Eldoret colleague and they gave and Nairobi Railway Club. loyal and sterling service to Eldoret, West Kenya and Kenya. ‘He was a short stocky cen- HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 20

Back row: F Engelbrecht, J Schultz, S. Gouhlee, H. Kruger, K. du Toit, T Darra Middle row: H Kruger, P Vorster, S Meintjes, G Goby, T Thorpe, B Meintjes Front: B Rooken-Smith, K Kleynhans, D Rooken-Smith

Eldoret Enterprise Cup Finalists 1955

Gordon was appointed Eldoret captain for the on 7 January 1950 with Gordon Goby at blindside 1947 season and admirable led them to Enter- flanker. That was the only game he ever played for prise Cup victory when they beat Nondescripts East Africa team. My research and the jury is still 12- 5. In 1948, he was still captain when El- out on whether the December 1949 match against doret and Nondescripts fought out three the University of Cape Town at Brackenhurst in memorable semi-final matches in one week- Limuru was indeed Kenya. The University of Cape end at both the Nakuru Athletics Club and the Town slides say it was as do the Boards at the Parklands Sports Club. Nondies eventually Kenya Rugby Union, as well as the 1949 RFUK min- emerged winners in the third match. Nondies utes. However, the same is not reflected in the me- and Eldoret would continue their royal battles ticulous UCT tour records or any local newspaper into 1949 and 1950 with the men from ‘64’ of the time. emerging second best. The Enterprise Cup competitions experimented It was in late 1949 and early 1950 that Goby with the Provincial format in 1952 and 1953 with and Eldoret played hosts to the touring Univer- West Kenya finishing runners-up to Mombasa in sity of Cape Town. East Africa’s inaugural 1952 but were triumphant in 1953. Goby and the match was played at the Eldoret Sports Club players from 64 were instrumental in the 1953 win. Eldoret were runners up to Nondescripts in the HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 21

1954 final losing 13-6 and finished the A request for pictorial material match with only 14 players when Goby who was playing at scrum-half in that game suf- I’m currently working on a Habari Scrapbook con- fered from an ankle fracture early on. sisting of the contributions to Habari from the initial Gordon Goby was a versatile player turning “Nuusbrief” in 1972 through to the Habari of 2016. out for Eldoret in position’s as diverse as The contributions selected have all been collated un- scrum-half to back row and playing in the der different topics, each presented as a separate final of East Africa’s most coveted competi- chapter with the relevant background information tion from 1933 all the way to 1955. The and where necessary my comments. 1955 contest was lost to Kenya Harlequins by 6 points 3. Gordon Goby was again cap- The intention is also to present some pictorial con- tain in 1955 but never again would the men tent. I want to avoid the usual photographic material from the Plateau lift the coveted trophy. He that has been rehashed in various publications, in- retired after the 1955 contest but went on cluding Habari, in the past. Fortunately my father to coach the team. Aged 41, when he last was a bit of a keen photographer in his young days played for Eldoret in 1955, he goes down as and just before leaving Kenya I also had occasion to one of the oldest players to appear in the take quite a number of photos. However, I would Cup final alongside M.J.U.’Stompie ‘Jones appreciate any contributions that I can use – particu- and David Evans of Nondescripts. However, larly photos taken before the big exodus in the they had set a record of seven Enterprise 1960s. I would particularly appreciate photos of the Cup wins which was only equalled in 1979 following: and surpassed in 1980 by Nondescripts. Eldoret – i.e. the town itself The Afrikaners did make a huge and im- The Pioneer Hotel The Gereformeerde Church measurable contribution to Kenya and East The Gedenksaal at Plateau African rugby. This contribution was made The Bwana Loubser mission station through the building of institutions such as Hoey’s bridge – i.e. the bridge itself the Eldoret Sports Club, schools such as Jan An old photo of the Uasin Gishu plateau – showing Van Riebeeck (Ndururumo) and Moi Girls how it looked when the Afrikaners first moved there Eldoret. Kenya would also reciprocate in a Londiani and the bamboo forests on the road up the small way to the Springbok victory on 24 escarpment, including any material on the red clay June 1995 at Rugby World Cup. En route to the stadium on the day of the final, Francois roads in the Verbrandebos. Just about everyone who Pienaar, the Bok captain played the song ‘If’ had a story to tell about the difficulties of travelling by Kenyan born musician, Roger Whittaker in the early days, mentioned the mud of the “red of the 1983 musical My Land is Kenya to in- hell” as well as the thick bamboo forests they had to spire and settle the nerves of the Boks. At make their way through. the end of extra time, the Boks were Photos of the following personalities: crowned World champions. Gordon Farr Guiseppe Morat

Bibliography Jaap Heine Will Bouwer Soon Steenkamp Flip Prinsloo • Campbell, M; Cohen E.J, Rugby Football Davo Davidson Schalk Cloete Union of East Africa 1909-1959, Rugby Bokkie von Maltitz Wolfie Wolmerans Football Union of East Africa, 1960 Frieda van Heerden Naas Steenkamp • John Lord, THE ENTERPRISE CUP 1930- The easiest would probably be to scan the photos 2015: SEVENTY FIVE YEARS OF SPORTING and send them by e-mail to me at ACHIEVEMENT, Ramco Printing Works Limited. [email protected]. If that is not possible, drop • Pienaar, Francois: Rainbow Warrior, the me line so that we can make alternative arrange- Hard-Hitting Autobiography; Harper ments. You can also contact me at 082 443 83 23. Collins Publishers 1999 Dan Steyn HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 22

Stellenbosch vs Kakamega The Kenya team: K Smith The Stellenbosch team: E Gonin, (Naivasha), E Glodhill J van der Spuy, D Barnard, D Steyn (Nairobi), K Hollowes A Groenewald, L Louw, R Cluver, magine the All Blacks, on tour (Nairobi), J Barnard D Craven (Captain), A Retief, A Clark, I through South Africa, playing a (Eldoret), D Bodley A Lategan, J Marais, J Oberholzer match against Fluitjiesrietlaagte or (Kampala), J Lategan D Webb, A Nothling, H Malherbe. some other godforsaken hamlet. (Eldoret), J Jones Well something of the same propor- (Eldoret), N Duirs With visions of the day the legendary tions once happened in Kenya. But (Eldoret), L Sinton Doc Craven played rugby on the old as I’m jumping the gun, let me (Nairobi), L Duirs rugby grounds on Kisumu Road across rather get my ducks in a proper row. (Eldoret), N Larby from the Hill School, I had to search It all started when I discovered the (Nairobi) (Captain), further, and dug up the following infor- following little program amongst my N Joubert (Kakamega), mation with the help of Rugby Football father’s papers. As the names are B Brookes (Nairobi), in East Africa, 1909 – 59, edited by M rather faded let’s repeat them on F Machin (Kakamega), Campbell and E Cohen, published in the right: K Eksteen (Eldoret). Nairobi in1960.

he Stellenbosch University team toured lowing view by old Plum (P G against Kakamega – T Kenya in January 1935/February1936 – Wodehouse) sums it up best for hence my comparison also playing a single match in Uganda. Alto- me: “Rugby football is a game I to the All Blacks play- gether they played 15 matches, won all 15, can't claim absolutely to under- ing some indefinite and scored 620 points, with only 12 points stand in all its niceties, if you know squad. Furthermore, scored against them. In the game against what I mean. …each side is al- not only was I sur- Kenya on the 9th of February at Eldoret they lowed to put in a certain amount of prised that Kakamega won 37-4. assault and battery and do things to once had a rugby Then scratching around in some photos its fellow man which, if done else- team, but also that cousin Danie had sent me on a CD, I came where, would result in fourteen somewhere down across the picture of the young men from the days without the option, coupled there somebody had South that you will find on the next page. with some strong remarks from the in fact laid out a

Bench.” proper field to play on. Please note that when it comes to rugby I’m So, what intrigued me most was not However, there is in a total ignoramus, so most of the time I have the rugby and all the statistics of fact an explanation for no idea who the Cheetahs, Lions, Bulls or the Stellenbosch team, but that this most implausible the rest of the menagerie are. Thus the fol- they had in fact played a match event. The early HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 23

branched out to Kenya. My next question was understandably – “Where in Kenya?” I saw this caught him on the wrong foot, but couldn’t understand why, till he replied: “Actually the place has an embar- rassing name; it is called Kakamega.” Well I suppose if you were Afrikaans speaking, had not grown up in Kenya, and pronounced it the way he did as Kak-a-mega, then it would come across as rather awkward.

Oh, and before I forget, the students played Kakamega on the 25th of January 1935, beating them 64-0, Central Kakamega, a photo I took in 1963

The Stellenbosch University team 4th row: C Prinsloo; A Clark; J Botha; J Fick; A Lategan; J Marais 3rd row: P Laubscher; A Nothling; J Louw; D Webb; P Luckhoff; A du Toit; J Oberholzer 2nd row: J Erasmus; R Cluver; D Craven (Capt); Dr C van der Merwe; (Manager); A Retief (V Capt); E Gonin; L Louw 1st row: J van der Spuy; A Groenewald; D Barnard; M Hofmeyer John Kagagi wrote on Apr 16, 2017 1930s were undoubtedly the worst So there were at least time ever for the farmers in Kenya; enough fit young men down My name is John Kagagi, a Kenyan not only were these the depression there to engage in assault based in New Zealand. years following the New York stock and battery over an odd- I came across Habari newsletter exchange crash on ‘Black Thurs- shaped ball. while carrying out some research day’ (29 October 1929), but there which I read with great interest. was also a serious drought in the But recently Kakamega mid-1930s, and to add to all of this popped up again in the most I am writing a story about Boer misery, in 1931 forty per cent of the unlikely instance. I was rugby in Kenya and came across the maize crop was destroyed by lo- working on a dependency name M.J.U. 'Stompie' Jones, who custs, and milk yields dropped down case, and accompanying the played great rugby and had a trophy to sixty per cent of what they had legal team I had to interview given in honor of his name, the been before because of the destruc- a pastor of some or other Jones Cup. tion of the pastures. Thus by 1932 religious ministry. In the dis- I wanted to find out more about this about every second Uasin Gishu cussion he mentioned that farmer was down in Kakamega pan- their ministry had also player who played first-class rugby ning for the in East Africa for over 20 years, rep- gold which My father setting resenting Kenya and East Africa in had been out from his rustic the 30's and 40's. Was he a Boer and discovered a abode, somewhere do any of his family or friends have few years near Kakamega, in any information on him? earlier by L A search of the illu- sive yellow metal. I would appreciate any information Johnson, a dour Ameri- or leads that you might be able to can who had assist me with. made his way My telephone number in NZ is to Kenya all 064 224128575 and my email is the way from [email protected] the Klondike. HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 24

Kameelperde in saam hom ry om ‘n kliënt te plaas te gaan werk in die koringlande: op die spoor gaan sien oor ‘n nuwe planter werkswinkel en om stroper te van die boere in Eldoret sê hy. ry, en toe hy weer sien stop hy ‘n skeepskonteiner vol met As ‘n junior in die uitvoeraf- tweedehandse masjiene en Christian deling van ‘n maatskappy wat begin boer. Dis blykbaar by ‘n Schlotfeldt landboumasjienerie bou ont- dorp genaamd Eldoret, nou lui moet jy heelwat interessante dit wel ‘n klokkie. is bitterlik mense. Maar jy ontmoet hulle D koud daar- gewoonlik in een of ander Dis ses maande later. Teen diè buite in die Duitse uithoek van die wêreld – nie tyd het ek al baie opgelees oor winter. Al vir amper twee jaar in Duitsland nie. Ek was Eldoret, waar Daniel Potthoff werk ek vir ‘n Duitse firma wat bedruk omdat ek op kantoor boer. Mettertyd fasineer die landboumasjiene bou digby die moes sit, en nie op een of plek my, en ek lees op tot laat Nederlandse grens, waar dit ander uithoek van die wêreld in die aand oor dit wat daar nie werklik koud word nie maar nie. Dus vat ek toe maar die aangaan en aangegaan het. eerder net nat en mislik. Soos geleentheid en ry saam met Na ‘n kort gesprek oor die foon gewoonlik as ek tydens mid- my kollega. het ek gesê dat ek in Desem- dagete op kantoor sit; sit ek op ber 2016 by hom gaan inloer Laat ek maar die storie hier Google Maps en vlieg oor Af- vir ‘n paar dae; sommer so op- kortknip. Tydens die besoek rika en verlang. Vandag vlieg pad van Duitsland na Suid Af- aan die kliënt was dit maar ek oor Nakuru en Nivasha, rika waar ek oor Kersfees by besigheid; heen en weer oor bietjie Noord en dan Wes. Die die huis wil kuier. Nou stap ek die prys en dit-of-dat oor die muis land op Eldoret en ek weke later oor die warm teer ekstra’s. Maar terwyl my kol- onthou die naam lui ‘n klokkie, van die landingsbaan van El- lega stoei, begin ek aan die ek dink aan iets. En dan is dit doret se lughawe. Agter ons gesels raak met sy trekker- weg. druis die 15 sitplekker weer op drywer oor Afrika, en oor ‘n en vlieg verder, hy’t net ‘n paar Wanneer ‘n ouer kollega die jong ou uit sy vriendekring mense op Eldy kom uitgooi. kantoor binnestap, besef ek wat tans iewers in Kenia biet- dat die middagpouse al tien jie grond huur het en boer Ek ken vir Daniel net van ‘n minute terug verby is. As ek met aartappels. Die ou het kort gesprek oor die foon en nie nou te besig is nie, kan ek oorgegaan na Kenia om op ‘n die een of ander tegniese HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 25

netjiese winkel gewees as ek die saak so kyk. Soos wat ons die pad na Ser- goit vat wink die een of ander waarmerk van ou Eldy vir my in die middestad. Daniel wys vir my die Wagon Wheel hotel uit net voordat ons oor die trein- spoor ry; ‘Wawiel heet die plek!’ moes ek hom reg help, volgens dit wat ek kon oplees was dit die uithangplek van die ou boere gewees.

Toe ons van die teerpad af- draai op die grondpad wat lei na Sergoit begin Daniel vir my verduidelik hoe die saak werk: Hy het van Duitsland af gekom om op ‘n ander plaas in die reëling per sms. Ek het maar Afrika metropool, ‘n beeld wat area in die werkswinkel te aanvaar dat ‘n jong Duitser wat jy in baie plekke sien in Af- werk, waarna hy kans gesien in Kenia gaan boer op huur- rika. Kleurvol is alles geverf, het om op sy eie te begin boer. grond met tweedehandse effe chaoties, om aandag te Nou huur hy ‘n paar lande gereedskap sal maar in orde trek. Groente, selfone, sim- langs die vlei by Fanie Kruger wees. kaarte, plastiekware, tweede en sy seun Jannie, wat ook op handse klere: alles soek van- Minute later navigeer ons deur Sergoit boer. Daar huur hy ook dag ‘n nuwe baas. Dis woelig, die druk verkeer in Daniel se ‘n huis langs die ou herehuis. en heimlik maak ek vrede dat olyfgroen Land Cruiser bakkie. Eldoret was, en nie meer is Na amper ‘n jaar is dit goed om Buiten die kameelperde wat op nie. Die plek wat ek kom soek terug te wees in Afrika met die koringstoppels wei, kon ons het is weg, dekades voordat geure en klanke wat mens ken. ook maar net sowel op ‘n plaas ek hier kon uitkom. naby Caledon gestop het. Die

Daniel vleg deur Eldy se plaas is netjies, en jy kan sien En dan skuins voor die trein- verkeer en ek verkyk my aan hier word gewerk. Daar is nie spoor sien ek ‘n gebou wat die nuwe geboue en mense ‘n ding wat rondlê nie of uit mens in Suid Afrika ‘n hoek- wat oorals besigheid doen. Dis plek uit lyk nie. In die stoor kafee sou noem. Geflank nie die plek wat ek oor opge- hang die spênners van klein tot deur twee nuwe geboue, lees het tydens my verlengde groot, en selfs die 13 en 19mm kleef die stuk ou Eldoret vas middagpouses nie besef ek hang daar, dis vir my as ver- aan die hede. Die mure is daar in die hoofstraat. Ek soek koopsman altyd ‘n maatstaaf nou sonneblomgeel geverf vir spore van die verlede, iets van netheid en orde en met die kenmerkende Tusker wat vertel van ou Eldy. Toe die sisteem op ‘n plaas. Die olifant tussen elke tweede dorp nog ‘n Afrikaanse en ‘n boustyl beïndruk my ook baie, venster aangebring, die sink- Engelse kant gehad het, soos want al herinner die natuur my dak lyk konstruktief maar sleg die gerug lui. Matatu’s, bak- bietjie aan die Swartland is dit maar is darem onlangs in kies, boda-boda’s en mense die waenhuis en herehuis wat vars bloedrooi geverf. So met sny oor die pad tussen oor- my aan Dullstroom en Belfast die groot stoep na die straat laaide trokke en trekkers. Al- herinner. Hier bespeur ek meer se kant toe en dubbeldeur mal dra iets wat hulle gekoop van die Eldoret wat ek kom wat wyd oopstaan, kan jy sien het of wil verkoop, of hulle soek het, daar is darem duide- dis deesdae steeds goed be- praat op hulle selfoon. ‘n Ware liker spore hier van die verlede. soek. Dit was seker vroeër ‘n HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 26

Die son wil so net-net wegglip in die Weste toe ons langs ‘n grond- dam sit en die dag bepeins. Woordloos sit ons daar en loer na die vuurtjie; ek vat ‘n groot sluk van my louwarm Tusker wat vreeslik diep val. Die lou bier vul my krop, en dis asof die sonsak my siel weer optap. Daniel en ek gesels oor die romantiek en realiteit van die lewe in Afrika, dis heeltemaal anders as Suid Afrika. Weer vang die erlander wat blomme boer, vuur en die veld herlaai my gedagte my van wat is, wat nog locals en ek. Almal het batterye. was en wat kon wees. Afrika. iets om te vertel uit hulle Dae later op my laaste aand op uithoek van die wêreld, vanuit Volgende dag beleef ek im- Sergoit ry Daniel en ek op die hulle uitkyk op die lewe. Ek mers dit wat is in Kenia. Ons plaas en ek kyk vir oulaas nie kan net inneem en luister, dit braai langs die dam op Sergoit. die kameelperde wat oor die is vir my vreemd op ‘n punt, al ‘n Onkonvensionele trop jong stoppels loop. Toe Daniel sê die diverse mense op een mense om die minste te sê: dat hy nie lus is vir kosmaak slag om ‘n vuur op die uithoek twee Amerikaanse meisies wat nie en dat hy sommer ‘n pizza van Oos-Afrika. En dan laat by die Universtiteit werk, twee wil bestel, snap ek nie heelte- vaar ek daai gedagte, en luis- Duitsers buiten Daniel, ‘n Ned- maal dat hy ernstig is nie. Maar ter net intens. dan bel hy die restaurant op By die Neder- Eldy en bestel ‘n spul pizza’s, lander, vir wie die en reël sommer so oor die foon plaaswerkers som- die betaling. Dan bel hy ‘n ou mer Rutho herdoop op die dorp met ‘n piki-piki het na die adjunk- (motorfiets) en reël dat dié die President van pizza’s op die plaas aflewer, so Kenia, vis ek bietjie veertig kilometer vêr. Binne ‘n uit wat ‘n jong ou halfuur of so lê pizza voor ons, soos hy hier in warm en gesny. En ek besef Kenia doen. ‘Want wat Rutho die Hollander gesê dinge gebeur vinnig het: In Afrika gebeur dinge vin- hier in Afrika, in Eu- nig, ek moes net my oë oop ropa gebeur dinge gemaak het.

te stadig en alles is Naskrif: Beste dank aan ‘n probleem’. Sna- Daniel Pothoff en Jannie aks, dink ek. Suid Kruger vir die ontvangs. En Afrikaners sal gou aan Fanie Kruger wat ek onge- anders sê of lukkig nie ontmoet het nie. teepraat. Daai aand is alles perfek; die geselskap en die HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 27

From: http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/ From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world- From: Keith Elliot article/119420/New-museum-to-showcase- africa-40171095

Swahili-culture [mailto:[email protected]] The first major new rail- Sent: Sunday, 23 April 2017 New museum to showcase way in Kenya for more 5:07 PM than a century has some Swahili culture Subject: Kuki Gallmann Mathias Ringa (3 Mar 2017) challenging goals to meet if it is “The 73-year-old author of the justify its high cost. memoir "I Dreamed of Africa" A new museum will be estab- was shot in the stomach after lished in Kenya’s Mombasa Kenya's new railway at a the vehicle she was driving in County to showcase the popu- glance: • was ambushed by a group of lar Swahili culture, Kenya’s Cost $3.2bn (£2.5bn) • gunmen, a family friend said. Tourism Cabinet Secre- China provided funding for “Gallmann, who was played tary, Najib Balala, has re- the 472km (293 mile) project • by Kim Basinger in the 2000 vealed. It took three-and-a-half years to build film of the book, was going to Balala said although Mombasa • The line is should eventually inspect fresh damage to her has rich historical culture - a connect land-locked South property after invaders fusion of the native and Arabs Sudan, eastern Democratic burned down a retreat there who came from Oman in the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, on Saturday. A luxury hotel 17th century, the town lacks a Burundi and Ethiopia to the there had already been burnt museum for exhibiting Swahili Indian Ocean down last month. culture. • It cuts the journey time be- “She was ambushed when The museum will give tourists tween Mombasa and Nairobi she was forced to stop by a an opportunity to learn about to 4.5 hours, compared with tree laid across the track, the Swahili culture, art and cuisine. 9 hours by bus or 12 hours friend said. The gunmen shot on the previous railway her, but Gallmann was saved “Unless we preserve our cul- • An economy class ticket when rangers from the Kenya ture, it might be wiped out of costs 900 Kenyan shillings Wildlife Service intervened the world map and deny the ($9; £7), slightly cheaper and fought off the attackers. future generations of our his- than a bus ticket. A business “Gallmann was first flown to a torical and cultural identity,” he class ticket is $30 hospital in the nearby town of said. • Nanyuki to be stabilized. Brit- A 2013 World Bank study pre- ish military medics accompa- The Cabinet Secretary said dicted that freight traffic on the he would donate Sh5 million nied her on another helicopter entire East Africa Community to receive surgery at a hospi- in support of the construc- rail network would grow to ap- tion of a new museum while tal in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, proximately 14.4 million tonnes the friend said. a Mombasa businessman, per year by 2030, but that in- Suleiman Shahbal, also vestment in a standard gauge “Her daughter – who herself pledged to donate Sh5 million. railway appeared "only to be was shot at in an incident in justified if the new infrastruc- March – said that her mother ture could attract additional rail was able to speak, the friend freight in the order of 20-55 said.” (Sourced from million tonnes per year". This Reuters.) means the railway needs to Kuki Gallmann and her daughter Sevna Image source: http://www.bongosafari.com/ Image source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk images/mombasa-city-excursions.jpg win all of the freight currently trucked to and from Mombasa - Kenya’s New Railway (Photo: MICHAEL KHATELI) and more. According to the Kenya Ports Authority, Mom- basa port handled a total of just over 26 million tonnes of cargo in 2015 ... HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 28

Kitale School Reunion, Cheltenham Septem- September where we had 82 people for Satur- ber 2016 day lunch and around 60 for dinner. There were A very successful reunion was held in Cheltenham in 51 past pupils in total with some people travelling from very far away to join us. September where we had 82 people for Saturday lunch and around 60 for dinner. There were 51 past It was really great to see so many friends from pupils in total with some people travelling from very far. school with many who had not seen each other A very successful reunion was held in Cheltenham in

Left to right: Veronica Blennerhassett, ?, Janina Legg, Bridget Walton (Hiding), ?, Alex Bolton, Jane Cox, Keith Monkhouse, Else McMichael, Peter Long, Lizbeth Mandel, Wendy Crewe, Elizabeth Tottenham, Liz Bannister, Oliver Heathcote, David de Bromhead, Peter Gerrard, John Rose, Antony Denton, Michael Brookes, Koba Bentley, Damsie Willcocks, Kevin Northcote, Patricia Neale, Horace Horsey, Lindy Wilson, Jenny Botto, ?, Jenny Field, Judith Hollows, Robert Munday, Roger Dudin, Peter Rosa, Steve Wilson, Richard Northcote, Ralph Nicholson, Ann Attwood, Niels Bertelsen, Peter Bertelsen, Sue Boll, Peter Woods, ?, Michael O’Hanlon, ?, Noreen Johnson, Jenny Munden, Graham Bush, Christine Cross, Aiden Doyle, Marianne Cottam

Extract from KITALE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2016 NAME Country NAME Country Attwood, Ann (Totty) UK Johnson, Noreen (Wilson) & Michael UK Bannister, Liz (Waterfield) & John UK Long, Peter UK Bentley, Koba (Bosman) & Bob UK Mandel, Lisbeth (Jensen) Denmark Bertelsen, Niels Denmark McMicheal, Else (Sunde) UK Bertelsen, Peter Australia Monkhouse, Keith UK Blennerhassett, Veronica (Plunkett) UK Munday, Robert UK Boll, Sue (Wilson) & Klaus Germany Munden, Jenny (Wilson) & Charlie UK Bolton, Alex UK Neale, Patricia (Edge) UK Botto, Jenny (Troward) UK Northcote, Kevin & Lesley UK Brookes, Michael UK Northmore, Richard & Bronwen UK Bush, Graham UK O'Hanlon, Damsie UK Collie, Harris ** UK O'Hanlon, Mark UK Cottam, Marianne (Olsen) UK O'Hanlon, Michael & Linda UK Crewe, Wendy (Totty) UK Pratt, Patricia (Matthews) UK Cross, Christine (Jensen) UK Ralph Nicholson & Jane Cox UK De Bromhead, David UK Rosa, Mike UK Denton, Anthony & Penny UK Rosa, Peter UK Dimech, Rodney & Elizabeth UK Rose, John & Mandie UK Doyle, Aiden & Lesley UK Seabrook, Janina (Legg) & Michael UK Dudin, Roger & Kirsty UK Tottenham, Elizabeth Ireland Field, Jenny (Duirs) & John UK Totty, Bruce UK Foster, John & Sally UK Vorster, Liz (Troward) South Africa Gerrard, Peter UK Walton, Bridget (Doenhoff) & Robin South Africa Hallows, Judith UK Wilson, Lindy (Northcote) & Tug Turkey Heathcote, Oliver UK Wilson, Steve & Cecilia UK Horsey, Horace & Mandy Kenya Woods, Peter & Jenny UK ** Not Kitale School but from Kitale HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 29

The East African Safari Rally A few years later, and after the rally had be- 1953-1963 come part of the world Rally Championships calendar, Didier Merlin, writing for the French Compiled by Elsie Cloete daily, Le Figaro, wrote that “the East African Safari Rally was considered “the most fan- otor racing in Kenya existed sporadically tastic, the most incredible and the craziest M before World War II and picked up again rally” he had ever seen. “Automobile manu- after the war. In 1936 already, Fairy Engelbrecht facturers wish to prove, and they do prove, and Fred Hopley had won the Nairobi- the strength of their cars.” What made the Johannesburg road race in celebration of Safari Rally unique was that cars had to be Jo’burg’s Golden Jubilee in their Terraplane. A limited to “off-the-peg” family saloons. This new circuit had been built at LangaLanga at gave the buying public an idea of what they Gilgil in 1952. But Neil Vincent, a motor racing would get for their money if they stepped into enthusiast felt that nothing could be more boring a dealership. Success in the Safari (and one than driving around in circles on the LangaLanga was considered hugely successful for just track. In 1952 he declared to his cousin Eric Ce- finishing) was almost instantly reflected in cil that if he were to “organise an event where sales graphs for cars available in Kenya, we get into our cars, slam the door, go halfway Uganda and Tanganyika’s dealerships. In across Africa and back and the first car home is earlier years of the Safari Rally, no advertis- a winner, I’ll be in it.” With sponsorship from the ing was allowed on any of the cars. East African Standard and Shell, the Coronation Safari was born. In the first Safari Rally of 1953, called The Coronation Safari in honour of Queen Eliza- Organising such a safari rally was much easier beth II’s coronation, class categories of cars in post-war years: petrol stations were more that could take part, were listed by Nairobi widely available throughout the country, there showroom prices. Category A entrants were a few more roads and the quality of tyres needed to be under £600, Category B prices had improved. ranged from £600 to £800, C from £800 to £1000 and D over £1000. Below: Cliff Collinge taking an acute corner at the LangaLanga Roughly-speaking these race track. Cliff Collinge became one of the most consistent categories reflected capac- drivers of the Safari Rally. ity ratings for the engine (Photo courtesy of Nan Collinge and Cherry MacIldowie) sizes of the cars. No altera- tions could be made on the cars save for the fitting of extra lights and additional tyres. Some of the heavier cars experienced massive tyre trouble due to high speeds and difficult roads. However, the third placed finisher in Class C, and the only female driver to finish, KP Hurst, drove her Mer- cedes Benz diesel on re- treaded tyres throughout!

Class A winners of the 1953 Coronation Safari, Alan Dix and Johnny Lar- sen, also won overall in their Volkswagen Beetle. HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 30

Arkell and Mathers, two CORONATION SAFARI heavyweights who drove one of the smaller cars, the Austin A-36

Above: Class A winners of the 1953 Coronation Safari, Alan Dix and Johnny Larsen, also won overall in their Volkswagen Beetle. Larsen’s Night stop by bloody nose is from hitting the the eventual winner, CJ dashboard during a slight course de- Manussis (Chevrolet) viation while the skewed lights re- sulted from an altercation with an an- telope. (Photo: East African Annual

Right: John Manussis (centre photo) was the eventual winner of Class D in the inaugural rally, along with his co- driver, John Boyes, drove a Chevro- let 2970. John Manussis is also known as the man who introduced Coca-Cola to Kenya. In 1961 Manus- sis (with co-drivers Bill Coleridge and David Bekett) won overall in a Mercedes Benz 220SE. In the bottom picture, Fairy Engelbrecht looks very pleased with his day. In the end he did not manage to finish. (Composite photo: East Africa Annual 1953- 1954).

A Beetle won the 2nd Coronation Rally as well, driven by Vic Preston and DP Marwaha. Both of them also won the 3rd rally driving a Ford Zephyr.

In 1953 the Coronation Safari conditions “Fairy” Engelbrecht looks were so bad on the roads that the or- pleased after finishing a trouble-free run. ganisers decided that anybody who had managed to reach Voi (200 miles from East African Standard the finish line) would be classed as a finisher. There were control points along keeping equipment available. News about the pro- the way but at times equipment was gress of the race was often done by radio amateurs pretty primitive. At one control point a along the way and more than a thousand volunteers kitchen alarm clock was the only time- gave up their Easter break to assist. HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 31

The route changed every year but generally the roads ranged from pitiful to abominable, altitude rose from sea-level to 9000 feet (2743 metres) which really tested cars’ car- burettor systems, temperatures differed from 100F (37C) to well below freezing and com- petitors had to keep a constant lookout for wild animals.

Joginder Singh, known as the Flying Sikh, was the first competitor to win the Safari Joginder Singh is brought to a standstill by a Rally three times. He had a remarkable 19 lion crossing the track. (Photo sourced from: finishes in 22 Safari starts. http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/sports/ Joginder Singh is the only driver to twice be EAS&Joginder/easafari&joginder.htm) part of the so-called Unsinkable Seven. Un- sinkable Seven is the nickname give to the group of only seven drivers and co-drivers who finished the Safari Rally in 1963 and 1968.

From 1953 to 1961 cars were still classified according to their price. Thereafter, results were released from first to last in terms of crossing the finishing line. In 1959 Fairy Engelbrecht and Gordon Goby finished 2nd in class C driving an Opel Capitan 426. In 1961 the two finished 3rd again in the C class driving another Opel Kapitan.

The route was plagued by flooding and inces- Until 1969 the stranglehold held by African sant rain as indicated in the photo below. drivers (Kenya and Tanzanian) was eventu- (Photo sourced from: http://www.sikh- ally broken in 1979 when a German co- heritage.co.uk/sports/EAS&Joginder/ driver, Hans Schüller won alongside his Ken- easafari&joginder.htm) yan driver, Edgar Hermann.

OOS-AFRIKA SAAMTREK 2016 PRETORIA

Foto: Krige van Heerden HABARI 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of East Africa Nuusbrief van die Vriende van Oos-Afrika 32

[Here is one of the] two maps of farms in the 50s and who lived on them covering the Sergoit and former Hajees Drift area titled "Eldoret" and "Kaptagat" respectively. Bingo on the Eldoret map I have just seen the Misikuri River. (Throughout East Africa there were the same names used by the local watu to name natural features). Salaams, Dave Lichtenstein.

We will try to make copies of both maps [Eldoret as well as Kaptagat] downloadable from the web site — Editor