The Storyteller Heading

Just Knock on the Tree

The Odyssey of the Coddiwompling Tortoise – Rozinante – and The Storyteller

(Coddiwomple: to travel in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination.)

Escaping to the Riverbank for more Bosman

Storytelling, poetry, beautiful music and mesmerising marionettes. A Sunday with a difference.

Bosman Weekend is a blast. The Nama riel dance is one of the oldest dance forms that originated with the Khoi and San people.

Yes, I’m still enjoying the Bosman Festival.

Early on Sunday, master storyteller, David Muller, returned – captivating his audience as he narrated Heathcote William’s epic poem Whale Nation on the riverbank of River Still Guesthouse grounds.

Maggie Cooper’s creative tale of Bosman’s love life, ‘Unfolding Flowers’ set to guitar music and ably assisted by her husband, Colin, on sound, was another gentle offering ideal for the placid surroundings with its beautiful setting of trees, trails, a labyrinth and a languid river that flows around big boulders and fallen tree trunks. Bosman’s life was colourful, to put it mildly. He was even jailed for murder once and his love life was almost as turbulent. Maggie captured it beautifully.

Back to the serene camping grounds after a wonderful but busy weekend.

I was in seventh heaven to discover John on the virginial and Paulus with his oboe were playing again.

Swannie Swanevelder’s inventive Bosman Reborn had us all mesmerised with his marionettes as he skilfully utilised many unusual aspects of puppetry. This very experienced puppeteer has 500 of these ‘miniature people’ and shared some of them in this performance that even kept the restless children transfixed.

The half-day wound down after lunch with Paulus, who seems to have music seeping out of every pore, picking up his mouth bow – used by a number of South African and Appalachian peoples – and playing a wide variety of tunes thereon for the stragglers.

Would I return for another Bosman Weekend at some time? Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away.

I needed to relax at the caravan park after such a busy festival. Fortunately, it was away from the madding crowds.

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Hi, I’m Judy

My maiden name was Hawkins and perhaps that explains why I love travelling. Sir John Hawkins, who sailed for Queen Elizabeth I, was supposed to be related to me. Possibly, that may only be a fanciful notion on the part of my late father and in any case, I can’t be overly proud of the fact. Hawkins was responsible for discovering the use of tobacco by the Native Americans, returning to England with it and the process of smoking in 1565. Not to mention the dreadful fact that he was also a slave trader.

Perhaps none of us knows a lot about our ancestors. I grew up in the days when a person’s personal business was just that – personal. I like it that way but in this Blog you can peek around the edges of my life. I am a non-smoker and only raise a glass of champagne on special occasions. Otherwise … well, I’d like to think you’ll find me interesting.

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