SA reads discussion
Circles in a Forest
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Week 1
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The Knysna forest extends along the Southern Coast of SA in a region called the Garden Route. The KwaZulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic lies along the coast to the north-east.
The trees are of tropical and afromontane origin, and include Ironwood, Stinkwood, Outeniqua Yellowwood, Real Yellowwood, Cape Holly, White Pear, Cape beech, Bastard Saffron, Cape Plane, assegai tree, Kamassi, White Alde, and Red Alder.
The forests are home to African Elephant, African leopard, Bushbuck, Blue duiker, Bushpig and other mammals.
.The area has a rich assortment of birds including the near-endemic Knysna lourie, Knysna warbler, Knysna woodpecker, chorister robin-chat and forest canary, while birds of prey found here include the crowned eagle and the African wood owl.
The Forest was exploited for wood from the 1800s; since the 1930's the Forest is protected with very limited timber harvesting permitted.
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-OuPoot is referred to as Old Foot. Although this is a literal translation, the meaning is lost. More reverence is conveyed by the Afrikaans translation, although I struggle to explain why.
- Uncle: Saul's father is referred to as uncle. Again a literal translation oom, but again the respect is lost. Oom is a respectful term for an older male, whereas uncle implies familiarity.
-Mister: translated from meneer, the word sir would be more appropriate.
Two quotes that had me spellbound though:
it was a strange feeling. That fourteen feeling. as of your were standing in two trees at the same time
I can just picture an adolescent boy with one foot in each tree, perched precariously above the ground. One wrong move and it's a great fall. Life seems like that for Saul, perched between worlds: past vs future, family tradition vs new discoveries. If he can't find a balance between these things, his life and sense of self will be lost.
To believe a lie is to betray yourself. To walk past a truth because the path of the untruth is well trodden is just the same.
Events, including the episode of the blue duiker, have led Saul to question the tales of his childhood, which were handed down like gospel. This would make stand out among his family and make him uncertain of his identity.
My last thought is about Saul choosing to shoot oupoot, instead of allowing a poacher to do this. I think it is because he has a respect and a love for old foot; shooting the elephant will be done with dignity and mercy. As opposed to a poacher out for a big kill and ivory.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings, what does the group feel so far.
I read 'Kringe in die Bos' twice during my matric year. I LOVED the book! I won't try the English version, but will one day re-read the Afrikaans book again.
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We read Fiela se Kind in Matric, which was good, but I never had the opportunity to read this. One of my brothers did but I can guarantee his copy was never opened
Vicki wrote: "There is something very majestic about Elephants. Combine that with the Knysna Forest and you have a winner. I also originally read this book in Afrikaans. Something gets lost in translation for sure."
Definitely switching translations. The one I have is badly translated.
I'm glad you both have such positive memories of this book.
What would you say you enjoyed most.
Hello everybody! I am joining in at the end of week one so please excuse my tail-end comments. I had virtually no internet reception for the past week.To start off with:
Maska calls Saul "Baas Saul" in chapter one. This was a common form of addressing a white man by a coloured/black person in the apartheid era and conveys respect. Later in the book you will find how significant the use of the word "Baas" (meaning Boss) is by Maska referring to Saul. Saul grew up under this man and Maska is much older than him, but for many reasons, he now considers Saul as his senior. In the forest, there wasn't a big divide between the white people and the coloureds, as both groups were equally poor, but it is not only the fact that Saul has come into money that has given him this ranking in Maska's eyes. Another reason lies in the fact that Maska really doesn't want Saul to be the one to shoot Oupoot.
In Afrikaans, the elephants are called Grootvoete because the forest dwellers were too scared to say the word elephant. What is "Grootvoete" translated to in the English version? Don't tell be it's Big Feet please...
In comes Freek Terblans. It's Saul vs. Freek. Good vs. evil. And it's a race against time.
What broke my heart is the total lack of love and respect that the forest people had for both the trees and the elephants. They feel absolutely nothing for the life that surrounds them. But at the same time, it is clear that people had a special kind of fear/respect/hate for (I want to say "poor") Oupoot. He was a really special elephant.
Adele wrote: "Hello everybody! I am joining in at the end of week one so please excuse my tail-end comments. I had virtually no internet reception for the past week.To start off with:
Maska calls Saul "Baas S..."
In return, Saul refers to Maska (and later to Sanna) as "Ou Maska" (and "Ou Sanna"). This conveys a feeling of emotion/familiarity towards these people that doesn't have anything to do with age necessarily. (Ou meaning old, or maybe more appropriately "Ol' Maska", almost like cowboys would have said it).
In the first conversation between Maska and Saul it becomes clear that Saul is different from the rest, and that he has become that way. That he was once like the rest and one of the rest. It is clear that Saul has risen above the life of the forst dweller and that is divide between him and them. Also that the feeling towards Saul from the forst people isn't a positive feeling. But still there are more similarities between Saul and these people than they would want to admit. They are all extremely stubborn. And honest. And hard working. The forest is a part of not only these people's lives, but also of their entire beings. It is impossible to separate the forest dweller and the forest.
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Yup Adele, we have an Old Foot and Big Feet. Absolutely horrendous. I'm switching to Afrikaans, the English version is just badly translated, whole sentiments are lost...
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Vicki, I hate being called lovey or deary, particularly by a tweenie! At least Tannie is respectful...
But I agree, 'aunty' conveys familiarity, whereas 'tannie' conveys respect.
Oh dear sorry Vicki with an i!! Oops...
How is the name "Gert Oog" translated? Oog, directly translated means "Eye"
"...en dit voel vir hom hy loop agteruit in homself in."This phrase to me was beautiful. Meaning Saul is as much a part of the forest, as the forest was a part of him. Also, immediately as he enters the forest, memories of his life started flooding back.
It becomes apparent that Saul's life has led him to leave the Knysna forest on a boat called the Pictor. I look forward to follow his adventures along his life as he comes to that point. As he was getting ready for the boat to depart, it seems there is a hardness in Saul. He is turning his heart away from the forest he loves. But it seems that there is still something bothering him subconsciously. He wants to tell himself that he is doing the right thing, but I can't help to think he is lying to himself. He is still trying to convince himself that he is doing the right thing.
Adele wrote: "What broke my heart is the total lack of love and respect that the forest people had for both the trees and the elephants. They feel absolutely nothing for the life that surrounds them. But at the ..."Mind that Saul refers to Oupoot as the "King of the elephants of the forest"
Sauls finds out that his brother's son was killed and that, apparently, Oupoot was involved. This seems impossible to Saul. He knows this elephant and has a special bond with him. Saul doubts that Oupoot was involved, as Oupoot was a loner character, like Saul himself. Oupoot would not involve himself in group elephant activities, that is too unlike his way.
The names of the areas in the forest are beautiful, almost melodic phrases that give a feeling of the good natured, basic, down-to-earth way of life in the forest. "Homtini", "Kom-se-bos", "Diepwalle", "Gouna". It carries an almost magic, or fairy-like and mysterious feeling across. And as Sauls wonders where Oupoot might be, he feels a familiar pang as memories come flooding back. With each of these places he connects people, events, deaths.
Adele wrote: "The names of the areas in the forest are beautiful, almost melodic phrases that give a feeling of the good natured, basic, down-to-earth way of life in the forest. "Homtini", "Kom-se-bos", "Diepwal..."Also, the names of the trees and animal life of the forest, carries the feeling of familiarity between them and the people that gave them these names.
A "kalander" I think is a smaller "geelhout" tree, whereas an "upright" must be the full grown, majestic geelhout.
"Kruppelbos" refers to areas where there are no trees. "Kruppel" meaning dilapidated, inadequate.
What are your thoughts about the relationship between Saul and his father. To me it is clear that Saul, at least initially, sees his father as his hero and respects him immensely.
Saul's mother and sister dies. Beautifully, in these people's way of speaking, they do not refer to "Dying" directly, but they talk about the angels coming to fetch you, or carry you off.Also, Maska, when informing Saul about his nephew's death, doesn't speak about a funeral, or being buried. In the Afrikaans, he says the child will be "put away" ("bêre"). Truly beautiful
When Saul drinks water from the Homtini river, he can taste the forest in the water. The forest has a spirit and it is in everything. The trees, water, earth, the blue-duiker and of course the elephants.Only in humans, this spirit is extinguished. The human spirit is stubborn and blind.
Adele wrote: "The names of the areas in the forest are beautiful, almost melodic phrases that give a feeling of the good natured, basic, down-to-earth way of life in the forest. "Homtini", "Kom-se-bos", "Diepwal..."Saul, as a child, also experiences this eeriness when the mist comes into the forest from the sea making the forest even more quiet, closer together and scarier.
Saul meets Kate for the first time at the end of chapter three. He describes her as looking like an angel. And immediately he becomes aware of the difference between himself and town's folk.
"Groot Eiland" or Big Island directly translated, was Saul's home as a child. As he nears this area just as he finds signs of Oupoot's tracks early in the morning, he feels restless. This is probably the place in the forest that has the most emotional memories for him.He goes to the house that belonged to his family and finds it dilapidated and inside an equally battered by life, Sanna. I would like to find a recipe for an "askoek". This must have been one of their more luxurious staples in their diet and sounds delicious.
Vicki wrote: "Sometimes I think if you are not familiar with South Africanisms is can seem disrespectful. For instance in Afrikaans when you call someone 'Tannie' or 'Oom' (aunty or uncle),even when you do not k..."I love the respect reflected in 'oom' and 'tannie' . I hate it when a six year old calls me by my first name! Ugh!
There's something about elephants. They are of impressive size, yet have expressive faces and a certain clumsiness that makes them almost comical. Then imagine using your nose as a hand! Too funny.
For this reason, I have to remind myself that these herbivorous herd animals are dangerous.
In South africa, we have two types of African elephant; the African bush elephant (found in Limpopo, Mpumalanga etc) and the smaller African forest elephant of Knysna. The latter have shorter jaws and straighter tusks.
Possibly most fascinating, is elephant mythology , there's something almost fantastical about an elephant
African Myths & Legends about Elephants | Road Travel Africa
roadtravelafrica.com/2011/05/05/afric...