George Weideman
Encyclopedia
George Henry Weideman (2 July 1947 - 27 August 2008) was a South Africa
n poet
and writer
. Born in Cradock
, a town in the Eastern Cape Province, he grew up between the Karoo
of the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape
. He matriculated from Namakwaland High School in Springbok
.
At the age of nine, he was already interested in learning languages like Magyar (spoken in Hungary
) and Icelandic
, and by the age of thirteen he was already running the school newspaper.
In June 1966, as a second-year Bachelor of Arts
student at the University of Pretoria
, he published his first collection of poetry entitled "Hondegaloppie" (lit. "dog gallop"), which contained verses about the Karoo, Boesmanland and Namaqualand
. "As die son kliplangs spring", published three years later, also contains material that is mostly about the landscape and nostalgia.
In 1970, while he was teaching in Fraserburg
, he published "Klein manifes van ’n reisiger" ("Little manifest of a traveller"), and in 1977, while teaching in Port Elizabeth, he published "Hoera, hoera die ysman" ("Hooray, hooray the iceman"). Poetry about love was included in these two: he married Celién Nel from Fraserburg in 1973 while he was staying in Kenhardt. They have two daughters, Melita and Siobhan.
While staying in South-West Africa from 1978 until 1989, George completed his doctorate
and published his first collection of short stories, "Tuin van klip en vuur" ("Garden of stone and fire"), as well as releasing another poetry collection, "Uit hierdie grys verblyf" ("From this grey existence"). Three of his dramas was performed by the University of Namibia
.
His first book aimed at the youth, "Los my uit, paloekas!", received the silver Sanlam Prize in 1992, and "Die optog van die aftjoppers" received gold in 1994. The latter also received the highly-acclaimed Scheepers Prize in 1995, as well as a nomination by the Children's Book Forum as IBBY Honour Book for the International Board on Books for Young People.
In 1994 his second collection of short stories appeared, entitled "Die donker melk van daeraad".
In 1997 he published n Staning onder sterre, a collection of poetry; Nuwe stemme, an omnibus of the works of eleven debut poets, which George arranged; and his first adult novel, Die onderskepper ("The Interceptor"), about a mysterious woman from the city. The latter won the 1998 W.A. Hofmeyr prize and came second place in the De Kat novel competition.
In 1998 "Pella lê ’n kruistog vêr", a selection from his previous collections, was published, as well as a youth novel, "Dana se jaar duisend", which again won the Sanlam prize for Youth literature.
The novel "Draaijakkals" was published in October 1999.
His radio drama, "Lig", won the third place in the RSG
competition for 2000/2001.
Until his retirement, George was a lecturer at the Peninsula Technikon, now part of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
.
On 17 July 2004 he received the first Sanlam prize for Afrikaans theatre.
After a long struggle against cancer, Weideman died on 27 August 2008.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Born in Cradock
Cradock, Eastern Cape
Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population...
, a town in the Eastern Cape Province, he grew up between the Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
of the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
. He matriculated from Namakwaland High School in Springbok
Springbok, Northern Cape
Springbok is the largest town in the Namaqualand area in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. it had a population of 10,294. Springbok is located on the N7 national road which connects the Cape with Namibia, and at the western end of the N14, which connects it with Upington and Pretoria...
.
At the age of nine, he was already interested in learning languages like Magyar (spoken in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
) and Icelandic
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
, and by the age of thirteen he was already running the school newspaper.
In June 1966, as a second-year Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
student at the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
, he published his first collection of poetry entitled "Hondegaloppie" (lit. "dog gallop"), which contained verses about the Karoo, Boesmanland and Namaqualand
Namaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the...
. "As die son kliplangs spring", published three years later, also contains material that is mostly about the landscape and nostalgia.
In 1970, while he was teaching in Fraserburg
Fraserburg
Fraserburg is a town in the Karoo region of South Africa's Northern Cape province.It was established in 1851 on the farm Rietfontein, and named after the Scottish immigrant Reverend Colin Fraser, and a church elder G.J. Meyburgh. Prior to the town establishment the earliest known inhabitants of the...
, he published "Klein manifes van ’n reisiger" ("Little manifest of a traveller"), and in 1977, while teaching in Port Elizabeth, he published "Hoera, hoera die ysman" ("Hooray, hooray the iceman"). Poetry about love was included in these two: he married Celién Nel from Fraserburg in 1973 while he was staying in Kenhardt. They have two daughters, Melita and Siobhan.
While staying in South-West Africa from 1978 until 1989, George completed his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
and published his first collection of short stories, "Tuin van klip en vuur" ("Garden of stone and fire"), as well as releasing another poetry collection, "Uit hierdie grys verblyf" ("From this grey existence"). Three of his dramas was performed by the University of Namibia
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia is the national university of Namibia, located in the Pioneers Park district of Windhoek. Established by an act of National Assembly on 31 August 1992, UNAM includes Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Economics & Management Science Education, Humanities and...
.
His first book aimed at the youth, "Los my uit, paloekas!", received the silver Sanlam Prize in 1992, and "Die optog van die aftjoppers" received gold in 1994. The latter also received the highly-acclaimed Scheepers Prize in 1995, as well as a nomination by the Children's Book Forum as IBBY Honour Book for the International Board on Books for Young People.
In 1994 his second collection of short stories appeared, entitled "Die donker melk van daeraad".
In 1997 he published n Staning onder sterre, a collection of poetry; Nuwe stemme, an omnibus of the works of eleven debut poets, which George arranged; and his first adult novel, Die onderskepper ("The Interceptor"), about a mysterious woman from the city. The latter won the 1998 W.A. Hofmeyr prize and came second place in the De Kat novel competition.
In 1998 "Pella lê ’n kruistog vêr", a selection from his previous collections, was published, as well as a youth novel, "Dana se jaar duisend", which again won the Sanlam prize for Youth literature.
The novel "Draaijakkals" was published in October 1999.
His radio drama, "Lig", won the third place in the RSG
Radio Sonder Grense
Radio Sonder Grense , i.e. Radio Without Borders, is an Afrikaans language radio service run by the South African Broadcasting Corporation for the whole of South Africa. Since Afrikaans is one of South Africa's 11 official languages, the SABC is required to carry an Afrikaans-language service on...
competition for 2000/2001.
Until his retirement, George was a lecturer at the Peninsula Technikon, now part of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a university in Cape Town, South Africa, is the only university of Technology in the Western Cape province, and is also the largest university in the province, with over 32,000 students.-History:...
.
On 17 July 2004 he received the first Sanlam prize for Afrikaans theatre.
After a long struggle against cancer, Weideman died on 27 August 2008.