LA ROCHELLE HOLKRANS

Waar kom die naam vandaan? Willie Scheepers van Sheepmore het destyds die plaas gekoop. Hy was diep beindruk deur die skoonheid van die omgewing en het dit La Rochelle genoem. Die naam La Rochelle het sy oorsprong in die Ou Franse woord “roche,” wat rots beteken. La Rochelle is onder andere die naam van ‘n stad in Wes Frankryk aan die Baai van Biscay wat in die 16de eeu ‘n sterk Hugenote vesting was.

By die La Rochelle hollkrans kan mens uitpak en padkos eet in die koelte op die lekker houtbankies en die pragtige eeue oue tekeninge bewonder. Wat ‘n gevoel om op dieselfde plek te staan as die San, honderde jare gelede. Blykbaar was dit ‘n “grande” grot omdat die plafon so hoog is.

Die La Rochelle-geloftefeesterrein is ongeveer 50km anderkant Carolina op die Badplaaspad geleë.

Geloftefeeste word reeds sedert 1914 daar gehou. Vroeër jare het mense reeds op die 15de Desember daar uitgekamp, braaivleis en Boeresport gehou alvorens die Gelofte die volgende dag op 16 Desember afgelê is. Die Geloftediens en -toespraak vind in die holkrans plaas waarin Boesmantekeninge te siene is, asook ‘n granietsteen wat in die wand ingemessel is met die datum “1938″ en die inskripsie: “Om in 2038 geopen te word”. Wie weet wat dit gaan openbaar!

San Bushmen paintings at La Rochelle; Whilst almost every cultural and linguistic group in Africa has made rock art in some place at some time, and while each tradition is unique and distinctive, ultimately, if one goes back far enough all appear to have a common root. In rock art we can thus see and celebrate the richness and diversity of modern African culture, but at the same time we are reminded of our common and unifying ancestry.

Photos taken at La Rochelle Cave S.A. October 2011

Africa has four main hunter-gatherer rock art zones. Each zone has its own particular manners of depiction and the South Eastern Zone rock art is described and illustrated here. Within each zone one finds considerable regional variation, but, broad and common uses of colour, technique, subjects and symbolism suggest that each is a particular and distinctive artistic tradition. The subjects and symbolic concerns of each tradition are very different, but they are united by a common concern with the spirit world and with spirit world forces.

Coordinates: S: 26’7’40.9” and E: 30’24’55.1”

or S: 26.12803 and E: 30.41531

The future of Africa’s ancient rock art is in our hands; and, if we take care of it, it can give us a much richer future.

Ané se kommentaar:-

Ek het as klein dogtertjie menige geloftefeeste daar bygewoon, dis ‘n plek waar jou gedagtes op wilde paaie kan ronddwaal. Dis pragtig, koel en rustig, defnitief ‘n moet om te besoek.