Ontvlugting – Ingrid Jonker
Uit hierdie Valkenburg het ek ontvlug
en dink my nou in Gordonsbaai terug:Ek speel met paddavisse in ‘n stroom
en kerf swatsikas in ‘n rooikransboomEk is die hond wat op die strande draf
en dom-allenig teen die aandwind blafEk is die seevoël wat verhongerd daal
en dooie nagte opdis as ‘n maalDie god wat jou geskep het uit die wind
sodat my smart in jou volmaaktheid vind:My lyk lê uitgespoel in wier en gras
op al die plekke waar ons eenmaal was.
One of my favourite South African poets is Ingrid Jonker. Unfortunately she died in a very similar way to what she described in the poem, “Ontvlugting”. She fought depression for years being checked into mental institutions in Cape Town several times over her life time. Finally on 19 July 1965 the dark shadows of depression folded over her and took control.
I feel that her intense emotions helped give her a special ability to create beautiful poetry. It’s just a shame that it got the better of her in 1965. I find refuge in some of her words and can sometimes find myself falling away into another world. A world of Apartheid which she fought against. Her father was a leading man in the Apartheid regime and he did not approve of her fight against it at all. He also did not think much of her poetry, urging her to do a secretarial course to become ‘normal’ in his view.
I read the biography of André P. Brink, “‘n Vurk in die Pad” this weekend and it suddenly made me feel so much closer to her words. I think it’s so beautiful that they loved each other so much. It ended being a very dysfunctional relationship and that’s of course the sad thing about love. No matter how much you love each other, it won’t make the relationship work.
If you’re Afrikaans or understand Afrikaans, do yourself a favour and read some of Ingrid Jonker’s poetry. Completely immerse yourself into her world and try to understand the context of the 60’s. Afrikaans is one of the most beautiful languages in literature and poetry so do yourself a favour and experience it for yourself!
Ridiculously Insane 
Wat ek ook kan voorslaan, as ek mag, is Chris Chameleon se ‘Ek herhaal jou’ CD. Dit het Jonker vir my vatbaar gemaak.
Ja dit is ‘n wonderlike manier om ‘n konneksie te maak met Jonker se werk. Brink het natuurlik glad nie Chris Chameleon se werk goedgekeur nie en dit aan ‘n geld maak storie oorgegee. Ek stem nie saam met hom nie, ek dink dis ‘n wonderlike eerbiedenskap deur Chameleon. Dit het baie mense bekend gestel aan Jonker se werk. 🙂 E
Ja?! Het hy ‘n probleem daarmee gehad? Ek’t dit nie geweet nie.
In sy memoir het hy nie name genoem nie maar dit heel duidelik gemaak dat hy nie regtig die werk goedkeur nie. Ek het aanvaar dat dit Chris Chameleon se werk was want ek weet nie van enige ander sangers wat albums van haar werk gemaak het nie. Hy is natuurlik baie sensitief as dit by Jonker kom so dit is verstaanbaar 🙂
Ek het die volgende ontdek:
Het my laat besef hoe vêr weg my wêreld van daardie mense se wêreld is.
Ons praat dieselfde taal maar ons is nie dieselfde mense nie.
Sorry, dis net ‘n persoonlike nota hier op jou Blog.
Nee dis great! Baie dankie 🙂