MAJOR FOSSIL FIND AT LAINGSBURG

Ancient marine sediments of the Ecca Group rock layer near Laingsburg recently yielded an exciting surprise for geologists and palaeontologists working in the area. British palaeontologist Dr John Almond, of Nature Viva cc, discovered the fossil trackway of a gigantic water scorpion (eurypterid) in these 260-million-year-old rocks “This spectacular trace fossil consists of two parallel series of complex footprints. It is about one meter wide and seven meters in length, extending across the surface of a single bed. As such it is the largest trackway of an invertebrate (animal without backbone or other bony internal skeleton) yet found in the world,” says Dr Almond. “The eurypterid which made it must have been enormous, perhaps l,5 to 2 m long. The well-preserved trackway indicates that the animal was walking along a sea bed, using the special comb-like structures on its limbs to forage in the soft muddy sediments for food, probably small crustaceans.” A much older specimen of giant eurypterid with leg combs, originally found in the Prince Albert area in the 1980s, is now in the collection of the South African Museum. “Our new find is of great scientific significance as it provides direct evidence of a large, deep-water habitat for these creatures in this area. It came as a great surprise because previously discovered skeletal remains and very rare eurypterid trackways suggested that these creatures were mainly confined to shallower inshore acquatic environments and that they only occasionally came onto land en masse to moult and mate.” This new trackway is precariously situated on a small cliff and in serious danger of crumbling away. Dr Almond is now urgently seeking financial aid to cast and stabilise this specimen before it suffers further erosion damage. He also plans to study the traces left by this monstrous pre-historic Karoo beast with another British expert later this year.

OP SOEK NA SPOOKSTORIES

Bekende spookstorie skrywer Sian Hall gaan eersdaags besoek in die Karoo aflê om onderhoude te voer vir haar nuwe boek. “Ek soek inligting oor alle Karoo spoke, waar hulle gesien word, wanneer en deur wie,” sê sy. “Die stories hoef nie altyd op eie ervaringe gebaseer te wees nie. Ek sal ook graag wil hoor van spook- stories wat mense van gelees of gehoor het.” Sian se eerste versoek om hulp het daartoe gelei dat die streekstoerisme kantoor al heelwat stories vir haar versamel het.

• On the Trail of Ghost Stories

Wellknown ghost-writer Sian Hall will soon visit the Karoo to conduct interviews for her forthcoming book. “I would like to find out as much as possible about the ghosts of the Karoo, where they’ve been seen, when, and by whom,” she said. “The stories do not necessarily have to be based on personal experiences. I’d like to learn more of stories people have read or even those which others have shared with them

CHILDREN INVITED TO MAKE A STATEMENT

Western Cape Tourism Board’s Schools Project for high schools this year focuses on Murals for Tourism. “Karoo high schools taking part will be required to colour their towns, create a vibe and make a statement regarding tourism in their world,” says project co-ordinator Msi Nxele. “They can use any medium, any surface, anywhere. Each entry must be bright, colourful and tourism-centred. MTN is offering big prizes for the winners.” Msi will visit shortly to discuss this project in detail with the relevant schools.

IT’S OLIVE FESTIVAL TIME IN APRIL

The ever-popular Prince Albert Olive Festival will this year be held from April 26 to 28. “The festival, now in its 11^th year, is one of the highlights of our annual calendar,” says information officer Virna Gouws. “Each year it brings a wide range of friends back to our village, some of whom have not missed a single festival since it started. We expect all venues to be full. We’ve begun receiving inquiries regarding the programme. It will, of course, include fun events such as the olive pip-spitting competition, the tiny tots beauty contests and the Dam Dance. In addition, there will be street stalls and local produce such as preserves, dried fruits, olives, yoghurt and cheese.”

LAINGSBURG BEGIN GROOT TOERISME PROJEK

Laingsburg gaan binne die volgende paar maande met die beplanning van ‘n vloedroete deur die dorp begin. Deel van hierdie projek sal ook die daarstelling van ‘n toerismeburo en die opleiding van toergidse behels. “Ons dorp lê in ‘n pragtige en historiese gebied vol besondere natuurtonele. Ons wil dit graag met toeriste deel,” sê burgemeester Mike Gouws. “Ons het onlangs befondsing bekom wat ons in staat sal stel om ‘n meer aktiewe rol in toerisme te speel en te sorg dat besoekers op ‘n professionele manier in die dorp ontvang is. ”

• Laingsburg starts a huge tourism project

Within the next few months Laingsburg will begin planning a flood route through the town. Park of this project will include the creation of a tourist bureau and the training of tour guides. “Our town lies in a beautiful and historically interesting area with magnificent scenery. We’d love to share this with tourists,” says mayor Mike Gouws. “Recently acquired funding will enable us to take a more active role in tourism and ensure that all visitors to our town are welcomed in a professional manner.”

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS

Beaufort West has started work on the establishment of an arts and crafts centre as an addition to the town’s tourist attractions. A series of rondavels will be built in front of the present Cripple Care Workshop at the start of the Kwa-Mandlenkosi Township Tourist route. These will create the impression of a traditionally colourful Xhosa village. Existing buildings on the site will be spruced up to tone in with the complex. There will be lawns and a water feature as well as plenty of parking. In addition to a wide range of arts and handwork made by local crafters, refreshment kiosks will offer visitors a taste of the traditional, light snacks and hot or cold drinks.

WKTR WERKSWINKEL SAL HANDEL OOR E-BESIGHEID

Wes-Kaap Toerismeraad en hulle konsultante, TEAM, beplan om ‘n twee-daagse werkswinkel in die Karoo te hou om logistiek en E-Besigheid (E-Business) te bespreek. Alle toerismebelanghebbendes word uitgenooi. “Ons wil graag soveel mense as moontlik van verskeie marksektore inlig,” sê WKTR uitvoerende beampte Mike Fabricius. “Uitnodigings is uitgestuur aan lede van die streekstoerisme organisasie (STO), die munisipale bestuurders en raadslede betrokke by toerisme, buro voorsitters, komiteelede en inligtingsbeamptes, sowel as rolspelers van die akkommodasie-, attraksies- en verversings sektore van die mark.” Vergaderings word in die Martin Odendaalsaal van die Distriksmunisipaliteit op 18 en 19 Februarie, vanaf 10h00 gehou.

• WCTB workshop on E-Business

Western Cape Tourism Board (WCTB) and their consultants, TEAM, are planning to hold a two-day workshop in the Karoo to discuss logistics and E-Business. All tourism role players are invited to attend. “We want to inform as many people as possible of our plans,” says WCTB CEO Mike Fabricius. “Invitations will be sent to the Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO), as well as all municipal managers and councillors involved in tourism. Tourist Bureau chairmen, committee members and information officers will be invited as well as role players in the accommodation, attractions and refreshments sectors of the market.” The workshop is scheduled to be held in the Martin Odendaal Hall of the District Municipality on February 18 and 19 from 10h00.

FOCUS ON CONSERVATION

The 2002 Arid Zone Ecology Forum is again to be held in the Karoo at Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute at Middelburg from August 27 to 30. This year the focus will be on conservation, game farming, eco-tourism, indigenous plant use, grazing systems and tax rebates. This popular annual conference is arranged by Bettie de Beer, of the National Research Foundation.

HERITAGE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

A major symposium on the understanding of the urban heritage of the Great Karoo is scheduled to be held in Victoria West from March 3 to 5. It is being hosted by the South African chapter of ICOMOS (The International Council for Monuments and Sites) in association with SAHRA (the South African Heritage Agency) and CIVVIH (the International Committee for Historic Towns and Villages). The keynote speaker will be Mr Ray Bondin, director of the Historic Valetta Trust in Malta. A past president of ICOMOS, he has represented Malta on the World Heritage Council for several years. Local speakers will cover the urban environment, the establishment and growth of Karoo towns, the identification of Karoo heritage and heritage as an economic generator. Other topics will include the impact on planning, urban renewal, the role of local authorities, tourism, museums and festivals in the urban heritage mix of the Karoo.

NELSPOORT ROCKS REVEAL THEIR SECRETS

An early Bushman or San rock engraving of an ancient buffalo at Nelspoort once again has archaeologists scratching their heads. In 1972, Dr Gerhard Fock, South Africa’s first museum-based archaeologist, and his wife Dora, who now lives in Namibia, did an enormous amount of research into Karoo rock engravings. He identified this particular engraving as a Megalotragus, a large and extinct bovine. But recently, Sven Ouzman, head of the Rock Art Department of the National Museum at Bloemfontein, said he was not so sure. “I recently traced this engraving and discussed it with several experts, such as Nico Avenant, James Brink and Lloyd Rossouw. They were cautious but agreed it did not depict a modern animal. Several felt it was unlikely that it was a Megalotragus, and most agreed it could be a Pelorovis antiquus, a giant buffalo. Dr Fock was on the right track, but in his day so much less information was available, particularly on Pelorovis. These animals, which were 30% larger that the modern African buffalo, became extinct 6 000 years ago. They had a hornspan of three metres and weighed over 2 000 kg. This 99cm long engraving at Nelspoort is one of the oldest known examples of rock art in the country,” said Sven. “The engraving was created using an ancient pecked and smoothing technique which revealed the light-coloured heart of the rock. In time, this oxidised and eventually turned a dark black/brown to match the rock cortex. Physical fossil evidence of the Pelorovis from North Africa can be studied at Langbaan in the Cape and at the Florisbad Research Station, 45 km north of Bloemfontein,” said Sven. The Nelspoort site is rich in rock art. “There are possibly two more Pelorovis engravings at Nelspoort and I will trace these when I return in March,” he said.

THE AGONY WITHOUT THE ECSTASY

In days of yore there was precious little joy in travelling. Moving from place to place was difficult, dangerous and uncomfortable. Travellers were frequently attacked by beasts, bandits and barbarians. It is thus not surprising to find that the word ‘travel’ is linked to ‘agony.’ In his dictionary, Word Origins, Wilfred Funk says: “’Travel’ and ‘travail,’ which means extreme agony, have the same root. Both are derived from the French travailler, which means ‘to work hard,’ and this word has as its remote ancestor, the late Latin trepalium which was ‘a three-paled or three-staked device of torture.’ Interestingly ‘peril’ is derived from the Latin word periculum which meant ‘the danger of going forth to travel.’ ‘Farewell’ literally means ‘travel well.’ “”Travel’ is a middle-English word originally spelt as ‘trauayle.’ In the Book of Common Prayer of 1500, the Lord is beseeched to preserve all who “trauayle by lande or water.” According to the Oxford Dictionary travel in its early form meant “exertion, hardship, torment, distress, weary or tired” ‘Tour’ is derived from Greek and means circle. It came into use in the 1600s and initially was a slightly disparaging term linked to stage and theatre, later it was used in military and sports circles. In the 17^th century a “tour” referred to a short drive around Hyde Park in London, mostly taken by the upper class. Tourist came into common use in about 1800 and tourism in 1811.

CHRIS BARNARD VEREER

Beaufort-Wes Museum het ‘n belangrike rol gespeel in die verandering van die naam van die City Park-hospitaal in Kaapstad na die Christiaan Barnard-gedenkhospitaal. Vir die aankondigingsgeleentheid het die organiseerders, Netcare, ‘n aantal artikels uit die Chris Barnard-versameling in Beaufort-Wes geleen vir uitstalling in die Table Bay Hotel by die Waterfront in Kaapstad. Die uitstalling het groot aandag getrek nie net onder die mediese mense wat die geleentheid bygewoon het nie, maar ook onder toeriste.

• Chris Barnard honoured

The Beaufort West Museum played an important role when the City Park Hospital in Cape Town recently changed its name to the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital. For the announcement function the organisers, Netcare, borrowed a range of articles from the Barnard collection at the museum and displayed these in the Table Bay Hotel at the Waterfront in Cape Town. The display received great attention from both the medical fraternity at the function and from tourists.

MOTORING ENTHUSIASTS GET ALL NOSTALGIC

Memories of the golden oldies of the road came flooding back when the transport museum at Matjiesfontein recently opened its doors. On display is a range of cars seldom seen these days, transport wagons, a penny farthing and a tandem bicycle. Maggie Bobbegee, who looks after the museum, says: “It’s the cars that get the visitors going. Every now and then I hear someone say: ‘Goodness, dad had one just like this and I well remember the first night I managed to take it for a joy ride without him knowing.'” Among the vehicles on display are a 1932 Opel Olympia, a 1936 International hearse, a 1938 Chevrolet Master hearse, a 1947 Royal Daimler, a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker, a 1948 Buick, a 1948 Chevrolet Master, a 1968 Chevrolet Caprice, a 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider 1,3, a 1970 Rolls Royce, a Citroën DS and a Rover 3500.

DON’T BE CHEAP, BE EXCELLENT

“Don’t try to be the cheapest, strive to be the best,” was the advice Gavin Chaitz, of Business Beat, offered to small business entrepreneurs in Beaufort West and on the Kwa-Mandlenkosi Township Tourist Route when he visited the Karoo recently. His main topics of discussion were black empowerment and SMME development opportunities. “For any business to be successful you must know exactly what you want to sell, where, when you will be open and who your customers are. Then you must establish a precise price. You will find this formula can be applied to everything from a guest house to a craft shop,” said Gavin. “Always make sure that you have enough knowledge on which to base an opinion. Remember, it’s easier to change knowledge than an opinion, so don’t develop tunnel vision and get locked into one idea. Information about the market you wish to serve, the clients, who they are, where they come from and what they want is vital. Missing any of these aspects could destroy you.” Gavin then showed those present how to use a “window of opportunity” and a “lens of excitement” to analyse their businesses. These proved that quality and value for money were prime factors in small business operations.

SKRYFGEES TREF OU INWONER

‘n Ou Beaufort-Wes inwoner is tans besig met navorsing op ‘n boek oor haar tuisdorp sommer so tussen haar studies vir ‘n doktersgraad in die onderwys. Doreen Musson (voorheen Phillipus) sê: “Beaufort-Wes het so ‘n ryk geskiedenis. Ek will dit graag boekstaaf, al vat dit my jare. Ek sal binne die volgende paar maande terug kom ‘huis toe’ en hoop om dan ‘n paar onderhoude te voer. Ek sal dit waardeer as diegene wat vir my kan help met stories en geskiedenis vir my sal skryf of skakel sodat ek reëlings kan tref om hulle te sien. Doreen het in Beaufort-Wes groot geword. Haar vader, Willem Phillipus, was ‘n onderwyser by St Mathews Skool en hy het ook die orrel in St Mathews-kerk gespeel. Hulle het in 1975 getrek. “‘n Ander ou Beaufort-Wester, Patricia de Lille, gaan ‘n hoofstuk vir my skryf oor die eerste demokratiese verkiesing.”

• Writing bug bites former resident

A former Beaufort West resident is currently researching a book on the town between her studies for a doctorate in education. Doreen Musson (nee Phillupus) says: “Beaufort West has such a rich history that I am determined to capture it in book form, even if it takes years. I plan to visit the town within the next few months and would like to interview anyone with a story to tell who would like to be part of this project. Doreen grew up in Beaufort West. Her father Willem Phillipus was a teacher at St Mathews School. He also played the organ in St. Mathews Church. The family left the town in 1975. Another former resident, Patricia de Lille, is writing a chapter for her on the first democratic election.

MATJIESFONTEIN TRIGGERS THE MEMORIES

Positive responses to Gerald Levin’s call in Round-up No 96 to record the full history of Matjiesfontein and surrounds have come from as far as England, Germany and Australia. Midge and Trish Carter from Perth in Western Australia, write: “Whenever we come to South Africa we try to visit Matjiesfontein. We last stayed there in 2000 with seven friends.” Midge’s memories of the little village date back to an adventurous trip in his youth. “My first visit to this fascinating village was as a young lad in 1940. My father had to travel from Johannesburg to Cape Town on business and was given the use of a Cadillac for the trip. We decided to also treat this opportunity as a family holiday. It was to be our last for several years. We left Johannesburg on Christmas Eve on a wave of excitement quite normal for long car journeys in those days. The main road to Cape Town was mainly gravel and there were umpteen farm gates to be opened and closed. These had me darting in and out of the car all the way. To this day I well remember the amazing variety of gate styles and catches. Some seemed intent on ripping the hands or clothes of anyone who approached them. My Dad made several attempts to get us Christmas dinner at the one of the wayside hotels, but we were either too early or they were full. We’d almost given up hope as the hour grew late when a little place just off the main road near Nelspoort managed to squeeze us in. The meal was good, the atmosphere fun and the people friendly. That evening we reached Matjiesfontein, a splendid place with a grand and stately hotel alongside the main road. I’ll never forget the atmosphere. It’s that one unforgettable experience that keeps me coming back,” says Midge. Dr John Almond, who delivered a lecture on the geology of that part of the Karoo at a seminar in the old court house some years ago, says he’d be delighted to write the story of the fossils in the area. Boer War researcher Joan Abrahams insists that the romance, love stories and ghosts be included.

‘n DATUM VIR DIE DAGBOEK

Die Beaufort-Wes Skou word vanjaar vanaf 14 tot 16 Maart gehou. ‘n Nuwe item op die kalendar vanjaar is ‘n stoep storie kompetisie. Die sameroeper is Frikkie Bekker, van Safari Kamers . Hy soek storievertellers van elke aard. “Daar is tot ‘n kategorie vir “die grootste leuenaar.” Die aand behoort pret te wees vir die storievertellers sowel as die gehoor. Kom en geniet dit saam,” sê Frikkie.

• Date for the Diary

A new item on the programme of the Beaufort West show, to be held from March 14 to 16 this year, is a “Stoep Story” competition. Co-ordinator, Frikkie Bekker of Safari Rooms, is looking for anyone who can tell a good story. “There is even a category for the Best Liar,” he says. “Come along and have an enjoyable evening with us.”