NB-Uitgewers bring hulde aan Dot Serfontein
Andries Wessels, hoof van die Engels-departement aan die Universiteit van Pretoria, en eggenoot van Eloise Wessels, besturende direkteur van Media24-boeke, het die huldeblyk geskryf. Andries Wessels se ma was sedert haar laerskooldae met Dot bevriend.
"Die bekende Suid-Afrikaanse skrywer Dot Serfontein is Vrydagoggend 4 November op die ouderdom van 91 jaar oorlede. Serfontein was ’n boorling van Kroonstad in die Vrystaat en sy het graag oor haar eie mense, die Vrystaters, geskryf. Sy het op Kroonstad skoolgegaan en aan die Universiteit van Pretoria studeer. Na ’n kort loopbaan as onderwyseres aan die Hoërskool Sentraal in Bloemfontein het sy as joernalis by Volksblad in Bloemfontein gewerk.
"Toe sy in die vroeë 1950's met ’n mede-joernalis, Willem Krog – wie se diepgaande belangstelling in die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis ook dikwels in haar eie skryfwerk neerslag gevind het – getroud is, het hulle op die plaas Middenspruit naby Kroonstad gaan boer. In hierdie tyd het Serfontein ’n vol lewe as boervrou en die ma van vyf kinders afgewissel met ’n suksesvolle skrywersloopbaan. Sy het aanvanklik bekendheid verwerf as skrywer van tydskrifvervolgverhale soos “Liefde in die kwepertyd”, “So min blomme” en “Onder skewe sterre” wat almal ook as romans verskyn het (in 1960, 1966 en 1967). Sy het in dié verband ’n lang verbintenis met die tydskrif Sarie gehad.
"Later het sy ook bekend geword as die skrywer van kortverhale (soos in die bundel Die laaste jagtog, 1982) en veral van humoristiese maar dikwels ook roerende essays en sketse oor haar eie mense - soos Ek is maar ene (1972) en Amper my mense (1974). Serfontein het dikwels uit haar eie gesins- en plattelandse lewe geput: die skets "Met kinders en koeldrank op reis" in eersgenoemde versameling is ’n klassieke, skreeusnaakse verwoording van die komplikasies van die universele gesinsvakansie van dié tyd.
"Sy het ook ’n belangrike Boere-oorlogroman, Rang in der staten Rij (1979), geskryf wat die weg vir die vele suksesvolle romans oor hierdie onderwerp van 20 jaar later sou baan. ’n Lywige, deeglike, omvattende en ontsagwekkende geskiedenis van Kroonstad, Keurskrif vir Kroonstad (1990), het ook uit haar pen verskyn. Haar laaste werk was haar onderhoudende outobiografie, Vrypas (2009).
"Moontlik omdat sy aanvanklik as vervolgverhaalskryfster bekendheid verwerf het, het kritiese erkenning van die literêre waarde van haar werk eers later in haar loopbaan gevolg en sy was lank ’n onderskatte dog gewilde skrywer. Eindelik is die hoogstaande kwaliteit van haar werk tog raakgesien en erken – haar onderhoudende, eiesoortige vertelstem, skerp waarneming, komplekse karakterisering, menslike insig, onsentimentele warmte, soms eksentrieke waarnemingshoek – en vele toekennings en erkennings het haar te beurt geval. Haar formidabele persoonlikheid, sterk opinies en vurige betrokkenheid by die Afrikaanse volkslewe, kultuur en ervaring het ook bygedra tot haar sterk openbare teenwoordigheid.
"Serfontein het uit ’n sterk geslag Afrikaanse vroue gekom: haar ouma (’n nooi De Kock) was een van die eerste vroue om aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, destyds nog die Victoria-kollege, te gradueer, en haar dogter, die digter, skrywer, joernalis en aktivis Antjie Krog, het hierdie tradisie van sterk vroue voortgesit. Serfontein se seun Willem Krog en haar kleinseun Andries Samuel het ook romans en/of digbundels gepubliseer."
Eloise Wessels sê dat Dot Serfontein ’n onmisbare en formidabele rolmodel as Afrikaanse vroueskrywer is. "Sy het die tradisionele persepsie van ’n vroueskrywer wat in die 1950's bestaan het met grasie deur die krag van haar talent, vermoë en persoonlikheid verbreed en versterk om as ’n belangrike en onafhanklike, gerespekteerde stem erken te word, en het so ’n lans vir latere vroueskrywers gebreek."
Dot Krog (gebore Serfontein) word deur haar vyf kinders – Antjie, Pennie, Vyver, Kootjie en Willem (Jalie) – en skoonkinders, klein- en agterkleinkinders oorleef.
NB Publishers honours Dot Serfontein
Andries Wessels, head of the Department of English of the University of Pretoria, and spouse of Eloise Wessels, managing director of Media24 Books, wrote this eulogy. His mother and Dot were friends since primary school.
"The well-known South African writer Dot Serfontein died on Friday morning 4 November at the age of 91. Serfontein was born in Kroonstad in the Free State and she enjoyed writing about her own people – those from the Free State. She went to school in Kroonstad and studied at the University of Pretoria. After a short career as teacher at Sentraal High School in Bloemfontein she started working as a journalist for Volksblad in Bloemfontein.
"After marrying fellow journalist Willem Krog – whose deep-seated interest in South African history was often reflected in her own writing – in the 1950's they settled on the farm Middenspruit near Kroonstad. In this time, Serfontein had a full life as a farmer's wife and the mother of five children, alongside a successful career as author. She initially established herself as a writer of magazine short stories with stories like “Liefde in die kwepertyd”, “So min blomme” and “Onder skewe sterre” which were all published as novels (in 1960, 1966 and 1967). In this regard she had a long association with the magazine Sarie.
"Later she also established herself as a short-story writer (such as in the collection Die laaste jaagtog, 1982) of humorous, but also moving, essays and sketches about her own people – as in Ek is maar ene (1972) and Amper my mense (1974). Serfontein often drew inspiration from her family's life in the country-side: the sketch "Met kinders en koeldrank op reis" in the first-mentioned collection is a classic, hilarious articulation of the complications of the universal family holiday of the time.
"She also wrote an important novel on the Boer War, Rang in der staten Rij (1979), which set the tone for many successful novels on this subject 20 years later. The substantial, thoroughly researched, comprehensive and awe-inspiring history of Kroonstad, Keurskrif vir Kroonstad (1990), was also a product of her pen. Her last work was her entertaining autobiography, Vrypas (2009).
"Probably because she initially established herself as a writer of serials, the literary value of her work only gained critical acclaim later on in her career and she was long underestimated as writer, yet popular. Eventually the outstanding quality of her work was recognised – her entertaining, unique narrative voice, her powers of observation, complex characterization, human insight, unsentimental warmth, her sometimes eccentric angle of observation – and many accolades were bestowed upon her. Her formidable personality, strong opinions, and passionate involvement in the Afrikaner way of life, culture and experience also contributed toward her strong public presence.
"Serfontein came from a strong generation of women: her grandmother (née De Kock) was one of the first women who graduated from the University of Stellenbosch (formerly known as Victoria College) and her daughter, the author, poet, journalist and activist Antjie Krog, continued this tradition of strong women. Serfontein's son Willem Krog and her grandson Andries Samuel also published novels and/or poetry collections."
Eloise Wessels says that Dot Serfontein is an indispensable and formidable role model as an Afrikaans female writer. "She broadened and strengthened the traditional perception of a female writer from the 1950's with her grace and by the strength of her talent, abilities and personality, becoming an important and respected, independent voice. As a result, she paved the way for female writers to follow."
Dot Krog (née Serfontein) leaves behind her five children – Antjie, Pennie, Vyver, Kootjie and Willem (Jalie) – children-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The post NB-Uitgewers bring hulde aan Dot Serfontein | NB Publishers honours Dot Serfontein appeared first on LitNet.