ARGITEKBEKKE

JITSVINGER

Kom, kom en sit hier by my vuurgeheim
En vind uit van n beskawing wat aan Xam sy klieks gegee het.

Come and sit at my secret fire
and learn about a civilization that gave the !Xam their clicks.

Wie gee aan die stamleier sy kleed, kroon en kreed?
Die chromosoom van donderweer en mis le virrie embrio van my bevrugting.

Who gave the clan leader his clothing, crown and belief?
The Chromosone of Lightning, Thunder and Mist lays in the embryo of my fertilization.

Hier staan die Genesis van alle bygeloof.
Die karos, pyl en boog wat jagtery romanties bind.

Here is the Genesis of all Mysteries/ Cults.
The Karos (Animal skin worn as jacket), bow and arrow that romatically ties or connects to the hunter.

Eland, herder, leeu, jakkals in weiveld is my kind.
Die Gorrenhaikhona vang vis in my hooggety.

Eland, Herder, Lion and Jakkal in the Veld, are my children.
The Gorrenhaikhona catch fish in my high tide.

Vandag noem kenners en kritici my nostalgie soos iets vergete en uitsterflik en bind my spore in museums met universiteit en intellek sement. Né?!

Today experts and critics name me nostalgia, like something forgotten and extinct and binds my trails to museums with university intellectual facts. Né! (Exclamation expression still used today)

Imperialistiese drekspul met hul titels van importance. Huh!
Die storie sal vertel word.

These imperialistic bastards, with their titles of over- importance. Huh!
The story will be told.

EMILE YX

Julle ken my as Herri die Strandloper, Regte naam Autshumoa

You know me as Herri The Beachcomber. My real name is Autshumoa.

Tale leer ek gou ja, So ’et os Afrikaans huie gebou ja
En ou ja, onthou ja, in dose dae was eke kla innie Java

I learn languages quickly. That’s how we created Afrikaaps.
And oh yes, remember that in those days we had already travelled to Java.

Daar sien hulle nie, ek sien, die locals word slawe
Toe Van Riebeek hier uitstiek, vertaal ek om meer te leer

And there we saw that the locals were taken as slaves.
So when Van Riebeeck arrived here in Cape Town, I translated to learn more.

Ek sien hoe werk hulle geweer, Weer bring die reen neer
Ek treur! Seer is my hart om te sien hoe hulle die land steel

I saw how the gun worked. I call on the weather to please bring the rain.
I am saddened and my heart is sore when I see how they steal our land.

Ons liggaams was getorture, geskuur en verdeel
(Yor! Is daai for real)
Ek is ‘n Ghoringhaaikona Prins yes
“n Stratogis en kaptein vannie Kaapse Strandlopers

Our bodies are tortured, torn apart and separated.
(Wow! Is that true?)
Yes, but I am a Ghoringhaaikhona Prince,
a strategist and captain of the Cape Town Beachcombers.

Voor Nelson Mandela is os Robben Eiland toe gestuur eers
Die ondier sal nooit rus, ma os ontsnap met ‘ie vuur yes
En vandag bring ons daai vuur hier.

Before Nelson Mandela, we were the first to be sent to Robben Island,
but the beast would not rest. So we escaped with the fire and today we are bringing that fire here.

BLIKSEMSTRAAL

My naam is Namoah, Doman
Ma noem my soma Don’t mind
In Batavia toe leer ek van generic, engineering

My name is Namoah, Doman,
but you can call me “Don’t Mind.
In Batavia I learnt about genetic engineering.

Hierso drink ‘n bierso, help yourself, I don’t mind
A spy and assassin vi Gogosoa vanie Goraniqua

Here drink a beer, help yourself. I don’t mind.
I was a spy and assassin for Gogosoa of the Goriniqua.

Die boesman, koi san is in ‘n moerse penarie
Booz bringie taal hie
Broese val en haisie allie

The Bushman, Khoi and San are in a huge dilemma.
Booz bring the language here, brothers fall, but that’s not all.

Terug na die kanaal ennie ritual by die Liesbeek
Dinge watie tabakdiewe al lank al vergeet het.

Lets take you back to the canal and the ritual at the Liesbeeck.
Things that the tabacco thieves have long since forgotten.

BLAQ PEARL

Nou ek is Krotoa, my tong lê so
Dwars oor die waters
Soos Eva in vreemde plekke
Dit klink met klanke wat julle nie ken nie

Now I am Krotoa.
My tongue lays spread across the waters.
Like Eva in foreign places.
It resounds with sounds that you don’t know .

Woorde wat julle nie kan sê nie
Liedjies van ver weer
Netjies weggepak
Soos my verklere
Wollerig, snoesig en sag
Statig in my oosterse vreemde drag

Words that you can’t say.
Songs from far away.
Neatly packed away
like my white clothes.
Wooly, snuggly and soft.
Stately in my eastern strange clothes.

So het ek my nuwe lewe verdag
In die huis van Maria D.C
‘n dogter van n dominee

This is how I suspected my new life.
In the house of Maria D.C.
a daughter of a priest.

MOENIER

Wat het da gebeur?

What happened there?

BLAQ PEARL

Sy het my westers opgevoed, geleer bid en lees
Jonk as koninklik het ek die fort betree
As koninklike het ek raad gegee
Vertaal en getolk teen my volk
In die guns van my meester

She educated me in the western ways.
Taught me to read and pray.
As a young royal I entered the castle.
I translated and spoke against my people.
In the favour of my master.

MOENIER

En toe?

And then?

BLAQ PEARL

En toe die dood intree
En Meerhof mee gee en my meester gaan
Robben Eiland my afgelee lewe –
Speel net die kaarte met my Liedjies van ver wees

And when death came
and Meerhof gave in and my master left me
Robben Island my distant life.
Plays the tunes of songs from far away.

All ancestors ask – “wie is djy” Who are you?

MOENIER

Hoor Hoor Ek is weer daai ou met ‘n tune in my hart
En ek kan dans sing en spring tot die swiet my af tap
Nou by ‘n picnic of ‘n party dan kom haal jy vir my
Want my siel is vol beats wat jou laat lekker kry
Die Alabama kom oor en park by Table Bay
En my mond sê ek moet nou ‘n number gooi (da kom die alibama)

Hear hear I am that guy with a tune in his heart.
I can dance, sing and jump until the sweat gushes from me.
At a picnic or party you can come and fetch me,
because my soul is full of beats that will bring you joy.
The Alabama ship comes and parks at Table Bay
and my mouth says that I should sing a song.

Die number is mooi en laat my lekker kry
Maar ook ‘n means hoe my vrinne nou die boodskap kry

The song is beautiful and makes me feel good,
but its also a means to get the message to my friends.

Ek is dy folk song, dis so lekker, so lekker, so lekker
Ek is dy Goema song, dis so lekker, so lekker, want dis ekke

I’m that folk song, it so good, its so good , its so good.
I’m a Goema song, it’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good.

Kom dans met my dan sing ons saam

Come dance with me and lets sing together .

Babies wil hy maak,ma hy’tie pap geld nie, (all) hy’tie pap geld nie
Babies wil hy maak, ma hy’tie pap geld tie, (all)hy’tie pap geld tie

He wants to make babies, but doesn’t have alimony x 2.

Bedonnerte cell phone, ma hy’tie airtime nie, (all)hy’tie airtime nie Bedonnerte cell phone, ma hy’tie airtime nie,(all) hy’tie airtime nie

Amazing cellphone, but I don’ t have airtime x 2.

Eks ‘n Folk song, n lekker joke song

I’m a folk song a great joke song …

RIEL (Circular dance done by the San) EK IS (I Am)

Chorus:- Ek Is, wie is eke, wie is eke, wie is jy? X2

I am, who am I, who am I, who am I?

MOENIER

Ek is n number met n storie ou pel
Van hoe my mense hulle feeling en geheime vertel

I’m a song with a story my friend
about how my people told their stories and secrets.

Ek was gebore daar in Europe met ‘n ander taal
Maar innie Kaap was ek gekap met ‘n Kriale Saal

I was born there in Europe with another language.
But in Cape Town I was stabbed with a Creole sword/ tongue.

Ek is ook baie gesing met n ghoema saam
Ek vat jou hand Zanzibar en Dar Es Salaam

I also sang a lot with a Goema drum.
My songs took you to Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam.

Dutch Sailor Boy / wat sing jy daar
Sal jy mind as ek vir jou ‘n klein vragie vrae
Sing’ie song gou weer, en dan ‘n nogger keer

Dutch sailor boy, what are you doing there.
Will you mind if I ask you a small question?
Please sing that song again and then one more time.

Nou kan ek mos al my broese dai song leer
Oor n uur of twee sal ons dai number ken
Met ‘n smile sing ons hom now and then

Now I can teach all my brothers that song.
And in an hour or two we will know that song.
With a smile we will sing it now and then.

BLIKSEMSTRAAL

Ek is ‘n Rasta man
Ek is ‘n argitekbek
Met my bek praat ek alles En ek vriet spanspek
Ek is n BBoy
Ek is goed in balans
Ek is binne in ‘n trans
Ek gan die poppe laat dans

I am Rastaman,
I am an Artchitect,
A verbal and linguistic architect.
With my mouth I speak everything and I’m ingesting respect.
I am a b-boy (breakdancer)
I am good at balancing.
I am in a trance and cause trouble. (“poppe laat dans” is making dolls/ puppets do as you say).

CHORUS:Ek is – wie is ekke, wie is ekke, wie is djy? X 4

Who am I, who am I, who are you …

EMILE YX

Ek is daai dammies player, kennetjie en akoos

I am that dominoes player, ‘kennetjie & Akoos’
(Cape Flats childrens games. Kennetjie is a short stick, semi- sharpened on both ends and placed on 2 bricks thrown forward then the opposing team tries to throw it at the bricks and the longer stick used to throw it forward, if they miss, the player hits one end and hits the whole short stick further. Score is counted from a guess of how many stick lengths away from the two brick the “kennetjie” is).

Eks aai ANC supporter now saying their ma se
Eks aai woes gamtaal talker, Corner broker
Gooi neer jou tol, want hiersa gat djy stoke né
Eks aai mass marcher, tire burner, minimal wage
Sub-economic earner

Im that ANC supporter now saying their se ma se (swearing at current ANC).
I’m that street language talker/
Eubonics speaker, corner broker”street vendor”,
Throw down you top to get beaten by others.
Im that mass marcher, tyre burner, minimal wage
sub-economic earner.

Eks aai dokter, lawyer, politician innie ghetto
Wait a minute, most of them have moved out nou.

I’m that doctor, lawyer, politician innie ghetto
Wait a minute, most of them have moved out now.

BLAQ PEARL

Ek is daai dogter oppie strand
Kaal voet – wat gaan ek maak
Spring oor – die hakkies draad
Da na – wa sal ek gaan
Met my – pride in my sak Is tyd – haal it uit
Son skyn, op my styl
Ek is – daai straat meid
Hare styf, kry dit uit
Vind my plek – op verlore grond Onthou?! (ek is)

I am that daughter on the beach.
Barefeet what am I going to do.
Jump over the barbed-wire.
Thereafter, where will I go.
With my pride in my bag,
it’s time to take it out.
Sun shines on my style,
I am that street woman,
Hair wrapped, relieve it.
Find my place on lost land,
Remember? (I am)

JITSVINGER

Die theatre van pre-colonial imagination
Die fynbos encyclopedia
Die alkemie van Namibia, Garob, Namaqua
Langs die Gariep, Noordwes, oppie N2, Tsitsikama

I’m the theatre of pre-colonial imagination,
the fynbos (Indigenous plant type translated will be “finebush”) encyclopedia.
The alchemy of Namibia, Garob, Namaqua.
Alongside the Gariep (Orange River), on the N2 Tsitsikama.

Ek is Die oumensraad ennie siek wat daarvoor vra
Ek sit die doppies empties voor jy gan tiep
Babelas na karate skiet en klawerjas
Pass die keys tussen plaas en stadsjapie

I am old peoples remedies and the sick asking for it.
I place the tops of empty bottles back on to close them before I go sleep. (A local myth).
Babelas is Hung-over from drinking and playing cards.
Place my keys between city-dwellers and rural farmer types.

JETHRO

Dis mos hier wa die riel en die ghoema bymekaar ko.
It is here where the goema beat and the riel dance combine.

Chorus……Ek is….

I am …

Ek is Afrikaaps!

Everyone says, I am Afrikaaps…

Photos by Bowie Verschuur, supplied and used with kind permission of Catherine Henegan.