The objective of U3A Stilbaai is to improve the quality of
life of people of mature age and to encourage the maintenance of
intellectual capacity by facilitating the sharing of skills
through stimulating programmes of learning and teaching and the
social contacts derived therefrom.
Die doel van U3A Stilbaai is om die lewens-kwaliteit van
ouer mense, veral afgetredenes, te verbeter; ons bevorder die
behoud van intellektuele kapasiteit deur middel van stimulerende
leer- en onderrig-programme en die sosiale kontak wat daarmee
gepaard gaan.
On the last Monday morning of every month (excluding December) we
have a meeting in Die Waenhuis at Jagersbosch. A talk
on an interesting subject is presented by a knowledgeable
speaker.
The talks are in English and/or Afrikaans and there is usually a
PowerPoint presentation.
Monday 25 September 2023 at 10:00 Die Waenhuis, Jagersbosch
THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF MOUNTAIN PASSES IN THE
SOUTHERN CAPE
Niel van Wyk
A total of 20 mountain passes crosses the mountains of the
southern Cape, the area between Montague in the west and
Plettenberg Bay in the east, with the Swartberg as the northern
boundary. Today 15 of these are still in use as public roads.
The talk is not a travelogue describing these passes, but a
discussion of how they originated and how historical events at
the Cape influenced their development to form part of our
modern-day transport routes.
The early origins of the passes are discussed in general
terms, then the impacts of the Dutch East India Company (VOC)
and the local Khoekhoen tribes on their use and development.
Over the years two types of passes developed, those using animal
trails and those that were constructed. The talk ends with a
listing of the 20 mountain passes.
Niel van Wyk was born in Riversdale where he matriculated.
He attended Rhodes Univiersity obtaining degrees in Zoology,
Entomology and Ichthyology; subsequently working for Cape
Province Nature Conservation for nearly 30 years. After living
in Cape Town for 30 years, he moved to Stilbaai, his old home
territory, in 2014 to enjoy a more relaxing lifestyle.
Although Niel is an environmental scientist, he has always
had a keen interest in the history of the Hessequa area. The Van
Wyk family played a prominent role in the early development of
Riversdale and Stilbaai, and Niel compiled a family register of
the Riversdale branch of the Van Wyks. He has also researched
the history of a farm that was in his family for about 130
years, this is Plattekloof, the oldest farm in the Riversdale
district.
Plattekloof farm lies at the entrance to an historically
important mountain pass across the Langeberg, the Plattekloof
Pass; in his research on the history of the farm, he found this
closely intertwined with the fascinating history of this pass.
This lead to research into the origin of mountain passes and
their use and development in the Langeberg, Outeniqua and
Swartberg mountains.
Meeting arrangements
You can join U3A Stilbaai before the meeting;
the annual fee remains R30 per person. You can pay by EFT into our banking account - our
banking details are on the Administration page (click
here).
Please wear your name tag to the meeting. If you paid you
fees recently, the name
tags will be available at the monthly meeting.
Bring R5 for a chance to win a
very good bottle of wine! The R10 Gin raffle will take place
again. The funds are earmarked for the Jagersbosch Fund and the
annual payment of our U3A computer licence respectively.
MAANDELIKSE VERGADERINGS
Op die laaste Maandag oggend van elke maand (uitgesluit
Desember) hou ons 'n vergadering in Die Waenhuis by Jagersbosch. 'n Praatjie oor 'n interesante onderwerp word aangebied
deur 'n kundige spreker.
Die praatjies is in Afrikaans en/of Engels en daar is gewoonlik
'n PowerPoint voorlegging.
Maandag 25 September 2023 om 10:00 Die Waenhuis, Jagersbosch
DIE ONTSTAAN EN ONTWIKKELING VAN BERGPASSE IN DIE SUID-KAAP
Niel van Wyk
‘n Totaal van 20 bergpasse het die berge van die Suid-Kaap
gekruis, dit is die area tussen Montague in die weste en
Plettenbergbaai in die ooste, met die Swartberge as die
noordelike grens. Vandag is 15 van hierdie passe nog in gebruik
as openbare paaie
Die praatjie is nie ‘n reisverhaal wat die passe beskryf nie,
maar ‘n bespreking van hoe hulle ontstaan het en hoe
geskiedkundige gebeure in die Kaap hul ontwikkeling beïnvloed
het om deel te vorm van ons hedendaagse vervoer roetes.
Die vroeë ontwikkeling van die passe word in algemene terme
bespreek, en dan die invloede van die Hollandse Oos-Indiese
Maatskappy (VOC) en die plaaslike Khoekhoen stamme op hul
gebruik en ontwikkeling. Oor die jare het twee tipe passe
ontwikkel, dié wat dierepaadjies gebruik het, en passe wat gebou
is. Die praatjie eindig met ‘n lys van die 20 passe.
Niel van Wyk is in Riversdal gebore waar gematrikuleer het. Hy
het by Rhodes Universiteit studeer waar hy grade in Dierkunde,
Insektekunde en Viskunde toegeken is; daarna werksaam by Kaap
Provinsiale Natuurbewaring vir byna 30 jaar. Na 30 jaar verblyf
in Kaapstad, trek hy na Stilbaai, sy ou tuisomgewing, in 2014 om
‘n meer rustige lewe te geniet.
Alhoewel Niel ‘n omgewingswetenskaplike is, het hy altyd belang
gestel in die geskiedenis van die Hessequa omgewing. Die Van Wyk
familie het ‘n prominente rol gespeel in die vroeë ontwikkeling
van Riversdal en Stilbaai.en Niel het ‘n familieregister van die
Riversdal tak van die Van Wyks opgestel. Hy het ook die
geskiedenis van ‘n plaas wat in sy familie was vir ongeveer 130
jaar nagevors, dit is Plattekloof, die oudste plaas in die
Riversdal distrik.
Plattekloof plaas is geleë by die ingang na ‘n historiese
belangrik bergpas oor die Langeberg, die Plattekloof-pas; in sy
navorsing van die geskiedenis van die plaas, vind hy dat dit
nouliks verbind is met die fassinerende geskiedenis van hierdie
pas. Dit het gelei tot navorsing oor die oorsprong van bergpasse
en hul gebruik en ontwikkeling in die Langeberge, Outenquas en
Swartberge.
Vergadering-reëlings
U kan by U3A Stilbaai aansluit voor die vergadering; die lede-gelde
bly R30 per persoon vir die jaar. U kan 'n EFO deposito in ons
bankrekening maak - ons bankdetails is op ons Administrasie blad
(klik hier).
Dra asseblief u naamkaartjie na die vergadering. As u onlangs
u ledegeld betaal het, sal die naamkaartjie beskikbaar
wees by die maandelikse
vergadering.
Bring R5 saam vir ‘n kans om
’n bottel baie goeie wyn te wen! Die R10 Gin-loting sal weer
plaasvind soos in die verlede. Fondse word ge-oormerk vir
onderskeidelik die
Jagersbosch Fonds sowel as die jaarlikse lisensie vir die
U3A-rekenaar.
INTERESTING PUBLICATIONS
Over the years several interesting articles of
work done by some of our groups, as well as individual members,
were published.
•
U3A Bird Group - SABAP2
Three articles about the Bird Group's Southern Africa Bird
Atlas Project (SABAP2) surveys in Hessequa are listed in the
Bird Group section.
Dr Deon Begemann studied the Stilbaai Midge and published an
article about it's life cycle and also the problems it causes to
livestock. The article suggests solutions to these problems.
Dr Deon Begemann het die Stilbaai Muggie bestudeer en 'n
artikel gepubliseer oor die muggie se lewensiklus en ook die
probleme wat dit vir vee veroorsaak. Die artikel stel oplossings
voor vir hierdie probleme.
Members of all U3A's in South Africa can now attend online
webinars and Zoom talks by accessing a Google folder, U3A South
Africa. There is a section for each U3A, you can browse these to
find interesting subjects.
Lede van alle U3A's in Suid-Afrika kan nou aanlyn webinars en
Zoom praatjies bywoon in 'n Google vouer, U3A Suid-Afrika. Daar
is 'n seksie vir elke U3A, julle kan dié deurgaan vir
interessante onderwerpe.
