D. J. Opperman (original) (raw)
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Mandela's letter from 27 February 1975 on Die Groot verseboek
1914 - 1985
One of South Africa's most important poets and literary men
Professor of Afrikaans Literature at
the University of Stellenbosch, 1960 - 1979
Diederik Johannes Opperman was born on 29 September 1914 on the farm Geduld No2 near Dundee, Natal. He attended school in Estcourt and Vryheid. He studied at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg (MA, 1935, thesis: Die Afrikaanse kritiek tot 1922 ) and the University of Cape Town (DLit, 1953, thesis: Digters van Dertig).
1935: Teacher in Pietermaritzburg
1945: Teacher in Johannesburg
Opperman's first poetry book, Heilige beeste, published in 1945, was the beginning of a long and lustrous career as one of South Africa's greatest Afrikaans poets.
1946 - 1948: Journalist at Die Huisgenoot in Cape Town
From 1947: Co-editor of Standpunte
1949 - 1959: Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, University of Cape Town
In 1954 appeared, to great acclaim, Periandros van Korinthe. It is also South Africa's very first Afrikaans drama set in verse.
1956: Rembrandt bursary gives him the opportunity for extensive travels through Europe.
1960-1979: Professor of Afrikaans Literature at the University of Stellenbosch, where he introduced his famous Letterkundige Laboratorium, which he continued for one year after his retirement. 1980: extraordinary professor for one year.
In 1976 Dirk Opperman had a miraculous recovery from a liver decease which had kept him in a coma for nearly 7 months. He described his experiences in the poems in Komas uit 'n bamboesstok. In 1981, while working on Sonklong oor Afrika he suffered a debilitating stroke.
Dirk Opperman died on 22 September 1985 in Stellenbosch. He was married to the writer Marié van Reenen in 1942. They had three daughters: Heila, Trienke and Diederi.
Hobbies: Viniculture and Marine Biology
Awards:
Hertzog Prize for Poetry: 1947 for Heilige Beeste, 1969 for Voëlvry and 1980 Komas uit 'n bamboesstok
Hertzog Prize for drama 1956 for Periandros van Korinthe, and 1969 for Voëlvry
Gustav Preller prize for Literature and Literary Criticism, 1985
SA Academy of Arts and Science: Honorary Member 1983
CNA Award: 1964 for Dolosse and 1980 for:Komas uit 'n bamboesstok
WA Hofmeyr Prize : 1954 for Periandros van Korinthe, 1956 Blom en Baaierd, 1966 Dolosse and 1980 Komas uit 'n bamboesstok
Louis Luyt prize 1980 for : Komas uit 'n bamboesstok
Gustav Preller Prize 1985 for literary criticism
Doctor honoris causa:
1968 University of Natal, 1976 University of Stellenbosch, 1980 University of Cape Town and 1982 University of Pretoria
1956: Prize of the Drie-Eeue Stigting
In the sixties he became a Honorary Member of the Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Nederlandse Taal- en Letterkunde
1970: Diplôme d'Honneur du Prix de la Propagande
1979: KWV Award
1977: Diploma, União Brasileira de Escritores, Manaus
List of works:
Poetry:
Heilige Beeste, 1945
Negester oor Ninivé, 1947
Joernaal van Jorik,1949
Engel uit die Klip, 1950
Blom en Baaierd, 1956
Dolosse, 1963
Kuns-mis, 1964
Edms. Bpk., 1970
Komas uit 'n bamboesstok, 1979
Sonklong oor Afrika (published posthumously by JC Kannemeyer), Tafelberg 2000
Versdramas:
Periandros van Korinthe, 1954
Vergelegen, 1956
Voëlvry, 1968
Literary Studies:
Die Afrikaanse kritiek tot 1922 (MA thesis)
Digters van Dertig, 1953, (PhD thesis)
Wiggelstok
Naaldekoker, 1974
Verspreide opstelle
Collaborator: Wêreldletterkunde, Die Skatkis
Anthologies:
Groot verseboek and compilations (extended edition by A. Brinck, Tafelberg, 2000)
Nuwe Kleuterverseboek
Skakering (Editors and compilers: DJ Opperman; GHJ Coetzee), Tafelberg, 1997
Senior Verseboek
See also: T.T. Cloete, Gids by D.J. Opperman Se Senior Verseboek
Joernaal van Jorik (Journal of Jorik), Roelof Temmingh's exceptional composition is based on the text of DJ Opperman. A CD was released by Die Vriende van Afrikaans in 2013.
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Met apologie
Teks: Op ’n Sondagmiddag loop die weduwee Viljee in swart geklee met twee kolliehonde langs die see.
| _C. M. van den Heever:_O skemervloeiing van die najaarsee!Jou Sondagende branders plooi en valen langs twee meeue dwaal ek geweduweemaar ewig ruis om my die Al._I. D. du Plessis:_My twee windhonde drafsoos fezze langs die see;ek vra Ali en Allah afwaar is meneer Viljee?_W. E. G. Louw:_Droef kyk my oëdeur die trane heen,soos amandelbloeiselsdeur die eerste reën;ek rou oor die duine,my bleek hande waai,en ’n hond byt sy stert, soos hy draai, soos hy draai …_N. P. van Wyk Louw I:_O God! làngs U skríklike waterstap die weduwee Viljeemet dié weet: die waan en die waansin word latertwee honde wat dráf waar sy trèe._N. P. van Wyk Louw II:_Op ’n Sabbatmiddag(die dag is goed)lê la veuve de Villiersdie heilige snolbo die boulevard(a) aars-e-lende om te kieseffens be-swaardtussen twee kol-lies(te)_Uys Krige:_O wee,o wee,in swart gekleeop'n Sondagmiddagloop die we-duweeViljeemet twee,net tweekolliehonde langs die see,die see,die see … | _Elisabeth Eybers:_Portret van ’n weduweeSy staar na die blou are op haar handterwyl sy in die Sondagmiddag watneerskyn op die rustelose strand,geduldig sit of loop en peins: Nou datdie vreemde bloeisel van herinnering– skaars liefde, skaars geluk – nog vir haar blysal sy uit hierdie aardse wisselingen haar verlies tog weer die sterkte kry.So het sy klaarheid in haar gees gevinden so geweet die middag langs die seesy sal aan die twee kinders wat haar bindhaar hele lewe wy as weduwee;en word sy later weer deur een gevrawat sal sy vir hom antwoord: Nee of Ja?_Ernst van Heerden:_In lanferwimpels tree,haar wandelstok ’n swaard,die weduwee Viljeein grandiose vaartverby die sinderende kaai.Waarheen die bruingepeesde spiere,die slink en wulpse draaivan haar kaniene diere?_S. J. Pretorius:_O Here! ek word so opgewonneas ek die arme honneso kaalpoot sien draf,maar wat kan ek, we-duwee Viljee,doen met my pullover en staf? |
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Drawing by Bertie du Plessis, www.mindpilot.co.za
www.StellenboschWriters.com © Rosemarie Breuer
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