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Rock Kestrel
Rock Kestrel
byJill Adams
P.O. Box 31102
Windhoek
Namibia
phone (09264 61) 2063693

Piet van Rooyen

Piet van Rooyen
Photo by Die Burger

Author of academic, general and literary books
Professor in Political and Administrative Studies in the Faculty of Economics and Management Science at the University of Namibia in Windhoek

List of books

Petrus Hendrik van Rooyen was born on 17 July 1953 in Vryheid (Freedom), Kwazulu/Natal. He attended school in Senekal in the Free State and at Windhoek High School, where he matriculated in 1971.
After Military service as infantry officer in the Caprivi, he studied Development Studies at Stellenbosch University from 1973. Ph.D in 1983 with a thesis on Transformations in South African Labour Relations.
He taught Development Studies at US from 1982 until 1989, when he returned to Namibia. He worked for the Bushman (Now Nyae-Nyae) Development Foundation and later bought his own farm (for cattle) in the Gobabis district.
He is now professor of Political Studies at the University of Namibia.
Piet lives in Windhoek, Namibia. He is married to Annalie Schoombie and has a son and a daughter.
Several articles published in international magazines and academic journals include: Development Southern Africa, Journal of the Namibian Scientific Society, Industrial Relations Journal of South Africa, Magnum Magazine, Underwater Magazine, Insig, HuntiNamibia, The Crabbett Influence, Heart (Journal of the South African Heart Foundation), Tydskrif vir Letterkunde (Journal for Literature), New Zealand Outdoor Magazine, Drinkers of the Wind, Flamingo and Getaway
Piet with Kanab Tsaar
Piet with Kanab Tsaar
Photo found at Arab Horse Breeders Society of Namibia

Hobbies: spearfishing, horse endurance riding - Piet earned sporting colours of Namibia in both sports - and reading
Favourite quote:"Kneg van die Allerhoogste, teen die hele wêreld vry."

Awards:
The De Kat/Sanlam Prize for Die Spoorsnyer (1993)
The Central News Agency (CNA) award for a first novel (Die Spoorsnyer) (1994)
The M-Net prize for Afrikaans fiction for Die Olifantjagters (1998)

Books:

Academic work:
Swart Mannekrag in Suid-Afrika (Black Manpower in South Africa) University Publishers, Stellenbosch, 1985
Black Workers and Changing Industrial Relations in South Africa University Publishers, Stellenbosch, 1985
Nel, P.S. & Van Rooyen, P.H.Worker Representation in South Africa Academica, Pretoria, 1985
Nel, P.S. & P.H. van Rooyen, South African Industrial Relations Academica, Pretoria, 1991
Gobabis: A Brief History of the Town and Region John Meinert Printers, Windhoek, 1995

GifArtistic work:
Draak op die Erf (Poetry) (Dragon in the Yard) HAUM, Pretoria, 1973
Rondom ën Boorvuur (Poetry) (Around a Bore Fire), Tafelberg, Cape Town, 1983
Die Spoorsnyer (The Tracker), Tafelberg, Cape Town, 1994
Agter ën Eland aan (Following an Eland), Quellerie, Cape Town, 1995
Die Olifantjagters (The Elephant Hunters), Tafelberg, Cape Town, 1997
Gif (Poison), Protea Boekhuis, Pretoria, 2001 (Prescribed at UNISA)
Die Brandende Man (The Burning Man), Protea Boekhuis, Pretoria, 2002
Goedsmoeds (Poetry) (Cheerfully) Protea Boekhuis, 2002
Akwarius, Tafelberg, 2005
Kwansuis (Poetry), Human & Rousseau, 2008
Etosha, Human & Rousseau, 2010
Rodriguez, Queillerie Publishers, 2012
Voëlvry, Penguin Books, 2015
Amatola, Penguin, 2016

General work:
Diving and Spearfishing in South Africa Southern Books, Johannesburg, 1988
Ten Years of Endurance Riding in Namibia Capital Press, Windhoek, 2000

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Veervolk

in die land van Lo, ver in die berge
word die seisoene na die voëls gelees
die mense kyk na bo, na vere wat val
en kies daarmee die maand van die jaar

om so volgens die voëls te leef:
die lugtoeriste wat na aan die hemel reis
nooit is daar verwarring nie
die boere weet altyd wanneer
om te ploeg of te plant

watse wonderlike lewe is dit:
die flaminke roep pienk die lente nader
die vaal reiers bring die winter
hulle wat so hoog op koue bene
tussen die watervlak en die horison staan
die bont byvangers verf die somer
en die rooivalke skerf die herfs
tussen akrobatiese vlerke

so gooi elke voël sy boodskappe na onder
die vere gaan sit in die bome
die donsvere aan die boere se skoene
om te sê wanneer om te saai
en wanneer om te oes

so wil ek my geliefde vertel van my koms
met my verebrief vol verse
so wil ook ek die woorde
geel soos kanaries
blou soos ën duif
op haar gedagteveld laat stuif

meisie 2

my meisie sit met haar voete in die water
en haar kop in die blare
sy is koel
want sy sit in die skaduwee
en haar rokkie is lig.
sy het druiwe op haar skoot
en sy korrel dit een vir een.
my meisie is mooi,
koel soos druiwe met haar voete in die water.

dronkies

die seekoning se bruid is soek
die skaam klein hoertjie
weggekruip in diepste dieptes
in holtes van die oseaan

dis net menslike matrose
muiteniers op bacchus se boot
met die stemme van drenkelinge
wat haar daar uit kan lok

hulle kry dus die lywe van dolfyne
om diep te duik
hulle longe is seelonge
dowwe oë en grimasse
gedagtes uit die onbewuste

die verlange roep
na onbekende geliefdes
hoor hoe sing hulle agter glas
met hul onderwaterstemme


strandtoneel

alle stasies alle stasies
dis die maritieme radio
die plaaslike bevolking rapporteer
eindelose dae van manjifieke weer
en daarby kan ek in my eie onkunde
en goedgelowigheid help sweer

buitekant die baai
volgelaaide skepe
soos lui en dikgevrete beeste
herkouend en dom
op seestrome en wieg

die see is ën blink vlak
water waarop die son
in duisende skadeloos
sy klein kartetse breek

my oë soek agterdogtig na beduidenis
van môre of oormôre se storm en wind
maar ek gee die horison
net ën baie vlugtige veeg
want ek is reeds gewaarsku as kind
en weet staring in so ën son
en glinstering in maak blind

in die windstil arms van die baai
sonnige klein katryn
die begeerte van my lende
die gesalfde van my oog
bruin lenig en perfek
op haar oopgespreide
kwaliteit koelwit handdoek

ek die bedrewe sportman
dra met wye elmboë
met kuite en opgerolde broekspype
twee druppende torinkies roomys
gedwee aan oor swets-warm sand

  

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Text by Piet van Rooyen

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