For
many Griquas Ratelgat is more than just a home it is a place of spiritual
significance as the grave of their great leader Paramount Chief AAS le Fleur
11 is found here.
For
many Griquas Ratelgat is more than just a home it is a place of spiritual
significance as the grave of their great leader Paramount Chief AAS le Fleur
11 is found here.
Ratelgat is the focus of Griqua gatherings in the future.
In the proposed ampitheatre who's plans have already been approved include:
The cost to visit the ampitheatre and Griqua Monument is just ZAR10 per person.
It was Andrew Abraham Stockenstrom Le Fleur the First who first established the famous Griqua Choirs in the early 1900s. The role of the Roepers was to gather the scattered seeds of thee Griqua nation together - an enormous task. The "Roepers" (or callers) are one of the key symbols of Griqua selfstandigheid (independence) today.
The Roepers come to Ratelgat to sing - to find out when their next visit will take place contact us.
In 1959 the Roepers celebrated their fortieth year in a major event organised by Mr T Le Fleur... the images below were taken during this celebration:.
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N Booysens and J Jones |
Dan Bailey - one of the oldest |
Over 1,000 Griquas at the |
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Singing the |
T Carse and T Le Fleur who |
The Roepers are still singing today and are a major part of Griqua tradition.
Walks
and treks
Walk through some of South Africa's remarkable succulent Karoo ecoregion which is confined to the western parts of South Africa that receive mainly limited winter rainfall and experience hot, dry summers. Rainfall is low, averaging about 250 mm per annum, but is reasonably predictable, although the occurrence of extended droughts is not uncommon. The vegetation of the succulent Karoo can be very broadly described as xerophytic, semidesert shrubland with a preponderance of leaf succulents. Following good rains, annuals and geophytes usually provide mass flowering displays, which have become a major tourist attraction.
The legend of the Griqua story teller is famous.
Embedded in their persona is the unique ability to tell a story like no one else can... these roots embedded in the Hottentot lineage provides hours of amusement as the story teller entrances and captivates you as fables and history are explained in Afrikaans... if you do not speak Afrikaans have no fear, the antics and story telling will, in itself, captivate you.
A small sample of what we are talking about can be seen at this link. (Large 10 mByte video file)
From Ratelgat you will be able to point your telescope to the stars and see them in a light not affected by the bright lights of the cities.
The main centre at Ratelgat will include including traditional food restaurant, curio shop, office and small conference/training center.
There will also soon be a living museum, nursery and tourism and cultural information center.
