Squeeze out all the Juice of Life

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(Edited)

Growing up in a large family where we all lived in one country, birthdays, weddings, engagement parties, and special holidays always were an excuse for an 'Opskop.'

An 'Opskop' is an informal party with lively dancing to Boeremusiek which is traditional Afrikaans folk music. Instruments like the concertina, piano accordion, guitars, button harmonica, the cello, the piano, plus a host of others, were used.

Our menfolk were musical and often provided the music, sometimes with improvised musical instruments, while the women and children danced and laughed the night away.

Dad Malan concertina.jpg

Not a good quality photo but stil precious, as Dad Malan is playing the Concertina, and Mom Lily the piano.

Of course, there always was a fire crackling and the boys would take turns adding wood to keep it going.

Way too much food, all homemade of course, and laughing till our tummies hurt at the antics the men got up to.
Afrikaans people have a unique kind of humour and know how to laugh at themselves, I'm of course included in that category ;)

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Mom Lily, her sisters and their youngest brother, as well as sister-in-law, are all having a good old laugh!

When we heard the womenfolk talking in hushed tones, we'd try to get a little closer to hear about the scandals of the extended family, but were chased away as soon as we were spotted!

Booking into a hotel was not on the agenda, even if we could afford it, as everyone wanted to squeeze out as much as possible of the togetherness.

The girls 'camped out' with mattresses lined up on the floor; while the boys camped outside in their play-tents and sleeping bags. The older boys would scare the little ones with ghost stories and they'd come running inside and squeeze in between the sisters and cousins.

The 'opskop' would continue well into the night, but the children would be chased to bed as that was the way things were done.

Thankfully my family did not believe in the phrase children should be seen, not heard, but growing children needed their sleep!

Come the next day, the womenfolk would be up at dawn making breakfast.
The aromas coming from the kitchen included freshly brewed coffee and bread baking in the oven, as Ouma would knead it the night before to make a couple of loaves, as there were many mouths to feed!

Glorious and happy memories of a lost era!

The New Generation

Familie Groep Trou foto.jpg
The day @therneau and @jusipassetti got married, no 'opskop' here, but a wonderfully happy occasion with my close family and Mom Lily.

Nowadays the family is scattered all over the world and we try and get together when we can, but it will never be the same old 'opskop' again!


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17 comments
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Ag, ja, Lizelle. What lovely memories.

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For sure, funny how I never liked Boeremusiek, but enjoy listening or rather watching it now, love the antics they get up to especially when they add the hidden brandy to the Coke😆

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Hi Lizzie
So lovely memories. I love the term Opskop, and it would have been very appropriate for our family gatherings when I was a child or when I was young. Now our family is also scattered around the world and the gatherings are fewer in number and smaller. But how nice that one has such good memories and that Hive allows us to capture them for the next generations. 🤗

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Is it not wonderful that we can store all these wonderful memories here Eli!
I found many old photos among my Mom's stuff, and have no idea who some of the people are as Mom did not write on the back, so I need to ask my aunt who was the youngest, but she lives in Cape Town. So, it's going to be a matter of much scanning, but I will get there, and hope she has some stories to tell that I can leave behind for the next generations like you say :)
Is your son settled now?

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My son is settled and happy, so I am more relaxed. We came home yesterday, I'm catching up. In a little while, I'll drop by our Discord.

I have a box of photos from when my mother was a child and I think I'm going to follow your example and document some of the anecdotes my mother and aunt tell me.

I hope everything is going a bit smoother on your side of the world 🤗😘

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That's great news Eli, you can rest now knowing he's settled in and ready to start a whole new chapter in his life!
I'm sure your family will enjoy reading the stories, I share it with my family, the older generation (only 3 of them left now), especially enjoy it. It's really a nice way of connecting the dots as someone ofen remembers another anecdote.
Have a lovely weekend further. 😘

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Feels like a lost era, living close we often had gatherings, camped out on floors more often than not on wads of newspapers, a sheet and blanket to cover the children. Beds and bedrooms given up to older folk.

What wonderful times we had back then, everyone involved with preparing meals chatting and laughing, then families married moved provinces, we still had occasional gatherings.

Now sadly many have left the country, life will never be the same as the traditional big family gatherings we all so enjoyed.

!LUV Have a wonderful weekend.

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(Edited)

That sounds exactly the same pattern our family followed. The first 12 years of my life was in Port Elizabeth, everyone lived there & slowly the moving started to other provinces. But the get-togethers could still take place, just not so often.
Your comment now actually reminded me how I was allowed to sleep on the floor in my Ouma & Oupa's bedroom one night & how it saved my life.
Oupa woke up with me kicking the bed while having a seizure, due to choking in my sleep. They rushed me to Mariannhill Hospital but on the way I started vomiting & then came round. Funny how you've triggered that memory, I'd totally forgotten about it!
It is sad how all South African families are now scattered across the world!
Have a wonderful weekend further Joan!

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Strange memories triggered from comments, Port Elizabeth we had family we visited one year during December holidays with around 8 children sleeping on lounge floor, sand fleas attacked us, have never been so itchy and scratchy ... !LOLZ

Little sister accidentally swallowed a sweet ball, Dad upturned her and paddled her back to dislodge the sweet onto the floor, yup now you triggered a couple more.

Families and very close family friends now all scattered everywhere, not to mention the many who have passed on, life is to be treasured when gatherings take place as we never know if another will come around.

Happy Sunday greetings Lizelle.

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Wow! I enjoyed reading this post, @lizelle. It really gave me that warm feeling reading about our own warm Afrikaner culture here on this platform!

Thank you for sharing this!

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