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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 2001-11 > 1004950579


From: "Brady" <>
Subject: Re: History -- Zaaiman, Pieternella van de Kaap & Van Meerhof
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 10:56:19 +0200
References: <200110302001.f9UK18X09655@lists5.rootsweb.com><l03130302b804e616cc7a@[202.161.100.196]><000101c161e8$766ac420$17d8fea9@dapper> <l03130302b806318badfa@[202.161.100.107]> <002a01c1629f$3ab754e0$1601a8c0@jcci.co.za> <009401c1630d$9088e5a0$ef99cba3@daniel>


Hi Daniel

Yes, I've read the book. Pity Dalene didn't have much to say about
Pieternella's father, Pieter van Meerhof, considering he was one of the
first explorers up the west coast. I forget now quite how many expeditions
he went on -- 6 or 8. There's a rollicking good yarn waiting to be written
about him, even if he did meet with such an awful fate, being murdered by
inhabitants at Antonagil Bay in Madagascar. The more polite references say
he & his party were on a "trading" mission, but it's much more likely they
were on a slave raiding mission. Dalene also doesn't really explain how
Pieter's death was at the root of Eva/Krotoa's breakdown. In fact, it's a
pity she focuses almost exclusively on Pieternella & Daniel, because Pieter
& Eva/Krotoa's story is far more dramatic. Seems Dalene was interested
mainly in the romance!

Another quibble: Dalene perpetuates the notion that Daniel Zaaijman (to use
the proper Dutch spelling) came from Vlissengen in south Holland, very close
to the Belgium border. By the way, I've been told Vlissengen means the same
as the English Flushing Meadows. A relative of mine went to Vlissengen some
years ago & says there are no traces that Zaaijmans ever lived in the area.
His theory is that they most likely came from over the border in Vlaandere
(Flanders) & that Vlissengen was just Daniel's departure point.
Unfortunately, this relative didn't get a chance to visit Flanders to find
out more.

The same with Pieter van Meerhof -- he's described as "of Copenhagen" but
Van Meerhof is not a Danish surname. Again, it's highly likely it was just
his point of departure. My sister visited Copenhagen in 1994 & we were sad
to discover that all records for the period Pieter may have been in
Copenhagen, if he ever lived there, had been destroyed in some war with the
Swedes. Van Meerhof, of course, means "from Meerhof" -- but Meerhof is a
tiny place quite some distance into Germany, near Marsberg. So perhaps he
was German.

The Van Meerhof name seems to have died out in South Africa. Does anyone
have more info on Pieter? Likewise Daniel Zaaijman's antecendents in Europe?

Regards
Maureen


----- Original Message -----
From: dmjacobs <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 9:21 PM
Subject: Re: History.


Dear Maureen

I am also a descendant of the Zaayman progenitor. All Zaaimans are of
course descendants of Dalene Mathee's Pieternella van die Kaap.

Best wishes]

Daniel

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brady" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: History.


> Check the Archives for previous threads debating how history was/is taught
> in SA. We had a lively debate going a year or so ago.
> ***********
> Andrew wrote:
>
> ... the Haarhoff story in Familia XXIII(4), 1986, where it is mentioned
that
> there were a number of brown Haarhoffs, and then says, in effect, that of
> course it was common practice for the volkies to adopt the surnames of the
> owners of the properties where they worked . . . Come on, whom does the
> author think he is fooling? - most likely, these days, only himself. My
> Haarhoff grandmother, who had a wicked sense of humour, used to repel
> effusive would-be cousins by the simple expedient of saying, in response
to
> their efforts to establish a relationship, "Ag, nee, ons is mos van die
> Slamaaier-geslag!"
> *************
>
> An excellent book on the question of "colour" in Afrikaner families is HF
> Heese's _Groep Sonder Grense_ (1984, Western Cape Institute for Historical
> Research). My mother (born ZAAIMAN) phoned me in great excitement when
this
> was published to say "Ons naam is in die boek!". SABC TV recently screened
a
> documentary series based on the book, in which, if I'm not mistaken,
Mansell
> Upham was involved.
>
> Interestingly, although we're all descended from the same "stamvader",
> Daniel, the "white" branch generally spell it ZAAIMAN, while the "brown"
lot
> tend to spell it SAAYMAN.
>
> Regards
> Maureen
> Johannesburg
>


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