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The majestic beauty of Wuppertal

Wupperthal (sometimes also spelt Wuppertal) is a small town in the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape

province ofSouth Africa. It was founded in 1830 by two German missionaries of the Rhenish Missionary Society

(Rheinische Mission), Theobald von Wurmb and Johann Gottlieb Leipoldt, grandfather ofC. Louis Leipoldt, some

100 years before the city ofWuppertal was formally established in Germany. In 1965, after the Rhenish Mission

had gradually scaled down their activities in Southern Africa over a period of 40 years, a decision was taken that

Wupperthal in future should become part of the Moravian Church, which by that stage had already made the

transition from a mission to an autonomous church in South Africa. The town remains a Moravian mission station

to this day.

The village remains isolated, and is accessible by a gravel road from Clanwilliam over the Pakhuis Pass. Community

facilities include the Moravian Church, a shop, a tea room, a post office, a school with two hostels and a

community hall.

Most families in the community are dependent on small-scale agriculture or livestock farming for their livelihood.

The most important cash crop is rooibos tea. The mountainous areas surrounding the village provide reasonable

grazing for goats.

In its heyday the shoe factory, founded by Johann Leipoldt himself, provided work for many skilled craftsmen. The

Wupperthal handsewnveldskoen(traditional soft suede shoes) were for nearly a century famous across South

Africa for their comfort and good craftsmanship. A tannery and a glove factory were also in operation for many

years. The shoe factory is still in existence today, but operates on a much smaller scale.

Tourism is a growing industry for Wupperthal, particularly during the Namaqualand flower season in August and

September, when the seemingly barren mountain slopes become covered in flowers for a few weeks.

Back in December 1977, after my last matriculation exam was written, I bundled some hiking kit into a friends car,

and we motored off in the direction of the Cedarberg mountain range, in pursuit of peace and tranquillity, after a

hectic series on studying and examination writing. I could think of no better way of relaxing than getting out of the

city and into a mountainous environment with a friend. There were no time boundaries, and after a few days of

hiking we found ourselves in a time warp. We ate when we were hungry, we stopped hiking when we were tired

and we ambled around enjoying the scenic beauty of theWolfberg Arch and Cracks, while also traversing the

Tafelberg, Sneeuberg, Sneeukop and Krakadouw peaks which were an absolute highlight, whilst also getting a lot

of pleasure from Maalgat pool and Stadsaal Caves. We also visited the San rock art sites in caves and overhangs

throughout the area.

My hiking partner Paul knew the Cedarberg mountain range very well, having grown up in the Clanwilliam area,

and he suggested we visit the small town of Wuppertal. After 3 hours of early morning hiking, we reached our

destination. We were welcomed by an elderly man who was seated next to a tree, on the outskirts of the town.

Hoosit, my name is Koos, he greeted us with a toothy grin. His thin wavy hair was uncombed and the deep

wrinkles on this coloured mans face indicated that he was rather elderly, and had spent the best part of his life

outdoors. He was puffing away at a long pipe, and as we moved closer we realised that he was not smoking

normal tobacco, but something a lot stronger!

What can I do for you? he asked, aiming to please.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cederberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Capehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenish_Missionary_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Louis_Leipoldthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuppertalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Churchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clanwilliam,_Western_Capehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veldskoenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veldskoenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veldskoenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaqualandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaqualandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veldskoenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clanwilliam,_Western_Capehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Churchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuppertalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Louis_Leipoldthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenish_Missionary_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Capehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cederberg

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Hi, we said. We were just hiking in the area and wanted to take a look at your beautiful town, I added.

Ja, brother. You are most welcome. You can stay as long as you like. Koos replied.

Before we could answer, Koos got off his chair and said, Come and meet my family. You must stay with us tonight.

I will tell you about our dorpie (small town).

Paul and I looked at each other and nodded in agreement. It would be very interesting listening to Kooss stories

and spending time in this quaint town.

I would be a pleasure to spend some time with you. We have lots of time, we said in acceptance.

We followed Koos down the road and soon arrived at his humble abode. Koos whistled loudly and within seconds,

his family was standing outside their front door, waiting to greet and be greeted.

Koos started by introducing us to his family first. This is Paul and Finlay. They are visitors to our town and will be

spending the night, he told his family. He then introduced us to his wife Marie, his young son Frik and teenage

daughter named Isobel.

Marie went into the kitchen and brewed up a really strong pot of coffee. Koos told us to make ourselves

comfortable, and we did so in front of his house in some chairs, while Marie and Isobel served us coffee and rusks.

We chatted for hours and Koos explained that he was a shoemaker by trade, and was taught this craft by his father

and grandfather. Marie worked at the local church and she soon left us to go off to work.

Tomorrow I will show you the art of shoe making, said Koos. Now, I will take you for a walk around the town. He

told Isobel and Frik that it was time for them to go to school, and they reluctantly left us to our coffee and rusks

while their father continued to entertain us.

Our walk around the town took us a few hours, and it became clear that Koos was a legend in his own right. He

introduced us to people who lived life to the fullest, and were honest and hard-working. Tant (Aunt) Grieta who

worked at the post office was a merry old lady, who giggled at Koos every time they spoke to each other. It was

evident that she had an eye for Koos, but Koos just laughed it off when we asked him about it later.

That womans just crazy, he said, and changed the subject quickly.

The shop was an interesting place. The old man behind the counter was almost asleep when we entered the shop,

and the doorbell rang as the door opened, causing oom (uncle) Piet to almost fall off his chair. We spent an hour

here, listening to the two elderly gentlemen exchanging stories about the old days, while we sipped away at some

Hanepoot wine. This wine is grown in the Stellenbosch and Swartland regions of the Western Cape, and is a rich

sweet wine which is nice to sip away at while engaging in conversation. After two bottles were finished, and two

hours later, we left Oom Piet and his shop, richer for the stories which we had heard, and for the Hanepoot we had

just consumed!

Koos then took us to see the community hall, the school and we finally ended back at his house.

Thanks Koos, that was very informative! I said. We sat outside this kind mans house and consumed another

bottle of Hanepoot, while we told him something of our lives and where we came from. We learnt a great deal

about Wuppertal, thanks to our new friend.

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The next day we mixed our leftover rations with Kooss food, and had a breakfast ofcereal, eggs and bread. We ate

with the family around a large dining table and washed it all down with Maries strong coffee.

Koos related a story to us about the shoe making business that he and his family were involved in.

When I was a lightie (little boy), I used to sit on the workbench watching my pa (father) hammering away at a pair

of leather boots. Nobody could make boots like my pa, he said.

Koos asked his pa why there were so many single shoes in the window sill, without their partner.

Those are rejects, Kooss pa answered. I also use them to keep away unwanted dogs who scavenge around

outside.

It was only a few days later that Koos was in his fathers workshop, and he heard his father shout and throw a boot

taken from the window sill, straight at a stray dog who was sniffing around outside.

My pa had some funny ways, remarked Koos, especially after a few glasses of witblits. Witblits is a famous

alcoholic beverage which is colourless and made using grapes. The English name, White Lightning has a kick of

note, and should be drunk in small quantities. However, Kooss pa was a man of quantity, in all respects, and he

drank Witblits daily, which did eventually take its toll in the mans old age. Drinking witblits during those times in

the early 1900s, was an accepted form of entertainment and a great leveller on a social level.

Come, I will take you to the shoe shop now, said Koos. He rose, put on his leather hat and we followed him out

of the kitchen. We arrived at the shop minutes later, and Koos spent the rest of the morning showing us the art of

shoe making, hand-made style.

It was a sad moment when we bade Koos farewell. He gave us a half grin, shook our hands and waved us off. We

thanked him for the very kind Wuppertal hospitality and made our way out of town.