The lovely young taken to the Unsea…
What the fuck does that mean? The cries ring out at the tables surrounding me…
It’s mostly English speaking people and “boets” that have never heard of Gert Vlok Nel before.
Gert Vlok Nel is a South African poet and musician, not a political figure that campaigns for the FF+…as overheard a couple tables away from me…
Despite all the obsession with the possible meaning behind the theme, I’d like to suggest that it’s actually a breath of fresh air. The theme is something different that immediately generates hype because of the mystery surrounding its origin.
For those in peril on the sea is a Gert Vlok Nel song, one that seems to be a variation on a sea farers hymn originally written in 1860 by William Whiting. The hymn is inspired by the unpredictability and dangers of the ocean.
Listen to the song here:
Mmmm all of a sudden the theme seems very relatable to your average Oppikoppi…
You set sail from the safe harbour of your home. You’ve been packing for the past week…mainly trying to figure out if it is in fact a good idea to leave the 2-Minute Noodles at home so that there is sufficient space in your vessel for your compadre, Jose Cuervo!
You drive through Brits and thank Pastor Hennie that you don’t have to live there. You drift into Northam and you notice fellow travellers whose compass is pointing to the same destination as yours. They’ve also left the 2-Min Noodles at home!
You are all a little afraid of the storm brewing on the horizon, a mere 16 kilometres away. The closer you get, the more flashbacks you get from your previous encounters with the beast called Oppikoppi…
You remember the Unpredictability …
You taste the Uncompromising cloud of red dust…
You embrace the vibe, Unconditionally….
You enter the eye of the storm and you see that
the storm is beautiful. The storm is lovely.
You let go and you surrender to the storm, without hesitation…because in Dust we Trust!!