Kaatje Kekkelbek, or Life Among the Hottentots

Kaatje Kekkelbek, or Life Among the Hottentots (or Caatje Kekelbek, or Life Among the Hottentots) is a sketch in verse and prose, in the form of a "comic song", credited to Andrew Geddes Bain. Co-authors mentioned by various commentators and authors over time have included George Rex, Frederick Rex and Louis Henri Meurant.

The original text

From Stephen Gray's introduction to South Africa Plays, pg. viii:

"Kaatje Kekkelbek features the popular 'Hottentot Venus' character in full cry against the indignities heaped on her to obtain her co-operation in the colonial enterprise: brandy, fences, prison... The sketch, complete with shrieks and feathers, is a turn that parodies an authentic shuffle-and-chant routine." Gray suggests the subject of the piece is essentially the "po-faced Puritans who forget that theatre must accommodate many South African voices, even if the real world outside systematically excludes them."

Generally accepted as the first piece of performed stage writing incorporating a large chunk of "kitchen-Dutch", or Afrikaans. Very popular and apparently performed (most probably in various forms) a number of times over the years.

Originally published as Caatje Kekelbek, or Life Among the Hottentots in Sam Sly’s Journal Space 1846, also reproduced in its entirety in Laidler (1926: pp. 41-44). Only the first stanza is reproduced (from Laidler) by Bosman (1928, Appendix X: pp. 541-543) and the Wikipedia entry on Andrew Geddes Bain[1].

A somewhat more complete discussion and fuller version of the text has recently been posted by Mansell G. Uphams (2020).

Authorship

Though George Rex was long seen and credited as the (main) author, Ludwig Binge - 1969, pp3-4 - argues convincingly for his fourth son, the surveyor and actor Frederick Rex. Some name the family friend and Grahamstown publisher Louis Henri Meurant as the possible co-author.

Performance history in South Africa

There is also some uncertainty about the first performed Grahamstown, with both Laidler (1925) and Fletcher (1991) saying 25 October 1838, Du Toit 5 November 1839, and F.C.L. Bosman arguing that at the earliest it could have been in 1844.

Gray gives its first performance as 1846, by 'an amateur cross-dresser in a Border regiment', and states the piece was regularly included in 'smokers and family entertainments'.

Binge suggests that Kaatje may have been played by the young Frederick Rex in the first performances.

There was also a performance in Cape Town apparently, circa 1846-8.

Translations and adaptations

The central character of "Caatje Kekelbek" (or "Kaatje Kekkelbek", as she is more commonly known today), the fiery and articulate housemaid, has become a stock figure in a number of South African works over the years, including plays by Stephen Black and Guy Butler (Cape Charade, 1968). (Laidler for example makes the comment in his 1926 publication that "Kaatje" is well known to Capetonians. See further Binge pp. 4-5 for the general influence of this song, especially on the Afrikaans literary and playwriting tradition.)

Sources

Kaatje Kekkelbek, or Life Among the Hottentots – by Andrew Geddes Bain (1797-1864) featuring verbatim the original text (plus expanded English text) with explanatory notes by Mansell George Upham. Posted on September 19, 2020 by Upham on his historical blog Muatze[2]

http://www.thegreatkaroo.com/page/andrew_geddes_bain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Geddes_Bain

Ludwig Wilhelm Berthold Binge. 1969. Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950). Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

F.C.L. Bosman. 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [3]: pp. 389, 413, 389, 496, 506-7, 541-543

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

P.J. du Toit. 1988. Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: Academica

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: p.

P.W. Laidler. 1926. The Annals of the Cape Stage. Edinburgh: William Bryce: pp. 41-44

Gray, S. (ed.) 1993. South Africa Plays. Nick Hern Books.

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