Kaatje Kekkelbek or Life Among the Hottentots

A sketch in verse and prose, in the form of a "comic song", by Andrew Geddes Bain and Frederick Rex. (His father George Rex was long seen as the author, but Ludwig Binge - 1969, pp3-4 - argues convincingly for the son.) There is some uncertainty about the first performed Grahamstown, with Laidler and Fletcher saying 25 October 1838, Du Toit 5 November 1839, and Bosman arguing that at the earliest it could have been in 1844. First published in Sam Sly’s Journal Space 1846, also reproduced in Bosman (1928) pp. 541-543. Generally accepted as the first piece of performed stage writing incorporating “kitchen-Dutch”, or Afrikaans. Very popular and apparently performed a number of times over the years, esp. between 1834 and 1843. Possibly also in Cape Town (see P.W. Laidler, 1926). The central character of “Kaatje”, 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. (See further Binge pp 4-5 for the general influence of this song, especially on the Afrikaans literary and playwriting tradition.)

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