Buksie (Hendrik, Buks or Beline) Kruiper singing ‘Ou Makia’ on a
winter’s night in Welkom, 2009
Ou Makai is a popular song amongst the older Kruiper clan. The song is about Ou Makai the great
grandfather of Dawid and Buks Kruiper. One version recorded by Belinda Kruiper went:
Ou Makai te kiraha Old Makai is old and dying
Ou Makai te kiraha Old Makai is old and dying
Na ke !au kwena hocha And strangers will come from all over to bring love
Na ke !au kwena hocha And strangers will come from all over to bring love
(Belinda Kruiper and Elana Bregin. 2004. Kalahari Rain Song. Scottsville, University of KwaZulu-Natal
press, p.41)
Buks’s versions would ramble and vary night by night. Significantly one night in Mbeeway, the
Bushman camp inside the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Buks and Ilia Festus were remonstrating with
each other around the fire. Ilia was emphasising to Buks that he knew the words of the song ‘Ou
Makai’ better than Buks. ‘It is my heritage too’ he stressed. This exchange followed an earlier heated
discussion in the back of the Land Rover. As we were driving into the park Buks was telling Ilia and
another extended Kruiper family elder, Ghert Swarts (Cookie Swaartz), that only he and !Noe and
someone else none of them had heard of had the right to dig for medicines within the Kgalagadi Park.
This claim by Buks said much about the misunderstandings, selective political processes, elitist
opportunism and infighting that underscores the ‘successful’ Bushman land claim for the Park and
surrounding farms.
grandfather of Dawid and Buks Kruiper. One version recorded by Belinda Kruiper went:
Ou Makai te kiraha Old Makai is old and dying
Ou Makai te kiraha Old Makai is old and dying
Na ke !au kwena hocha And strangers will come from all over to bring love
Na ke !au kwena hocha And strangers will come from all over to bring love
(Belinda Kruiper and Elana Bregin. 2004. Kalahari Rain Song. Scottsville, University of KwaZulu-Natal
press, p.41)
Buks’s versions would ramble and vary night by night. Significantly one night in Mbeeway, the
Bushman camp inside the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Buks and Ilia Festus were remonstrating with
each other around the fire. Ilia was emphasising to Buks that he knew the words of the song ‘Ou
Makai’ better than Buks. ‘It is my heritage too’ he stressed. This exchange followed an earlier heated
discussion in the back of the Land Rover. As we were driving into the park Buks was telling Ilia and
another extended Kruiper family elder, Ghert Swarts (Cookie Swaartz), that only he and !Noe and
someone else none of them had heard of had the right to dig for medicines within the Kgalagadi Park.
This claim by Buks said much about the misunderstandings, selective political processes, elitist
opportunism and infighting that underscores the ‘successful’ Bushman land claim for the Park and
surrounding farms.
Mbeeway, the Bushman camp inside the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Ilia said he did not know what the name meant because it is not his
language.
Ilia said he did not know what the name meant because it is not his
language.
© 2009 Chris Hewson Low, All Rights Reserved
On April 29th 2013, Buks Kruiper passed away. In
very many ways Buks was a special man and it was a
great honour and pleasure to have known him. Apart
from being the finest ≠Khomani tracker and probably
the last member of the community with convincing
knowledge of older Bushman lifeways, Buks was a
music lover.
He was a man of great spirit and my finest Kalahari
moments were nights spent with Buks and a guitar
around the fire. Good luck on the next road Buks. The
Kalahari will be a different place without you.
very many ways Buks was a special man and it was a
great honour and pleasure to have known him. Apart
from being the finest ≠Khomani tracker and probably
the last member of the community with convincing
knowledge of older Bushman lifeways, Buks was a
music lover.
He was a man of great spirit and my finest Kalahari
moments were nights spent with Buks and a guitar
around the fire. Good luck on the next road Buks. The
Kalahari will be a different place without you.