Marais was a pioneer in ethology (the study of animal behaviour), but did not follow up his original studies with more disciplined, scientific work to flesh out his findings. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Eugène Marais was born in Pretoria on 9 January 1871, the 13th and last child of Jan and Catharina Marais. Although his education was in English, his home language was Dutch, and he loved the ‘new’ Afrikaans language, the development of which was to fascinate him for the rest of his life.
Afrikaans had evolved from Dutch, as well as a dialect spoken by the Dutch settlers in South Africa. The youngest of the Germanic languages, it began to develop its distinguishing characteristics during the 18th century.
With the expansion into the interior by the Trek Boers, traders and hunters, the new language adopted words from Khoisan, Cape Malay, Griqua, German, French and, later, English.
Marais and many fellow Afrikaners were committed to perfecting Afrikaans. At the same time, he was enthralled by the verse of William Shakespeare, John Milton and Robert Burns and inspired by the freethinking poets William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor and Robert Southey.
After leaving school, Marais joined a legal firm in Pretoria as a clerk, and at the age of just 20 became the owner and editor of the newspaper Land en Volk. He was an outspoken critic of President Paul Kruger, which made him (Marais) extremely unpopular in the Transvaal.
THE MADNESS OF MORPHINE
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Denne historien er fra November 05, 2021-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
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Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
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Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
