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
Denne historien er fra November 05, 2021-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra November 05, 2021-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
