Begrafnisse is \u2019n universele menslike manier om afskeid te neem van \u2019n geliefde, en sy lewe te vier. Ondanks kulturele verskille het begrafnisse tog \u2019n gedeelde doel . . . om te rou, herinnering te deel en afsluiting te kry. Dis \u2019n geleentheid vir vriende en familie om mekaar te ondersteun. <\/p>\n
Behalwe vir die afskeid van familie en vriende, moes ek as joernalis al talle begrafnisse bywoon en daaroor verslag lewer. Die grootste een was natuurlik Nelson Mandela s\u2019n. Ons radio- en tv-span het reeds maande vooraf planne en re\u00eblings in plek gehad. Ons moes internasionaal direkte oorskakelings doen van die gebeure uit die Transkei by Mvezo waar hy gebore is, Qunu waar hy sy kinderjare deurgebring het, en Mqhekezweni waar hy \u2019n tiener was. Ek was v\u00f3\u00f3r die begrafnis talle kere daar, en ten tyde van die begrafnis die anker in die Baaise kantoor. <\/p>\n
Op \u2019n keer het ek by Qunu in die verte \u2019n groepie mense op \u2019n heuwel sien bymekaar staan. Dit was \u2019n Woensdag. \u2019n Tata het my toe verduidelik dat begrafnisse gewoonlik oor naweke gehou word en dan word \u2019n bees geslag. Maar as jy arm is\u2026dan word dit in die w\u00e9\u00e9k gehou en dan slag hulle net \u2019n hoender\u2026seker soos die klompie daar op die heuwel. <\/p>\n
\u2019n Begrafnis wat groot opslae gemaak het was di\u00e9 van Reeva Steenkamp, wat deur die destydse paralimpiese atleet Oscar Pistorius geskiet is. Met so baie ander nasionale stories, het di\u00e9 een ook \u2019n sterk Oos-Kaapse kleur gehad. Reeva het in die Baai grootgeword en studeer, en haar ouers was hier. Op die sonnige oggend is haar kis getooi met wit en rooi rose. Ons plaaslike joernaliste moes meeding met die internasionale media wat hulle kameras en mikrofone ongeskik voor ons ingedruk het. Almal wou \u2019n spesiale skoot of klankgreep van die gebeure h\u00ea. Ironies genoeg was Pistorius terselfdertyd in die hof in Pretoria op aanklag van moord.<\/p>\n
By die opspraakwekkende begrafnis van Jayde Panayiotou, die onderwyseres van Kariega wat deur haar man Christopher laat vermoor is, was dit \u2019n spanningsvolle geleentheid in die Katolieke Kerk. Eers het al die joernaliste verbaas na mekaar gekyk toe Christopher die uitsonderlike huldeblyk aan sy oorlede vrou bring. En toe die agterdog toe hy nogal as kisdraer met sy swart pak, nooit opgekyk het nie. Daardie aand nog is hy in hegtenis geneem vir die moord op sy vrou.<\/p>\n
Toe Sarah Baartman se beendere op die heuwel by Hankey begrawe is, moes ons mooi trap op die klein area wat uitkyk oor die vrugbare Gamtoosvallei. Van die voormalige president Thabo Mbeki tot ho\u00eb lui in die Khoi gemeenskap het hulde gebring aan haar. Internasionale media agentskappe het ons behoorlik vertrap, en ek moes bontstaan om plaaslike gebruike en kulture te verduidelik \u2013 en kon so heelwat br\u00fbe bou.<\/p>\n
Op Cradock het ek twee vreemde begrafnisse bygewoon.<\/p>\n
Wel, die een was b\u00fdna \u2019n begrafnis. \u2019n Apostel het voorspel dat hy op \u2019n sekere dag sou sterf. Hy het reeds die begrafnisbrief met liedere op laat druk, die gat is gegrawe en die kis het gereedgestaan. Ek en die kameraman, en honderde (voorlopige) begrafnisgangers met kisklere aan, het tevergeefs gewag. Hy leef steeds.<\/p>\n
Dan was daar afskeid geneem van \u2019n oud-vryheidsvegter. Talle politici, waaronder Cyril Ramaphosa, was teenwoordig. Politiek en begrafnis loop dikwels langs mekaar, met opruiende toesprake. Toe die passievolle pastoor weer \u2019n keer \u201cHalleluja!\u201d s\u00ea met sy hande in die lug, spring sy boonste valstande uit sy mond\u2026tot groot vermaak van die begrafnisgangers. Die gelui van die koperklokkie het almal tot bedaring gebring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Begrafnisse is \u2019n universele menslike manier om afskeid te neem van \u2019n geliefde, en sy lewe te vier. 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