Colin's Family Focus

Wilhelmina’s Corner

After seven years of proposals and negotiations to bring our dream of a communications institute to Worcester, Cape Province, Zerf Productions has finally received the blessing and endorsement of the local people and the government of South Africa.
As a Métis born in South Africa, I am deeply connected to its people and challenged by their need to tell their story. By identifying with this need, we are resolved to help educate and train the people of the community in the communication skills necessary to tell their story themselves whether through television, film, theatre, music, journalism, or photography.
The nurturing will soon begin with courses in radio, English as a second language, and photography using a photo lab shared with the youth of the New Hope Centre. In this way the creativity of the youth will be awakened in response to the emotional and spiritual forces that affect their every day lives.

After thirty-five years, I had a reunion with my younger sister, Shirley, and her children Melshir and Yvette (pictured left). We were celebrating my birthday with some other members of my family. Our brother, Winston, who died five years ago, would have made the family circle complete. My father, Gabriel, died when I was six and my mother, Caroline de la Zerff, nineteen years ago. My cousins, Doreen, Mavis, and Glennis, as well as Barbara Fortuin and the Parker family celebrated with us.
I cannot express the feelings of pride and joy that overtook me at the celebration. The children, married and single, called me “Aunty” out of normal respect, since I’m the oldest in the family. Sounds of laughter and Afrikaans,
my mother tongue, filled the dining room. They were surprised that I had retained my culture and could still speak Afrikaans.
ARTISTIC

    They laughingly told me, though, not to speak Afrikaans in public as I sounded worse than President Mandela.
     I caught them staring at me as if I was from another planet. I also discovered they were every bit as artistic as my own children and very keen to tell their stories and show their drawings and photographs of the family. I realized that they did not have the opportunity of coming to Canada and developing their skills the way I had. I offered them all a chance to learn from Canadian artists and instructors at our communications institute in Worcester.
     Cape Town, very much like Montreal, is multi-lingual and cultural with a European flavour of good food and wine and a people who are very special. It welcomes Canadians and makes them feel at home.

PATRONAGE

I’d like to thank Nesbitt Burns for being the first corporation to donate 200 pieces of equipment (including 24 computers with software and manuals) for our cause. We are hoping that others will join in to offer funds or radio/ photographic equipment, video/still cameras, and computers as well as
English textbooks and teaching materials. We also invite volunteers with special skills in communications to come and share our democratic values in South Africa. Your patronage and contributions will help foster new growth and prosperity for all South Africans.

Updated: Monday, 01 March, 1999. Best Viewed with Netscape Navigator Webmaster: COLIN DEDRICKS (C) Copyright '97.