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www.thevillagenews.co.za
16 September 2020
FROM THE EDITOR
We need to keep a clean record The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 23 September 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.
De Waal Steyn PUBLISHING EDITOR E: dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 700 3319
Hedda Mittner
As South Africa hopefully nears Level 1 lockdown restrictions it is painfully apparent that we have a lot of work to do to save our fragile economy. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said the Coronavirus pandemic has left government finances “dangerously overstretched”, while heightened debt threatens the country’s future economic prospects. It is expected that the country’s economy would shrink by more than the expected 7%. Locally it leaves most businesses vulnerable and looking for ways in which to ensure survival. With an
CONTENT EDITOR
Raphael da Silva
E: raphael@thevillagenews.co.za T: 074 125 5854
Elaine Davie JOURNALIST E: elaine@thevillagenews.co.za T: 084 343 7500
Taylum Meyer PRODUCTION MANAGER, PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN E: taylum@thevillagenews.co.za T: 084 564 0779
Charé van der Walt MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE E: chare@thevillagenews.co.za T: 082 430 1974
Nickey Jackson
For this very reason, it is of the utmost importance that we as a community work together to fight the effects of both Covid-19 and the second, equally deadly, economic pandemic. It is our duty to support locally owned and operated businesses. Ensure that the money you spend stays local and is not gobbled up by corporate coffers. Furthermore, we must market the Cape Whale Coast as the premier holiday
destination in the country. For us to do this, we must be perceived as a safe destination in as far as Covid-19 is concerned. All businesses and residents must strictly adhere to all safety protocols. This is important given the fact that it is widely expected that government will soon take a decision on reopening our borders for international travel. The Western Cape government has said it will engage with Pres Cyril Ramaphosa on allowing international tourists back into the country. At the same time, all levels of government need to play their part. It is
expected that the provincial government will this week give further feedback regarding their economic recovery plan, which will focus on job creation, safety and dignity. To this end the local government also needs to ensure that it is all systems go for our economy. Lapses, such as sewage spills into the Onrus lagoon, do not assist in promoting our town as a tourist-hotspot. The problems with sewerage and the lagoon, which have long been a bone of contention, must be sorted out. The town needs to stay in the running for another Blue Flag beach – we need it and deserve it. This is the good NEWS - Ed
For whom the bell tolls and advice from the stars
E: hedda@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 645 3928
ONLINE EDITOR
economy that is largely dependent on tourism, it further complicates matters as holidays and travelling are among the first things to be scuttled by cash-strapped members of the public.
By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com
A
rticles in the For Fact’s Sake columns are – according to Google and the Duck ’n Fiddle’s Explanation of Everything – based in fact. Occasionally though, some names and places have been changed to protect innocent people involved.
having endured the torturing of Bach and Mendelssohn by the sadistic organist, they all rush off to a venue designed for dining, dancing and generally getting rat-faced. Bouquets are flung blindly over brides’ shoulders for those single maidens willing to endure the hell and high water, and garters are removed from the brides’ upper thigh – hopefully by the groom – and chucked into a scrum of bachelors keen on the idea of being honoured and obeyed.
to guarantee good fortune to the happy union.
These traditions may seem somewhat quirky, but they’re no stranger than some rituals from around the globe. In Mauritania, for example, a chubby bride is required for a harmonious marriage. They spend time on ‘fat farms’ before the big day to radically plump up, despite many falling ill and developing various health issues.
During the ceremony on the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, wedding guests lie face-down on the dance floor to form a carpet, and the happy couple literally walks all over them. This apparently ensures their future good fortune and harmony.
The Tidong community in Borneo have a rather painful tradition. They lock the bride and groom in separate rooms for three days during which time they may not perform a number 1 or 2. Eish! Quite how that could possibly strengthen future relations is too much to stomach, but I’m sure many would rather forego the agony and take their chances.
Wedding Rituals We’ve only just begun… to l-i-v-e... White lace and promises… etc. Here’s a bit of trivia for Pub Quiz enthusiasts: this hit by the Carpenters was originally composed by Paul Williams as a jingle for a bank’s TV commercial, aimed at newly-weds as potential clients. Anyway, most of us are familiar with ‘Western-styled’ weddings where guests gets dressed up to the nines, and watch dewy-eyed as the bride and groom glibly recite vows to honour and obey each other through thick and thin, come hell or high water, till death doth them part, etc. Then, after the formal ceremony, and
In South Korea, an old tradition maintains that beating the groom’s feet with a dead fish somehow improves his performance on the wedding night. While that might seem strange, brides in Tujia (China) are required to cry for one hour a day for a month prior to the wedding. Female relatives often join in
In some African traditions it was normal for the bride’s mother to accompany the newly-weds on their honeymoon night. Her role was to encourage and educate the young couple’s first foray into the art of matrimonial harmony, but personally I can think of nothing more detrimental to the performance than having your mother-in-law shouting tips from the side lines.
An old French tradition involved a lot of banging on the wedding night, but with a variation known as Charivari. Friends and relatives would gather outside the couple’s home and bang pots and pans all night in relays. To make matters worse, they’re expected to be served drinks and snacks during this ritual. I might be old-fashioned, but I’m quite happy to stick to the bouquet and garter routine any day. Wedding quips While on the subject of weddings, here are some insights from celebrities in the know. Clint Eastwood said: Marriages may be made in heaven, but so is thunder and lightning. Socrates wrote: My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife you’ll be happy. If not, you’ll become a philosopher. This one is from Rod Stewart: Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house. Will Ferrell suggests that before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet service to see who they really are. Too true nè?
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