Touching encounter with tourist

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Working with tourists can be extremely rewarding, especially when they have a contagious fascination and passion for aspects of South Africa.

Karin Julies, who works at the Craft Art Workshop in Market Street, Mossel Bay, has had a wonderful encounter with a tourist that she treasures.

The tourist, from Leeds in England, popped into the Craft Art Workshop and spent almost three hours browsing among the curios, gifts and artwork. Eventually she settled for a painting of the koisan people for her grandson Tom, back in England, who has a fascination for the koisan.

The woman, Christine Perry, says the fascination began with her and Tom paging through the illustrations in the book, Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling.

More than any of the other stories in the book, the one about "Bushman" interested Tom. Christine notes: "We looked at the pictures of Bushman hunting kudu, bushbuck, eland and giraffe, the animals he favoured because he could use every part of the animal for his survival in harsh conditions."

Christine said that Tom spoke about "Bushman" to his mom and dad as if he had found a friend.

When Christine explained to Karin in the Craft Art Workshop that her grandson had been talking about the khoisan since he was three years old, Karin replied: "They are my ancestors."

Karin marvelled that a little boy in another country, thousands of miles away, should talk about the khoisan. After some thought, she reached below the counter and took out a book, Die Boesman, and gave it to Christine to give to Tom.

Then, in January, Karin was delighted to receive a letter from Christine, thanking her for the book. Christine had enclosed a photo of herself with Tom and a photo of Tom with the book. There was also a photo of Tom with his parents.

"This is so special to me," Karen told the Mossel Bay Advertiser, displaying the letter and the printed photographs Christine had posted to her. Karin explained that well-known Mossel Bay artist James Malgas had given her the book; he thought she would enjoy it because of her khoisan heritage.

Karin is delighted she could give the book to someone who will really enjoy it.

The night before Christine left for her holiday in South Africa, she spoke to Tom on the phone and said: "I am flying to Africa tomorrow to see Bushman and he is going to give me a present to give you," so the gesture of Karin giving Tom the book is specially significant.

Tom with his special gift from South Africa.