The late Lotus River resident Willie Adams was a storyteller who found inspiration for his tales from the people around him.
His seventh book, Toe die reënboog nog die reënboog was, has now been published, five years after his death.
His wife Joan told Southern Mail that the book relates his childhood in Bishop Lavis in his mother tongue of “kombuis Afrikaans”.
The story is written in the Afrikaans slang his parents used to speak.
Ms Adams said: “Willie always used to listen to how his mother Rebecca spoke to her neighbour. She would say to her, ‘As hy dit nie gan doen nie dan is daa pêre (perde)’ (If he doesn’t do it then there will be trouble).
In the book he speaks about attending Bishop Lavis Primary and Elswood High School. “The book is all about his family and how they used to interact with each other. It is sometimes funny. Willie was also very funny. He used to tell funny stories with a serious face.”
Ms Adams said her husband was inspired by people’s stories and all of his work was written in Afrikaans. “He wrote poetry, short stories and community stories.”
She said Mr Adams picked up a lot of stories from his life as an activist during apartheid as well as during his experience as a teacher and a sports coach.
“His interests were in sports and politics. He belonged to Azapo (The Azanian People’s Organisation), a South African political party, he was also a science teacher and he kept on studying and received his degree in archaeology on his 60th birthday.”
Ms Adams said her late husband was a man with passion and he was a dedicated husband, father to their three children and grandfather to his grandchildren.
“He dedicated this book to his granddaughter Tori who was born on the 5th of the 5th month in 2005. I gave the book as a gift to her on her 12th birthday this year.”
Ms Adams said Mr Adams wrote his autobiography as if he knew he was going to say goodbye.
“He was always working while I stayed at home looking after our children. But when the children reached high school I went to work. The last few days of his life he became ill. I took off from work to take care of him and was with him when he died.”
Ms Adams said she would like the book to be read by others to remember the legacy he left behind.
If anyone is interested in buying the book, contact Professor Hein Willemse who is involved in the publication of the book on 074 706 3739 or email abrile.doman@gmail.
com
