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Soetdoring in die ruigtes
Dit is 1916 en Caleb Kelly, ’n jong WOI-veteraan, keer getraumatiseerd en geskend terug na sy familieplaas in die Oos-Kaap. Wanneer olifante groot skade op Bellevue aanrig, is hy gereed om hulle voor die voet te skiet. Maar dan gebeur iets wat maak dat hy sy woede verruil vir ’n diepe vriendskap met ’n trop wat bedags tussen die ruigtes op die plaas skuil.
Deur feit met fiksie te verweef neem Bakkes lesers op ’n reis vanaf 1916 tot die stigting van die Addo-olifantpark in 1931.
Deur feit met fiksie te verweef neem Bakkes lesers op ’n reis vanaf 1916 tot die stigting van die Addo-olifantpark in 1931.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2026
About the author
Christiaan Bakkes
15 books6 followersChristiaan Mathys Bakkes was born on August 3 1965 in Vredenburg on the West Coast. He matriculated in 1983 at the Pro Arte Art School in Pretoria.
Christiaan was a game ranger in the Kruger National Park when he lost his left arm in February 1994 after two crocodiles attacked him while he was swimming in a dam. He travelled through Africa for five months after his recovery, worked for the WWF in the Kaokoveld in Namibia for three years, after which he worked for a safari company that conducted eco tours at the Skeleton Coast. He is currently a guide and area manager at Wilderness Safaris in Namibia. He lives in Damaraland in the northwest of Namibia.
His debut, Die lang pad van Stoffel Mathysen, was published in 1998 and four more books about the adventures of his alter ego, Stoffel have since been published. Most of these stories are based on real life experiences.
Stoffel by die afdraaipad was nominated in 2005 for the M-Net literary prize for short format texts (short stories, children’s or youth novels).
In 2008 In Bushveld and Desert: A Game Ranger’s Life, translations of several of his stories, was published.
Christiaan was a game ranger in the Kruger National Park when he lost his left arm in February 1994 after two crocodiles attacked him while he was swimming in a dam. He travelled through Africa for five months after his recovery, worked for the WWF in the Kaokoveld in Namibia for three years, after which he worked for a safari company that conducted eco tours at the Skeleton Coast. He is currently a guide and area manager at Wilderness Safaris in Namibia. He lives in Damaraland in the northwest of Namibia.
His debut, Die lang pad van Stoffel Mathysen, was published in 1998 and four more books about the adventures of his alter ego, Stoffel have since been published. Most of these stories are based on real life experiences.
Stoffel by die afdraaipad was nominated in 2005 for the M-Net literary prize for short format texts (short stories, children’s or youth novels).
In 2008 In Bushveld and Desert: A Game Ranger’s Life, translations of several of his stories, was published.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 7, 2026
Afrikaans review first, translated to English second.
Soetdoring in die ruigtes is nie wat ek verwag het hoe die storie gaan wees nie. Dit is baie histories met 'n fiktiewe aksie in die kantlyn. Dit besit met geweldig baie interessante informasie oor die gebeurtenisse van die oorlog tussen die Afrikaner volk en die Britte, die eerste Wêreldoorlog, en die bestaan van die Addo-olifante. Daar is fiktiewe, sowel as historiese karakters in die boek, waar Christiaan Bakkes sy huiswerk baie goed gedoen het om albei karakters in 'n vloeiende en opwindende storie te omskep.
Hierdie verhaal in kort gaan oor Caleb Kelly, wat nadat hy van die oorlog af terug gekeer het, olifante wou uitwis nadat hulle sy windpomp vernietig het. Hulle maak skade by al die plase, veral die lemoenboorde, en word links en regs geskiet. Nadat hy besluit het om hulle te agtervolg en van kant te maak, word hy gekonfronteer en sy lewe word onherroeplik verander. Hy doen alles in sy mag om die olifante te beskerm en 'n veilige hawe vir hulle te skep. Intussen is 'n groot wildjagter, Dewald Troskie, ingeroep om van die olifante van kant te maak. Die olifante weet egter waar hulle veilig is, en maak dit vir die jagter moeilik om hulle te jag. Maar ai, die lemoenboorde is dan so lekker, en elke keer wat hulle soontoe gaan vir 'n middernag happie, word hulle getalle al hoe minder. Soetdoring (wat ek gedink het is maar net deel van die naam van die storie boek), is 'n jong olifant bulletjie wat groot word tydens die slagting van sy familie, en die herhinneringe saam met hom dra deur die loop van die storie.
In my opinie, kan die storie in drie dele verdeel word. Uit die oogpunt van die olifante (hulle oorlewing en denke), die oorlewing, aanpassing en groei van Caleb Kelly nadat hy terug gekeer het van die oorlog af, asook die jagter en sy kamp om die olifante te stroop, en derdens die historiese gebeurtenisse rondom die beplanning om die Addo-olifante te huisves en te bewaar.
Die storie is baie interessant, en raak gereeld aan die historiese feite om die leser in te lig oor hoe die lewe verloop het, vir beide olifante en mens. Ek het groot respek vir Caleb se karakter. Die man het by sy besluite gestaan ongeag of die mense gedink het hy is mal. Hy het lief geword vir die olifante, en het nie geskroom om hulle te beskerm nie. Selfs toe sy toekomstige vrou, Maria in nood verkeer het, het hy nie geskroom om haar te help nie.
As jy lus voel vir 'n bietjie geskiedenis, en is lief vir diere, dan stel ek hierdie boek voor.
"Soetdoring in die ruigtes" is not what I expected the story would be. This book is a mixture of historical fiction and facts. It consists of a lot of information regarding what happened in the time of war between the Afrikaner and the British, the WWI and the history of the Addo-elephants. The story also consists of real historical characters, as well as fiction, and Chritiaan Bakkes did a great job to entwine all the characters to ensure a smooth and exciting story.
This story in short, is about Caleb Kelly who returns to his farm from WW1, a broken man. Due to elephants damaging orange orchards and water dams and property, Caleb decides to take matters in his own hands and teach the elephants a lesson. After a lifechanging confrontation, he does everything in his power to ensure a safe haven for them and to keep them from harm's way. But how to you tell an elephant to stay in one place? Due to the continuous property damage, the farmers decide to hire a hunter, Dewald Troskie, to help with their problem. The elephants soon finds out where it's safe, but sometimes the urge for a lovely, sweet orange is too hard to ignore, and they return to Caleb's farm with decreased numbers. One of these elephants, Soetdoring, is a baby elephant bull that is growing up, witnessing the slaughter of his family. And an elephant never forgets.
In my opinion, this story can be divided into 3 parts. The first part is about the elephants and their point of view, which is very interesting to read. Then the second part is about Caleb, who is struggling with his WW1 demons and who grew as a character. Also, sharing Part 2 is Dewald Troskie, the hunter, doing everything in his power to cull the elephant herd (he is my least favorite character). Then the third part is the history behind everything. And this is historical facts behind the Addo-elephants camp (or reservation if you will).
The story was very interesting to read, and I actually learned a lot regarding the history of the Addo-elephants. I have the biggest respect for Caleb's character, a broken man, standing by his believes to try and save the elephants he became to love, even though people think he is nuts. He is selfless and are always willing to help, and that is how he met his wife, Maria.
If you want to learn a bit of history, and happens to be an animal lover as well, then I recommend this book for your enjoyment.
Soetdoring in die ruigtes is nie wat ek verwag het hoe die storie gaan wees nie. Dit is baie histories met 'n fiktiewe aksie in die kantlyn. Dit besit met geweldig baie interessante informasie oor die gebeurtenisse van die oorlog tussen die Afrikaner volk en die Britte, die eerste Wêreldoorlog, en die bestaan van die Addo-olifante. Daar is fiktiewe, sowel as historiese karakters in die boek, waar Christiaan Bakkes sy huiswerk baie goed gedoen het om albei karakters in 'n vloeiende en opwindende storie te omskep.
Hierdie verhaal in kort gaan oor Caleb Kelly, wat nadat hy van die oorlog af terug gekeer het, olifante wou uitwis nadat hulle sy windpomp vernietig het. Hulle maak skade by al die plase, veral die lemoenboorde, en word links en regs geskiet. Nadat hy besluit het om hulle te agtervolg en van kant te maak, word hy gekonfronteer en sy lewe word onherroeplik verander. Hy doen alles in sy mag om die olifante te beskerm en 'n veilige hawe vir hulle te skep. Intussen is 'n groot wildjagter, Dewald Troskie, ingeroep om van die olifante van kant te maak. Die olifante weet egter waar hulle veilig is, en maak dit vir die jagter moeilik om hulle te jag. Maar ai, die lemoenboorde is dan so lekker, en elke keer wat hulle soontoe gaan vir 'n middernag happie, word hulle getalle al hoe minder. Soetdoring (wat ek gedink het is maar net deel van die naam van die storie boek), is 'n jong olifant bulletjie wat groot word tydens die slagting van sy familie, en die herhinneringe saam met hom dra deur die loop van die storie.
In my opinie, kan die storie in drie dele verdeel word. Uit die oogpunt van die olifante (hulle oorlewing en denke), die oorlewing, aanpassing en groei van Caleb Kelly nadat hy terug gekeer het van die oorlog af, asook die jagter en sy kamp om die olifante te stroop, en derdens die historiese gebeurtenisse rondom die beplanning om die Addo-olifante te huisves en te bewaar.
Die storie is baie interessant, en raak gereeld aan die historiese feite om die leser in te lig oor hoe die lewe verloop het, vir beide olifante en mens. Ek het groot respek vir Caleb se karakter. Die man het by sy besluite gestaan ongeag of die mense gedink het hy is mal. Hy het lief geword vir die olifante, en het nie geskroom om hulle te beskerm nie. Selfs toe sy toekomstige vrou, Maria in nood verkeer het, het hy nie geskroom om haar te help nie.
As jy lus voel vir 'n bietjie geskiedenis, en is lief vir diere, dan stel ek hierdie boek voor.
"Soetdoring in die ruigtes" is not what I expected the story would be. This book is a mixture of historical fiction and facts. It consists of a lot of information regarding what happened in the time of war between the Afrikaner and the British, the WWI and the history of the Addo-elephants. The story also consists of real historical characters, as well as fiction, and Chritiaan Bakkes did a great job to entwine all the characters to ensure a smooth and exciting story.
This story in short, is about Caleb Kelly who returns to his farm from WW1, a broken man. Due to elephants damaging orange orchards and water dams and property, Caleb decides to take matters in his own hands and teach the elephants a lesson. After a lifechanging confrontation, he does everything in his power to ensure a safe haven for them and to keep them from harm's way. But how to you tell an elephant to stay in one place? Due to the continuous property damage, the farmers decide to hire a hunter, Dewald Troskie, to help with their problem. The elephants soon finds out where it's safe, but sometimes the urge for a lovely, sweet orange is too hard to ignore, and they return to Caleb's farm with decreased numbers. One of these elephants, Soetdoring, is a baby elephant bull that is growing up, witnessing the slaughter of his family. And an elephant never forgets.
In my opinion, this story can be divided into 3 parts. The first part is about the elephants and their point of view, which is very interesting to read. Then the second part is about Caleb, who is struggling with his WW1 demons and who grew as a character. Also, sharing Part 2 is Dewald Troskie, the hunter, doing everything in his power to cull the elephant herd (he is my least favorite character). Then the third part is the history behind everything. And this is historical facts behind the Addo-elephants camp (or reservation if you will).
The story was very interesting to read, and I actually learned a lot regarding the history of the Addo-elephants. I have the biggest respect for Caleb's character, a broken man, standing by his believes to try and save the elephants he became to love, even though people think he is nuts. He is selfless and are always willing to help, and that is how he met his wife, Maria.
If you want to learn a bit of history, and happens to be an animal lover as well, then I recommend this book for your enjoyment.
Displaying 1 of 1 review