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Tracking the world’s shaggiest sheep in the Northern Cape

Tracking the world’s shaggiest sheep in the Northern Cape
'Karoo Roads III'. Image: Chris Marais
Chris Marais
By Chris Marais
22 Nov 2022
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Once the long drought that had crippled the western frontier of the Northern Cape for more than six years had been relieved, it was time to go in search of the ‘Golden Fleece of the Karoo’, in the Calvinia Museum.

Autumn, 2021 – The streets of Calvinia shine with remnants of overnight rain. Locals thank us for bringing yesterday’s thunderstorm, and by now we have learnt not to protest. Maybe we are rainmakers of some kind. But this time we are on a mission to track down a very shaggy sheep called The Poggenpoel.

At 8am, Calvinia Museum curator Memci van Wyk and her assistant, Adonis de Wee, are opening the doors to the erstwhile Jewish synagogue. 

Morning rush hour in Calvinia, Northern Cape. Morning rush hour in Calvinia, Northern Cape. Image: Chris Marais



The world’s tallest postbox is to be found in Calvinia. The world’s tallest postbox is to be found in Calvinia. Image: Chris Marais



This museum isn’t perhaps as expansive as “The Macgregor” in Kimberley, but it is so eccentric it can leave you smiling for days.

Take, for instance, the section dedicated to the Lombard Quads of Loeriesfontein. Born in Calvinia in 1951, Klasie, De Waal, Jan and De Villiers all turned 70 sometime this year. The Philadelphia Enquirer caught up with the six-year-olds in 1957; the American newspaper reported that the Lombard Quads used to sing and rock each other to sleep at night. Now that’s a show one could sell tickets to.

The quads were identical, so much so that when they were babies, the hospital pinned name tags to them. Hannie stayed in hospital from February to April. In fact, she only saw them 11 days after the birth. Her two other daughters, eight and four, were delighted, and heard to exclaim: 

“Two for you and two for me!” 

Apart from a collection of family photographs in the Lombard Room, four child-sized dolls dressed in bow ties, waistcoats and cricketing whites (each holding a little shepherd’s crook), four walking rings, four cots, four christening robes, four baby’s bonnets and what looks to be four toddler-leashes are on display. 

The kiddy accessories – and little diorama dolls – of the famous Calvinia Quads. The kiddy accessories – and little diorama dolls – of the famous Calvinia Quads. Image: Chris Marais


The Jewish Community


Here’s Trekboer Corner, with an ageing diorama of a settler couple completely engrossed (as they have been for many, many years) in preparing supper in their outdoor asbos skerm (lye bush shelter). There’s even a glow in the fire.

Not long after the Trekboers came to live here permanently, the Jewish smouse (travelling traders) arrived. Many of them stayed on, opening various enterprises that ranged from general goods stores to, later, automobile shops. Others were farmers, photographers, hoteliers, chemists and doctors.

The imposing Calvinia synagogue, built in 1919, was eventually donated to the municipality for use as a museum in 1970. The 120-odd Jewish families who lived here once are commemorated as a community in a special section of the museum.

A special section of the museum celebrates the Jewish community that once thrived in Calvinia. A special section of the museum celebrates the Jewish community that once thrived in Calvinia. Image: Chris Marais


Snake oil salesman


A relatively small but very significant glassed-in box has found its way to the Jewish section. Inside is a four-legged ostrich chick, its little beak gently resting on a stick.

A Calvinia carpenter, remembered only as “Du Preez”, glued two artificial legs to the stuffed chick more than a century ago, back when snake-oil salesmen were just as thick on the ground as they are today.

Du Preez used to move from farm to farm, doing the odd carpentry job. To make a few bucks on the side, he took his four-legged ostrich with him, and charged the farm children a penny each to see it. It finally became the possession of a prominent local, Max Rosenblatt, who donated it to the museum. And to this very day, people continue to pay to see this wondrous apparition.

Roll up, Roll up! See the four-legged ostrich chick in the Calvinia Museum. Roll up, Roll up! See the four-legged ostrich chick in the Calvinia Museum. Image: Chris Marais




Old-time wheels


Outside stands a Victorian-era version of a camper van, a smous wagon that served as both the trader’s sleeping quarters and stock room. It is simply a container-sized wooden box on metal wheels drawn, one surmises, by a sturdy team of oxen. Right next to it is the classic 1952 Ford V8 bakkie, with its distinctive white grille. In the Wool Boom days, it was a farmer’s favourite, full of style and attitude.

That very model was Ford’s maiden cross-over from farm-only vehicle to general market jammy. To lure buyers from the city, the Ford marketing team went into top gear, touting all the comforts of what they dubbed The Million Dollar Cab, because of its huge redesign budget. The cab was said to be quieter and wider, sporting innovations like an easily read instrument panel, sun visors and an ashtray. 

Holding court near the entrance of the museum building stands the Makadas Class 24 steam loco that used to haul Calvinia’s wool to Williston, then to Hutchinson and finally onto the main line to the markets of old Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha).

Why “Makadas”? Various theories abound. The English version is that a bored fireman told his driver to “Make a dash!” The Afrikaans version is that Makadas is the rhythmic sound made by the slowly turning wheels of the locomotive as it gathered speed. 

The last Smous Wagon of the Karoo. The last Smous Wagon of the Karoo. Image: Chris Marais



If you were successful during the Wool Boom, chances are you bought a 1952 Ford V8 bakkie, with its distinctive white grille. If you were successful during the Wool Boom, chances are you bought a 1952 Ford V8 bakkie, with its distinctive white grille. Image: Chris Marais


Back-stories abound


Memci van Wyk, born and bred in Calvinia, has been the curator of this museum for a decade. She keeps a record of the 1,700-odd items, big and small, in storage and on display here.

Memci van Wyk, Calvinia Museum curator, and her assistant Adonis de Wee, with the renowned Makadas steam loco. Memci van Wyk, Calvinia Museum curator, and her assistant Adonis de Wee, with the renowned Makadas steam loco. Image: Chris Marais





Old-time donkey-operated grinding mill. Old-time donkey-operated grinding mill. Image: Chris Marais



“Everything has a story,” she says. “And it is such a joy when you find that story.”

Like the possible background to an unsigned painting donated by one Amina Adams. It’s of a wagon in the veld, manned by people of colour. Trekboers, one discovers, came in all shades.

Rare image of what is believed to be Baster Trekboers on the move. Rare image of what is believed to be Baster Trekboers on the move. Image: Chris Marais



Mr and Mrs Trekboer, who have been preparing dinner here for many years. Mr and Mrs Trekboer, who have been preparing dinner here for many years. Image: Chris Marais



This particular group in the painting are possibly Basters trekking northwards from the Colonial Cape to the wilder spaces along the Orange River. In fact, when one digs a little deeper, it emerges that trekboer parties consisted of just about any nationality or hue imaginable, from San to Spaniard.

Adonis de Wee is Memci’s right-hand man. He was born on a nearby farm, picking up some essential skills like wire fencing, painting, meat processing and product packing. He ensures the gardens are looking as beautiful as a drought cycle will allow. Together, they keep this classic Karoo Imaginarium ship-shape, and often updated with little innovations.

The Poggenpoel


“But where’s the fluffy sheep?” we ask Adonis.

There, under glass, is the scruffiest Merino you ever saw: The Poggenpoel. The morning light through the window casts an amber glow on The Poggenpoel’s shag, and for a brief, fanciful second, we feel like the Greek Argonauts of old. We have found the Golden Fleece. Its owner is possessed of kindly eyes, a hint of a smile, dainty little feet and matching set of curled horns.

This fellow once belonged to Danie Poggenpoel, from Bonekraal Farm up in the Roggeveld Mountains. It went AWOL from its flock for a few years and skipped many shearing seasons. It was so remarkably tatty that the farmer kept it like that and, when it died, had it stuffed and donated to the Calvinia Museum.

The Poggenpoel Sheep lives on, behind glass and under the watchful eye of the Calvinia Museum curator and her able assistant. DM/ML

This is an extract from Karoo Roads III – The Adventures Continue, by Chris Marais and Julienne du Toit. 

For an insider’s view on life in the Dry Country, get the three-book special of Karoo Roads I, Karoo Roads II and Karoo Roads III for only R800, including courier costs in South Africa. For more details, contact Julie at [email protected]

'Karoo Roads' Collection. Image: Chris Marais 'Karoo Roads' Collection. Image: Chris Marais



'Karoo Roads III'. Image: Chris Marais 'Karoo Roads III'. Image: Chris Marais

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