Many years ago, I came across the remains of this café in Genadendal in the Western Cape. Always fascinated by the names of shebeens, cafes, bars and farms, it immediately caught my interest.
‘Eendrag (Unity) Kafee’ was a first. Some of the older generation may remember the words ‘Eendrag maak mag’ and ‘Unity is strength’ used on the old South African coins. Long before that, the Dutch words ‘Eendragt maakt magt’ were used on the South African Republic’s coat of arms. These were replaced by the Latin ‘Ex Unitate Vires’ (Out of Unity, Strength), the motto of the Union of South Africa from 1910 until 1961. And this was changed to the ǀXam words ‘ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke’ – ‘Unity in diversity’ in 2000.
The words ‘Unity is strength’ or ‘Unity makes strength’, however, have been used by several countries, including Belgium, Bolivia, Malaysia and Bulgaria, throughout history. Originally used by the Dutch, the motto is said to have originated in about 850BC from the Greek phrase ‘ισχύς εν τη ενώσει’ meaning ‘Power lies in unity’ and attributed to Homer.
‘Eendrag Kafee’ is perhaps fitting for a place like Genadendal, which was home to the first mission station in southern Africa, boasting the first printing press and teachers’ training college. Held lovingly in the broad arms of the Riviersonderend mountains, the Moravian mission station experienced a golden age from 1806 to 1860. The governor of the time was so impressed with the high standard of education at Baviaanskloof, as it was then called, that he renamed it Genadendal (Valley of Grace). The Genadendal residents were descendants of the indigenous Khoikhoi, Europeans and slaves. A highlight at Genadendal was when Nelson Mandela (the newly democratically-elected president of South Africa at the time) named his official Cape Town residence ‘Genadendal’ and visited the small town, gracing the valley with his presence.
(Do any Padlangs fans and travellers know if the Eendrag Kafee still exists? Send us a photo and stand a chance to win two nights for two people at one of Gondwana’s premier lodges – terms & conditions apply.)
(Reference: Unity makes strength – Wikipedia)