It was the toktokkies that drew us to the koppie. The persistent “tok-tok, tok-tok” that reverberated down the valley and into the keen ears of three children begging for incident. We followed the tapping and the discovery of thumb-sized black beetles scattered on rocks like guardians of the citadel was even better than an abandoned 2c piece, rusted tin, or, top prize: a hobo’s shoe. Their symphonic tokking came to feel like home. As did the rush of wind through the leaves of the swaying Blue Gum tree that rose above our house, angling down towards our garden as roots grabbed the hillside, holding on for dear life. The whole tree would lurch in the wind – to and fro, forwards and backwards – and in the dead of night, after turning off my small lamp that gave light to the words of treasured books far later that I was allowed, I’d dare a look through the glass doors of my bedroom at the back of the house, and imagine that giant swaying Blue Gum crashing down… before bolting out of my bed to close the curtains and return to the safety of my fairy-themed duvet. Quelled to sleep by the morse code on the ridge.
Author & Storyteller: Andrea Zanin
Andrea is a writer, wife, mother and dreamer; also the author of this website. She moved to London in 2006 to earn £s, travel, see bands and buy 24-up Dr Martens—which she did, and then ended up staying. Andrea lives in North London with her husband (also a Saffa) and five children. She loves this grand old city but misses her home and wishes her children could say “lekker” (like a South African) and knew what a “khoki” is.
