They write that the mansion remained largely untouched throughout its history, maintaining a sense of superiority hidden throughout the lexicon of terms and references that only the Wilgenhoffer family had access to. Louis van der Riet.
Dear Wilhelm Verwelt
With your open letter of invitation, I have become your fellow Virgenhofer and in many ways an inheritor of your tradition, both reflective and bold.
By assuming the role of an elder, you are not only fulfilling your role as an elder; Woman Van Die Plec [old man of the place]but it offers you a journey of not wanting to be anymore. Papega Eye [parrot]you provided us with an alternative to the majority of answers by Wilgenhoffers.
Reading your letter, I was struck by the possibility of housing formation and how, in the case of Wilgenhof, a demonstration of power and control, shrouded in mystery and protected by sophisticated deception, could be used as a rite of passage. It made me think about what happened.
I was always made to understand that Wilgenhof is not only geographically within Stellenbosch, but also at the center of power in a very subversive way. It means that it has always dominated not only Stellenbosch but also South Africa.
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HB Tom, former rector of Stellenbosch University and president of the Afrikaner Broderbond, said this many years ago and is still often quoted in the Wilgenhof newsletter.Dan is Suid-Afrika nie reg nie as Wilgenhof nie reg is nie, Dan is Stellenbosch nie reg nie, as en is Stellenbosch nie reg is nie. [If Wilgenhof is not right, then Stellenbosch is not right, and if Stellenbosch is not right, then South Africa is not right.]”
This culture has almost destructively conditioned many to believe that the truth cannot be found outside of Wilgenhof. Leadership without accountability is cultivated, and elements of mystique and even the idea of exercising power while retaining superiority are allowed to go unchecked.
While the city has been revered as a place to produce many influential leaders, it also has a unique atmosphere of untouchability that many people, including myself, find very appealing. I've done it with atmosphere.
The perfect climate for gaslighting
But a reputation for being untouchable and the spirit of irresponsibility it engenders is the perfect environment for gaslighting.
In this sense, your letter also made me aware of the self-doubt I inherited from Wilgenhof. [made] I have questioned my own judgment and intuition for years. I especially faced feelings of shame, which I now recognize played an important role in the formation practice I experienced at Wilgenhof.
These feelings of shame remind me that I, and many others, long for real change, even as we feel unworthy of change.
Practices such as objectifying women and using hazing as a form of discipline enforced a dominant culture of masculinity and made me question my ability to meet its standards. It also centered the history of white supremacy and power through the perceptions of many white people. Umannu [old men] These are people who embody the values of superiority and mastery.
Your self-reflection not only prompts me to consider how I became whiter at Wilgenhof, but also how an open shower or bathroom door opened the door to my own understanding of my own sexuality. It also encourages you to think about whether you have closed your mind.
I was a first-year student at Wilgenhof in 2008 when the Wrights incident occurred at the University of the Free State. It is also the second year that the late Professor Russell Botman has served as President, and I had the opportunity to work with him after four years at Wilgenhof, during his time as Vice-Chairman of the Student Representative Council (SRC). I was blessed with
Among other things, these factors have made us think twice about our values and, by extension, about the forms of coercion into a particular type of white, heteronormative masculinity that was more implicit than explicit in my time. I believe it is time for ministry to rise.
By the time I served on the Wilgenhof House of Commons Committee in 2010/11, we were both theology students and members of the House of Commons Committee for Community Exchange and Spirituality (“GG”), critical and I was leaning towards the value of thinking.something that represents gemens cup and Geasterik [Community and Spirituality]), led to the decision not to make Christian devotion a mandatory part of the weekly lunchtime agenda.
Perhaps we were beginning to realize that we were no longer able to maintain the ethno-religious beliefs and belonging systems that you describe. It somehow survived a generation later.
catalyst
Perhaps the recently revealed secret rooms and customs of Wilgenhof could be a catalyst for finding meaning again, healing wounds, and restoring trust and integrity in Wilgenhof's rich heritage. there is.
Despite the element of critical thinking, a degree of mystery remained as to how Wilgenhof actually functioned. This lack of transparency can be used for better or for worse, such as when that level of deception is exposed as too unaccountable and therefore not sincere or truly transformative for those excluded from membership. It creates a kind of bond between insiders.
Perhaps this is the reason hall 88 And the closed archives, in effect “training rooms for deception”, were able to remain secret.distorted world” (Vilgenhof's reference to life outside the mansion) Maintaining an air of superiority masked by an entire lexicon of terms and references to which only Wilgenhoffer had access, the mansion has remained largely unrecognized throughout its history. It remained untouchable.
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What I just realized is that after Wilgenhoff, while researching the life and testimony of Ohm Beiers Naude and serving in the SRC, I had the privilege of working alongside Botman and many other talented leaders. It's a blessed time, and my imagination of my hometown, all the things you're talking about, are really starting to develop. I wish that had happened while I was at Wilgenhof.
I am still proud to be associated with Virgenhof, but I am not satisfied that other members of the Wilgenhof Alumni Association should not only rely on the findings of Stellenbosch University, but also take on roles that are not part of the university. I'm still curious as to what it looks like. Papa Guy By maintaining this way of leading by deception.
We do not want to allow anyone to scapegoat current student leaders or, for that matter, generations of abuses of power. I also hope that we do not succumb to the fear of power loss.
Perhaps this letter agrees with your suggestion that we listen more, react less, and take advantage of the opportunities we now have to enter into a values-based, reflective, and historically conscious way of living. Maybe it's just a long-winded way to do something.
– Dr. Louis van der Riet was ordained a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. He was at Wilgenhof from his 2008 until his 2011, virgenhof hUse committees. He was also Vice-President of Stellenbosch University SRC.