Page 18 - Cape-Camera-July-2023

July 2023 Cape Camera

Travelogue

Friemersheim - A Living Canvas
by Andre Mouton

Eager to discover new places and something new, I found my-
self on a journey exploring the area around Mosselbay. This led
me to the quaint little town of Friemersheim nestled amidst the
majestic Outeniqua mountains about 60kms from Mosselbay
via Groot Brak.
A German missionary Reverend Johann Kretzen bought a farm,
called Gonnakraal, for his sister. Following her death in 1872 he
transfered the farm to the Dutch Reformed Missionary Society
stipulating that the residents would receive the right to remain
on the farm. It was later named to Friemersheim, after Kretzen's
town of birth in Germany.
Arriving in Friemersheim you can't help being captivated by
vibrant murals and paintings adorning the facades of houses
and garages. The art is the work of a local artist named Fourie
Ackerman, who in a world of lockdown, had made it his mis- Morris' house
sion to transform Friemersheim into a living, breathing canvas.
He's done a great job with beautiful large wilflife murals bring-
ing the walls to life. Locals enjoy visitors driving through taking
pictures.

Mr Uithaler (above and below left)

The first person I met was Morris (above). Morris' house boasts
the very first mural, The Lion, done by Fourie. His parents lived
in the same house and he grew up in Friemersheim. Morris is
an avid gardener and our chrismas table last year was adorned
with a variety of vegetables all freshly harvested from his gar-
den.
Friemersheim offers a DIY Walk which is a self-guided tour or
activity that visitors can undertake when visiting the area. In-
formation can be obtained at the Groot Brak Museum. The walk
includes a visit to a lavender nursery and a refreshing cup of
tea that is served in Hester and Mitchel Uithaler’s garden in the
heart of the village.

18 Cape Town Photographic Society