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Owl House View Traditional Cache

Hidden : 11/1/2014
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

After retrieving the cache you should look South East and you will have a view of the major tourist attraction in Nieu-Bethesda across the riverbed with its rich fossil remains.

The cache location looks out over the Owl House and Camel Yard – the home of Miss Helen Martins, which became her life’s work of art.

Today a large part of the local economy in the village is dependent on this tourist attraction for its fortunes. The creators of the Owl House and the Camel Yard were in times gone by not always warmly enfolded by the community. However, this Karoo cottage filled with outsider art has become a symbol of what the entire village and its community now stands for; so accurately described by Peter Frost, namely “a fierce spirit of individuality in an increasingly conformist world”.

French artist Jean Dubuffet first conceived of the concept of Outsider Art when he coined the term 'Art Brut', or Raw Art, and described it as "fantastic, raw, visionary art created by individuals often maladjusted, with no art training, who work outside the mainstream of the art world."

The interior of the cottage contains the famous glittering plains of colour created by the crushed colourful glass used as wall and ceiling coatings. The mirrors and innumerable lights combine with the multi-coloured walls and ceilings to fling light around in a joyous dance of colour.

The Camel Yard contains almost 300 cement statutes depicting a smorgasbord of spiritual and artistic symbols and figures. Inspiration for these includes biblical texts, the poetry of Omar Khayyam and the works of William Blake. A space to explore, to lose yourself and to discover yourself again with the help of the art so lovingly imagined by Miss Helen and created by her and Johannes Hatting, Jonas Adams, Piet van der Merwe and Koos Malgas . . .

“The moving finger writes, and having written moves on. Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it.” Omar Khayyam

“The hours of folly are measured by the clock; but of wisdom, no clock can measure.” William Blake

“Miss Helen grew statues in her garden where others grew plants.” Koos Malgas

The Owl House and Camel Yard are owned by the local municipality and it is administered by the Owl House Foundation, which was established in 1996. Financial assistance for the museum is provided by the entrance fee charged at the Owl House, sponsorship by PPC and contributions by the Friends of the Owl House organisation.

In preparing this listing I have amongst others made use of the following sources:

  • 1. www.wikipedia.org
  • 2. Nieu-Bethesda: A short guide to a little Great Karoo town 2014 Peter Frost Nieu Bethesda.com
  • 3. Bethesda-kronieke en ander anekdotes 2012 Victor Dercksen Erfenis Publikasies
  • 4. www.brainyquote.com
  • 5. A Journey through the Owl House 1997 Anne Emslie Penguin

REMEMBER:

There is no ATM and no filling station in Nieu Bethesda.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur pnpur vf uvqqra va na BCBE arkg gb gur srapr. Gurer vf ab NGZ naq ab svyyvat fgngvba va Avrh-Orgurfqn. Cyrnfr rafher gung lbh unir rabhtu shry gb trg gb Zvqqryohet be Tennss-Ervarg.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)