Dalene Matthee (13 October 1938 – 20 February 2005) was a South African author best known for her four "Forest Novels", written in and around the Knysna Forest. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages, including English,

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew and Icelandic, and over a million copies have been sold worldwide.

Biography

She was born Dalena Scott in Riversdale in the then Cape Province in 1938. After graduating from the local high school in 1957, she studied music at a conservatory in Oudtshoorn as well as at the Holy Cross Covent in Graaff-Reinet. Her first book was a children's story, ''Die Twaalfuurstokkie'' (The Twelve-o'-clock Stick), published in 1970. In 1982 a collection of short stories called ''Die Judasbok'' (The Judas Goat) was also published. Before gaining fame and wide acclaim for her first "forest novel", she also wrote stories for magazines as well as two popular novels – n Huis vir Nadia'' (A House for Nadia) (1982) and ''Petronella van Aarde, Burgemeester'' (Petronella van Aarde, Mayor) (1983). ''Kringe in 'n Bos'' (''

Circles in a Forest ''Circles in a Forest'' is a 1989 South African drama film directed by Regardt van den Bergh and starring Ian Bannen, Brion James and Joe Stewardson. The film score was composed by Leonard Rosenman. The film is adapted from the novel by Dalene ...

'') (1984) is a novel about the extermination of the

Knysna elephants The Knysna elephants were the relicts of once substantial herds of African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana'') in the Outeniqua/ Tsitsikamma region of southernmost South Africa. As of 2022, the herds have been reduced to a lone adult female. ...

and the exploitation of the woodcutters of the Knysna Forest, and impacts on the forest elephants. It was an international success and was translated to several languages, with the author translating the book herself from Afrikaans to English. Two other highly successful "Forest Novels" followed: ''

Fiela se Kind ''Fiela's Child'' is a South African drama written by Dalene Matthee and published in 1985. The book was originally written in Afrikaans under the name ''Fiela se Kind'', and was later translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, ...

'' ('' Fiela's Child'') in 1985 and ''Moerbeibos'' (The Mulberry Forest) in 1987. ''Brug van die Esels'' (Bridge of the Mules) was published in 1993, followed by ''Susters van Eva'' (Sisters of Eve) in 1995, ''Pieternella van die Kaap'' (Pieternella from the Cape) in 2000 and the fourth "Forest Novel" ''Toorbos'' (Dream Forest) in 2003. She won numerous literary prizes for her famous works, and '' Fiela's Child'' and ''

'' were made into films. After a short sickbed caused by heart failure, she died in Mossel Bay, South Africa, survived by her three daughters. Her husband, Larius, died in 2003.

Bibliography

The Forest Novels

* ''Kringe in 'n bos'' (Circles in a Forest) (1984) * ''Fiela se Kind'' (Fiela's Child) (1985) * ''Moerbeibos'' (The Mulberry Forest) (1987) * ''Toorbos'' (Dream Forest) (2003)

Other published works

* ''Die twaalfuurstokkie'' (The twelve-o'-clock stick) (1970) *''Die Judasbok'' (The Judas Goat) (1982) * n Huis vir Nadia'' (A House for Nadia) (1982) * ''Petronella van Aarde, Burgemeester'' (Petronella van Aarde, Mayor) (1983) * ''Brug van die esels'' (The Day the Swallows Spoke) (1992) * ''Susters van Eva'' (Sisters of Eve) (1995) * ''Pieternella van die Kaap'' (Pieternella, Daughter of Eva) (2000) * ''Die Uitgespoeldes'' (Driftwood) (2005)

Legacy

Matthee's ashes are scattered at Krisjan-se-Nek, one of her favourite places in the Knysna Forest. In 2008, a memorial was erected here in her memory and the 800-year-old Yellowwood tree standing at that location was renamed Dalene Matthee Big Tree. The name of the hiking trail starting at Krisjan-se-Nek is now called the Circles in a Forest Trail.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthee, Dalene 1938 births 2005 deaths People from Hessequa Local Municipality Afrikaans-language writers South African women novelists 20th-century South African novelists 20th-century women writers