In 2025 we are celebrating a century of Afrikaans as official language. At this auspicious occasion, we also commemorate people who made an exceptional contribution to the language. One of the most remarkable persons, is Dalene Matthee who had the ability to make even the laziest reader pick up one of her books to get lost in the world she recreated with words. Twenty years after her death, a new generation is discovering her books and the movies based on some of them. Similarly, people are still being encouraged to explore the forests around Knysna because her stories still captivate them.

Dalena (Dalene) Scott was born on 13 October 1938 in Riversdale. Her father, Danie Scott, was allegedly a direct descendant of the famous Scottish author, Sir Walter Scott! She was the middle child of five children and matriculated at Langenhoven High School in Riversdale. At school she was known for her excellent essays. In 1957 she married Larius Matthee, who worked for Standard Bank in the town. Shortly afterwards they moved to Oudtshoorn. Five years later they moved to Darling. The couple already had two daughters by then and a third was born in Darling. Here Dalene began writing stories for the SABC’s Afrikaans children’s programme, Siembamba. In 1967 the Matthees moved to Graaff-Reinet where she was appointed as curator of the Hester Rupert Art Museum and became involved in Dr Anton Rupert’s restoration projects in the town. By this time, she had also begun writing short stories for magazines such as Die Huisgenoot and Sarie, as well as her only children’s book, Die Twaalfuur-Stokkie (The Twelve O’ Clock Stick).

In 1971 the family relocated once again – this time to Uniondale where Larius was appointed as manager of the local Standard Bank branch. Dalene also became involved in the restoration of historic buildings there. In 1977, Larius retired early due to health issues and in 1978 they settled in Hartenbos. At the end of that year, she, her husband, their daughter Amanda, brother and sister-in-law went on a hike in the Knysna Forest. The oak trees they found in the middle of the forest intrigued her and she tried to find out more about them at the museum in Knysna. There she came across the stories of the area that gave rise to her four “forest books”.

She devoted more time to her writing and published ’n Huis vir Nadia; Petronella van Aarde, burgemeester; Die Judasbok; Kringe in ’n bos (Circles in a forest); Fiela se kind (Fiela’s child); Moerbeibos (The mulberry forest); Brug van die esels (The day the swallows spoke); Susters van Eva and Pieternella van die Kaap (Pieternella, daughter of Eva).

After Larius’ death in 2000, she decided in 2003 to move to Mossel Bay. There she completed Toorbos (Dreamforest) and Die uitspoeldes (Driftwood), before she passed away unexpectedly of heart failure on 20 February 2005. At the time of her death, she had just completed the English translation of the latter.

Her ashes were scattered at one of her favourite places in the Knysna Forest, namely at Krisjan-se-Nek.

On 23 February 2008, a memorial was unveiled in her memory there and a giant yellowwood tree that grows there and is estimated to be almost 900 years old, was also named after her. A walking route that starts at Krisjan-se-Nek is now known as the Circles in a Forest Route. The inscription on the memorial reads: “Dalene often came to Krisjan-se-Nek where she replenished her soul to write her stories about the forest. This is where she now rests.”

She is remembered as a cheerful, eccentric, generous and versatile person who had a licentiate in music (and was therefore an excellent pianist), played golf, enjoyed gambling, loved coffee and believed in a fairy dimension in nature. Of her love for the Knysna Forest, she said that she always greeted the forest when she entered it and always felt sad when she left. It was like a respected, powerful friend to her. She referred to the sea in a similar manner.

According to her daughter Hilary, she wrote her first three books by hand – with a yellow pencil in lined exercise books! She liked an orderly environment, and her study always had to be neat and clean. Because she detested lies, she did extremely meticulous research for her books to keep the stories as close to the truth as possible. She compared research to gambling – it is difficult to stop because you always believe that you will find the piece of gold if you just keep going long enough. In a TV interview she mentioned that she had indeed also searched for real gold in the bush, but apparently without success.

Her books have achieved unprecedented success – she was the first author to sell more than a million Afrikaans books.

In addition to many literary awards, one of the most interesting awards she received is the one from the South African Institute of Forestry. She was the first person from outside the Department of Forestry as well as the first woman to receive it. The reason why she was chosen is that in her works and interviews she consistently emphasised the need for the conservation of indigenous fauna and flora and that she made so much effort to provide accurate technical and historical information in her books. She was also an honorary citizen of Riversdale and Hartenbos. In 1993 she received the annual award from the Stiftung für Abendländische Besinnung in Zurich, Switzerland for her contribution to Western Culture. According to the foundation, this was in recognition of her “warm and powerful novels which give expression to her involvement with this endangered environment and to each person’s fundamental right to a cultural identity” and her “vital literary work and her keen interest in nature conservation”.

According to the sources consulted for this article, her books have been translated into fifteen languages – it may already be even more. The fact that some of her books were and are still prescribed works for learners and students, introduces her to new generations of readers. The literary critic, Prof. Wium van Zyl, states that her works are so moving because she offers reading material for both ordinary readers, as well as someone who wants more intellectual stimulation, plus that she had the ability to look at the indigent with attention and respect.

The contribution of this unique person will indeed bring joy to many generations of readers to come!