On a beautiful autumn evening at the Glenelly Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, the French Government bestowed the title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters on the South African thriller novelist and screenwriter Deon Meyer … and it was clear that there can hardly be a more popular South African in the country of food, wine and love.
The French Order of Arts and Letters, which was established in 1957, recognises “significant contributions to the enrichment of the arts and literature in France and abroad”.
A former journalist, advertising copywriter, Internet manager and brand strategist, Meyer has published fifteen novels and three short story collections. His books have been translated into 27 languages and published in more than 40 countries world-wide.
“He is the man South Africa can call with pride its best crime fiction author, whose reputation has long crossed the South-African borders to reach Europe and France. We are also celebrating a friend who fell in love with France way before France fell in love with his books. This unique relationship with France, reflected in his novels, makes him a strong and valuable ambassador of the French/South African cultural bonds,” Mr Aurélien Lechevallier, ambassador of France to South Africa, said at the award function.
The ambassador pointed out that Meyer’s second book, Dead Before Dying, published in France in 2002, was the one that made him win the hearts of the French readers. The novel was awarded the Grand prix de la littérature policière the following year.
“In the story, you used the voices of the four main characters to paint a picture of the “new” South African society. Your characters, like the nation itself, try to navigate between their attempts to forget the past, start a new life and embrace a new identity, almost like the mythical phoenix bird. Today we think of this after the terrible fires in Cape Town, as we know the city will thrive again after this tragedy,” said Mr Lechevallier.
He said for many at the French Embassy, Meyer’s novels have been their first introduction to South Africa. “Be it Devil’s Peak or Blood Safari, your novels are embedded in the South African landscape, its society, history and people. We want to know how the story ends, who committed the crime, and we don’t even resent the fact that you awarded French citizenship to one of your most gruesome killers, Kobra, because we love learning about South Africa, its wonders and contrasts.
“Now, despite your flawless mastery of the Afrikaans language, we are so impatient to have the English translation of your latest novel Donkerdrif, which is set right here, in Stellenbosch. In 2021, your novels continue to be a mirror of the South African society and its evolution. You share with your readers your doubts and fears about the world, at a South African level, but also on a global scale.”
He pointed out that racism, corruption, social divisions and climate change were real threats to contemporary societies, themes that are largely present in Meyer’s latest books. “Many say you even anticipated the Coronavirus pandemic in Fever, where you depicted with brutal talent a post-apocalyptic society where a virus had killed most of the world’s population. Let’s hope we will not get to that point!
“How can you explain love at first sight?” did you even say in an interview, talking about Bordeaux. The beautiful architecture, the people, the wine, everything there makes you feel at home. It is perhaps why you decided to set the opening chapter of The Last Hunt on the banks of the Garonne river, on a summer night, while the story ends in Paris, near the famous Champs Elysée. The Last Hunt also pays a beautiful tribute to Bordeaux’s cathedral, la cathédrale Saint-André. Not to mention the fact that it is in a charming restaurant in Bordeaux, named Au Bistrot, where you got engaged to Marianne.
“But let me tell you one thing, dear Deon. The love is mutual. French readers are amongst your greatest fans, and we all feel so privileged to see how inspiring our country can be to you. We are not only celebrating the writer, the South African master of crime fiction, but also the friend, the francophile, the artist and the sharp political critic that you are.”
Accepting the award, Meyer said over the years he had been utterly seduced by French cuisine: from the bouchons in Lyon to the butter in Brittany, the foie gras of Pau to the choucroute of Strasbourg, bouillabaisse in Marseille, oysters in Bordeaux, and baguettes and croissants everywhere.
“I think if my wife, Marianne, had to choose between a fresh baguette with beurre sale and me, it would be a close call. And then there’s French cheese. We’ve worked our way through about sixty different types so far and have only about one thousand five hundred and forty to go. That is why I want to keep this speech as short as possible. Time is of the essence.”
He said the Internet told him that every relationship goes through five major stages. “The first four are attraction, dating, disappointment and stability. The fifth one is commitment. I cannot help but to view this huge honour as the fifth stage of my relationship with France and the French people. But the story, I hope, will not end here. This is a new beginning of a beautiful phase in the relationship.“
The “love affair” between the Republic of France and Deon Meyer continuous.
| An unexpected, but hilarious touch was when the medal was “stolen”. The ambassador phoned the “Paarl police station”, who told him that their top detective, inspector Bennie Griessel, has located the stolen medal and that he actually deserves the medal. “Inspector Griessel” subsequently appeared on the scene and Deon Meyer agreed to share the medal with the renowned detective. |
