Laurens van der Post

Laurens van der Post was a multifaceted figure born in South Africa in 1906, whose life spanned writing, farming, military service, and advocacy for conservation. He developed an early interest in literature and a critical view of colonial systems, which he expressed in his early journalistic and literary endeavors. His experiences during World War II, particularly his time as a prisoner of war in Japanese camps, deeply influenced his later writing and philosophical outlook.

Following the war, van der Post's career shifted towards exploration and writing, with a significant journey into the Kalahari Desert leading to his fascination with the Bushmen. His encounters with Carl Jung proved pivotal, shaping his exploration of psychological and spiritual themes. Despite his later acclaim and relationships with prominent figures, his life and legacy were marked by controversy regarding biographical accuracy and personal conduct.

Born in 1906 in what is now South Africa, Laurens van der Post grew up on a family farm, developing a love for reading from his father's library. His early education at Grey College exposed him to the complexities of race relations, which he found jarring. His first career was as a journalist, during which he co-founded a satirical magazine, 'Voorslag,' that critiqued imperialist structures. This period also included an early voyage to Tokyo, an experience that later informed his writing. He married in 1928 and worked for the Cape Times, aligning himself with intellectuals critical of the prevailing South African policies and envisioning a future mixed-race society.

Relocating to England in the early 1930s, van der Post became associated with the influential Bloomsbury Group through his friend William Plomer and the Hogarth Press, run by Leonard and Virginia Woolf. This exposure connected him with prominent literary and intellectual figures. His first novel, 'In a Province' (1934), explored the social divisions within South Africa. He then pursued farming in England, a period he later described as directionless, coinciding with the growing tensions leading to World War II. He also began a relationship with actress Ingaret Giffard during this time.

Van der Post volunteered for the British Army in 1940, serving in East Africa and later in Southeast Asia due to his Dutch language skills. He was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and held in prison camps, where he focused on maintaining the morale of fellow prisoners through educational and agricultural initiatives. His experiences in captivity formed the basis for several of his books. After the war, he remained in Java for two years, assisting in mediating between Indonesian nationalists and the Dutch government, and advising British leadership on the region's volatile political situation.

After retiring from the army and returning to London, van der Post's interest in psychology, particularly Jungian thought, began to deepen. A pivotal encounter with Carl Jung in Switzerland significantly influenced his worldview and writing. His work for the Colonial Development Corporation led him to explore the Nyika and Mulanje plateaux, resulting in the best-selling 'Venture to the Interior' (1952). Subsequently, expeditions to the Kalahari Desert in the 1950s introduced him to the San people, a subject that would become central to his work and his exploration of human origins and the psyche.

“It is one of the hardest things in this prison life: the strain caused by being continually in the power of people who are only half-sane and live in a twilight of reason and humanity.”

“The white South African has never consciously believed that the native should ever become his equal.”

“The future civilization of South Africa is, I believe, neither black or white but brown.”