Fiela’s Child - Dalene Matthee (Book)

Title: Fiela’s Child

Author: Dalene Matthee

Original Language: Afrikaans (Fiela se Kind)

Publication Date: 1985

Genre: Historical Fiction / Drama

Overview:

Fiela’s Child is a poignant novel set in 19th-century South Africa that explores themes of identity, race, and belonging. The story centers on Benjamin, a white child found at the age of three by Fiela Komoetie, a Coloured woman living in the arid region of Long Kloof. Fiela raises Benjamin with love and care, treating him as one of her own children.

Nine years later, census takers discover Benjamin and suspect he is Lukas van Rooyen, a white boy who disappeared from the Knysna Forest years earlier. Despite Fiela’s protests, Benjamin is taken from her and placed with the van Rooyen family, where he faces a harsh and unfamiliar life. The novel follows Benjamin’s struggle with his identity and his longing to return to the only family he has ever known.

Themes:

• Identity and Belonging: Benjamin’s journey highlights the complexities of identity, especially when societal norms and racial classifications come into play.
• Race and Social Injustice: The novel critiques the racial prejudices of the time, showcasing how institutional biases can disrupt lives and families.
• Motherhood and Love: Fiela’s unwavering love for Benjamin challenges traditional notions of motherhood and questions what truly defines a parent.

Adaptations:

Fiela’s Child was adapted into a film in 1988, directed by Katinka Heyns, and again in 2019, directed by Brett Michael Innes. Both adaptations bring the novel’s powerful themes to the screen, capturing the emotional depth of Benjamin’s story.