The wheels of life are self-made for Louis Cooper.
Fashioned from wood and brass, the wheels form part of a greater picture, one where Afrikaner heritage is held in the highest esteem and history is preserved.
For Mr Cooper, two years have culminated in his finest work.
At times sweating, at times freezing inside the confines of a small garage workshop, he proudly displayed in his lounge a 20 per cent replica of a Voortrekker wagon, crafted from scratch.
This model follows the specifications of the wagon housed in the Potchefstroom Museum.
Mr Cooper smiled broadly as he explained the arduous task of copying original wagon designs from a collector in Nylstroom, after he and a friend were inspired by a display at the Blood River Museum.
Then one day, he decided to preserve ‘one hell of a history story’.
“In future, we won’t see these type of things.”
The retired artisan scoured the country for nine different kinds of wood with which to recreate the Voortrekker wagon, driving thousands of kilometres in every direction.
Mr Cooper even admitted at times he wanted to just give up.
“Lots of times I got fed up because of not having the right tools. I built some of the tools I used to make the wagon,” he said.
Mr Cooper believed his temperament and eye for precision were a boon.
“Certain people can do this, especially if they are a bit barmy,” he laughed.
Spending on average between four and five hours in the garage has resulted in a creation so precise, Mr Cooper has already sold the wagon model to neighbour, Cas Horsten.
The wagon will be given to Mr Horsten’s grandson as a wedding present.
However, the gift comes with the strict instruction to remain in the family line, passing on to the younger generations as a family heirloom.
“This represents the heritage of our people who arrived in the Cape and eventually settled in this area,” explained Mr Horsten, who hails from the Netherlands originally.
Asked if his hands would take on another master craft, Mr Cooper said he hoped to complete a pair of replica Cederberg coaches, on behalf of a friend who passed away before the task was over.
He will also refurbish an earlier Voortrekker wagon upon his cabinet.
“I am thinking of making another wagon but my eyes are not good. I may if my health holds out.”
Mr Cooper thanked the donors of the large glass case within which the newly-crafted wagon stands, a proud testament to the hardy legacy of the Afrikaner people.
