Talk:Devil's Peak (Cape Town)

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The claim that Devil's Peak is a Dutch corruption from Dove's Peak seems a little odd. If anyone has good historical evidence for this, please post it. The only references I can find to this are web pages referring to a bizarre 2002 attempt by the African Christian Democratic Party to have the name changed (see for example Dove's Peak Prophetic Initiative). Zaian 00:11, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

I assume that Zaian is young :)... The attempt by Christians to change the name of the peak in 2002 was not the first such attempt. There was at least one earlier attempt by the church, in the 1960s. The fact that this is not recorded in a web page does not mean it didn't happen. I grew up in the shadow of Devil's Peak in the early 1950's and it was in those days widely held that the peak had at one stage been known as Duiwenpiek (or something close to that spelling; cf. Duiwelspiek). The facts are buried somewhere in the archives of the Cape Times and The Argus. As I now live in Tasmania, there is not much I can do to help... On a more general note, when did it become O.K. to delete the contributions of other people because you find them "a little odd"? You may have no reference but my reference is inside my skull. I lived in Cape Town for thirty years. Captainbeefart

I also grew up in the shadow of Devils Peak and spent thirty years in Cape Town, but admittedly I wasn't there in the 1950s/60s. Anyway, no offence meant; I hope I approached this issue sensitively. I did not delete anyone's contribution - I edited it, which is what Wikipedia is all about, and of course others can edit my contribution. Originally, the article gave the widely known Van Hunks / Devil's Peak story as the origin of the name. A later contribution stated simply that this was incorrect, and added "in fact," followed by the Doves Peak story. I have not seen the Doves Peak name in any of my books on Table Mountain. The only references I could find to it on the internet were to the ACDP 2002 attempt, and some websites with an evangelical reason for wanting the name changed, but no historical reference. I think it's fair that without a reference, the Doves Peak story should not be stated as simple fact. That's why I edited the article, and also why I requested references if any can be found. Zaian 16:53, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

I see. I get the picture... You must forgive me. I am new to Wikipedia. I did not understand the distinction between "deleting" another point of view and "editing" it until it isn't there any more :)... But, having indulged myself in childish sarcastic at your expense, I shall now concede that you are largely in the right. I'll have another go at rewriting the section when I have time and will try to put all views in context and in a balanced manner. The two things I can't stand are prejudice and those mindless, tendentious, eristic evangelical yahoos :)... Beefart. 31 Dec 2005. Happy New Year.

Removed the incomplete paragraph about how the names were originally Dutch - it's clear from the next two paragraphs, and it didn't add anything.