broeder Dieleman - De Koeter (Digital Single)

'De Koeter’ is the follow up of previous released ‘De Eerste Knecht’ and together they form a musical postcard about a farm in West Zeeuws Flanders, early 20^th century.

The song is inspired by a story of Leo Bootsgezel from 1923, just like ‘De Eerste Knecht’. Dieleman explains: “De Koeter, or Cow-keeper, was a child who grazes the cows along the dikes. Koeters were taken out of school to earn money for the family. They were the workhorse of the farm, had to do all kinds of chores and were often treated like a scourge. When the Cowkeepers were finally allowed to leave the court to herd the cows, there was time to steal apples, fish, and poach with other Koeters from the area in the beautiful landscape.
Just like cowboys in America and shepherds from Austria, the Cow-keepers had their own unique yodel with which they indicate their presence in the landscape.”