Our view: I join the call for indigenous languages to be taught at schools
Heritage Month came with much blessings for one of our own, Mama Esther Mahlangu, when she was invited to New York and a Ndebele-designed street mural was unveiled.
That was very overwhelming indeed. As old as she is, she is still an exponent of Ndebele art. Recently a BMW 7 series had its interior designed with Mama Esther’s art, those models have now been released on the South African market.
As if that was not enough, I was also impressed on Friday morning when I went to St Peter’s School. All learners were clad in their traditional attire, both black and white. What was most pleasing was the close support from the staff, including the principal known as JJ.
The principal was constantly being stopped by learners seeking names of certain garments they wore, and he off-handedly told them the names in vernacular. I was impressed, because these are the very learners we’d think are more westernised and would have difficulty in adapting to their own culture and heritage.
I join the call for indigenous languages to be taught at schools which would include in its syllabus, language and culture, too. It is embarrassing to have to always explain your own language to your own child at all times because they are too English. It all stems from parents who ignore their duty of teaching their children the norms of their culture and language. I’m personally blessed with children who are versatile with both languages at home and in society.
A good lesson for locals is to learn to embrace one another culturally across all races, in order for South Africans to rid themselves of racism, which continues to divide instead of uniting people.
It’s about time politicians should stop exploiting our culture and heritage to popularise themselves. They should be fostering our heritage in communities rather than using it for political gain.
