‘Embrace your language’

LIMPOPO – She made this appeal at the Ku Luma Vukanyi cultural ceremony at the Vatsonga Valoyi Cultural Village in Nwamitwa last Saturday.

“It is embarrassing for me to come here and address this community in English. I think as politicians and government officials, we should at least learn to speak all languages that are spoken in our province. I promise you next time when I come here, I will address you in Xitsonga,” she said.

She said President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is able to speak all official languages fluently, has set a good example for the country’s politicians and government officials. Moloi added as the world prepared to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21 February (today) it was important for parents and teachers to teach children to speak their mother tongue.

“We must teach them to appreciate and value their mother languages. It is important to appreciate and develop our languages because when we write and sing in our languages, we also preserve our culture,” she said.

She added it was not only important for people to speak their own languages, but to know their history as well.

“As a department, we will soon launch an Oral History Project where 30 young people will be trained and sent to all parts of the province to document and record the history of our communities. We want to move away from the age-old practice of preserving our history from one generation to another through word of mouth,” she said.

During the visit Moloi paid tribute to the late Sepedi literary giant, Aletta Motimele, who died recently after a short illness. She was a prolific writer who wrote several Sepedi radio dramas and books, some of which were prescribed for the school curriculum. She was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Literary Award for her tireless work towards promoting the language.

She was buried at Ga-Molepo outside Polokwane over the weekend.

capvoice@nmgroup.co.za