Improving and preserving languages

By Bongo Hlongwane
This past weekend, young people in 5 provinces inspected heritage as a significant part of who they truly are. They did this by delving into the importance of literacy and by indulging in each others cultures and traditional songs.
The event was held at Intuzuma F library convened by the ACTIVATE! Change Drivers Network, in cooperation with Ubuciko Bomlomo Infotainment, Langeni College, Lindelani Youth Forum, Ntuzuma library, Gugu Dlamini foundation, and Africa Unite.
Activator Malusi Mahlaba from Lindelani Youth Forum gave Sanele Hadebe (Activator and facilitator) the platform to welcome the attendees. He started with the traditional song “wemama kanomthandazo awukhulule unomthandazo.”
The objective of the event was to reinforce culture and encourage young people to preserve their languages. The attendees examined the imperatives of reading and writing with Mr Luthuli, a lecturer at Elangeni College. He quoted Marcus Garvey, “Use every spare time in reading,” asserting that if a person has time to waste, it is advisable to put it in reading. He emphasised that reading gives a person the privilege of living in a world of intelligence. He conveyed that readers are leaders and that readers rule the world whereas ignorance carries the burden. He advised the audience that they should not skip a word without understanding it’s meaning “consult the dictionary,” he said. He added that reading is a stride to thinking and that books are the best companion to success.
Furthermore Lindokuhle Ngcobo stressed that “Culture is a set of values, beliefs and morals that are inherited by the young ones and passed down from elders,” building from that Malusi Mazibuko insisted that culture should be engraved within people’s daily activities, “My culture is my DNA, before I become a Zulu, I am an African,” he added. The songs that were sung set the tone of the day, the poem recited by Syabonga Mthethwa in collaboration with Ofentse Masibi evolve the spirit of togetherness “there is an African child undertaken by poverty”, they recited the poem, “somewhere in South of Africa there is a burning man, he runs accused of stealing a man’s’ wife, a job and a future.”

Lokishi Comrade Martin who co-operated with Malusi to convene the event said it was very challenging to mobilise. He said youth is busy during weekdays, he said the event was utterly impeccable and thanked the network for the support including 23 Activators who contributed to the event.
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