Preserving and Promoting Indigenous Languages Earns UWC Student Top Honours
Attempts to (re)produce the isiXhosa language, literature, and culture have often been done in a colonial framework. The consequence has frequently been distortion and mockery of this beautiful African language.
For this reason, University of the Western Cape (UWC) student Mlamli Diko has dedicated his academic strides to advancing amaXhosa and Africans in the broader social context. And he has done this with great aplomb.
Diko, a PhD candidate who has published extensively, was recently rewarded for his contribution to the field with a PanSALB Multilingualism Award in the Youth Category.
The awards recognise individuals and organisations that have contributed exceptionally to preserving and promoting official languages in South Africa, including Khoi and San. The awards also aim to celebrate linguistic diversity and raise awareness of the role of languages as a unifying agent in the country.
“This award is really inspiring, and I hope that UWC and many other universities continue to invest their energies in the visibility of indigenous South African languages,” Diko, a lecturer at the University of South Africa, said.
“I hope that UWC understands that its willingness to accept the visibility of indigenous African languages fully is recognised and appreciated. Yes, there are many complexities and challenges to this, but I believe that if this university continues to support the visibility of local languages, we can certainly get somewhere and inspire many young girls and boys who do not see themselves reflected in institutions of higher learning.
It all begins with an individual’s mother tongue”.
Diko, who hails from Ntabankulu in the Eastern Cape, has published over 30 research papers focusing on developing indigenous South African languages in journals accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
In one of the papers, he scrutinises how health issues are reflected in one isiXhosa poem entitled Isifo Sesifuba.
“In this poem, I extensively demonstrate that some of the health challenges we continuously face in South Africa can be properly addressed through the use and application of isiXhosa literature.
Whether we decide to raise awareness or disseminate information about health, politics, economy, and so forth, we can certainly recruit the isiXhosa language and literature as one of the mechanisms. Once more, this proves that the colonial mindsets that sought to degrade our literature are flawed.”
In another paper, Diko argues that as much as the country has attained democracy, there is a need to effectively use this opportunity to elevate the stature of indigenous South African languages.
“In my argument, I indicate that we cannot be content about where our languages are because if we do so, we run a risk of distortion or erasure, or even a repetitive episode of colonialism and apartheid.”
Diko, whose dream has always been in teaching, is completing his studies at UWC in isiXhosa “because I felt liberated writing in my ancestral language. There are many setbacks to this, such as linguistic exclusion, but I continue to push back in whatever way I can to ensure that I pen my research in my indigenous language. For example, I was blessed to be allowed by UWC to write my entire process of PhD study in isiXhosa, and I feel liberated expressing myself in my mother tongue. There is just something special and fulfilling in writing research in one’s ancestral language.
“You may be aware that, more often, there is an assumption that our indigenous languages cannot withstand the test of scholarly production. I have proven this claim flawed as I have published some research papers in isiXhosa in DHET-accredited journals. Others are still in production”.
Attempts to (re)produce the isiXhosa language, literature, and culture have often been done in a colonial framework. The consequence has frequently been distortion and mockery of this beautiful African language.
For this reason, University of the Western Cape (UWC) student Mlamli Diko has dedicated his academic strides to advancing amaXhosa and Africans in the broader social context. And he has done this with great aplomb.
Diko, a PhD candidate who has published extensively, was recently rewarded for his contribution to the field with a PanSALB Multilingualism Award in the Youth Category.
The awards recognise individuals and organisations that have contributed exceptionally to preserving and promoting official languages in South Africa, including Khoi and San. The awards also aim to celebrate linguistic diversity and raise awareness of the role of languages as a unifying agent in the country.
“This award is really inspiring, and I hope that UWC and many other universities continue to invest their energies in the visibility of indigenous South African languages,” Diko, a lecturer at the University of South Africa, said.
“I hope that UWC understands that its willingness to accept the visibility of indigenous African languages fully is recognised and appreciated. Yes, there are many complexities and challenges to this, but I believe that if this university continues to support the visibility of local languages, we can certainly get somewhere and inspire many young girls and boys who do not see themselves reflected in institutions of higher learning.
It all begins with an individual’s mother tongue”.
Diko, who hails from Ntabankulu in the Eastern Cape, has published over 30 research papers focusing on developing indigenous South African languages in journals accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
In one of the papers, he scrutinises how health issues are reflected in one isiXhosa poem entitled Isifo Sesifuba.
“In this poem, I extensively demonstrate that some of the health challenges we continuously face in South Africa can be properly addressed through the use and application of isiXhosa literature.
Whether we decide to raise awareness or disseminate information about health, politics, economy, and so forth, we can certainly recruit the isiXhosa language and literature as one of the mechanisms. Once more, this proves that the colonial mindsets that sought to degrade our literature are flawed.”
In another paper, Diko argues that as much as the country has attained democracy, there is a need to effectively use this opportunity to elevate the stature of indigenous South African languages.
“In my argument, I indicate that we cannot be content about where our languages are because if we do so, we run a risk of distortion or erasure, or even a repetitive episode of colonialism and apartheid.”
Diko, whose dream has always been in teaching, is completing his studies at UWC in isiXhosa “because I felt liberated writing in my ancestral language. There are many setbacks to this, such as linguistic exclusion, but I continue to push back in whatever way I can to ensure that I pen my research in my indigenous language. For example, I was blessed to be allowed by UWC to write my entire process of PhD study in isiXhosa, and I feel liberated expressing myself in my mother tongue. There is just something special and fulfilling in writing research in one’s ancestral language.
“You may be aware that, more often, there is an assumption that our indigenous languages cannot withstand the test of scholarly production. I have proven this claim flawed as I have published some research papers in isiXhosa in DHET-accredited journals. Others are still in production”.
Die Bewaring en Bevordering van Inheemse Tale Verdien Top Ere vir UWK-Student
Pogings om die isiXhosa-taal, literatuur en kultuur te (her)formuleer is dikwels binne 'n koloniale raamwerk gedoen. Die gevolg hiervan was dikwels die verdraaiing en bespotting van hierdie pragtige Afrika-taal.
Om hierdie rede het Mlamli Diko, 'n student van die Universiteit van die Wes-Kaapland (UWK), sy akademiese vordering toegewy aan die bevordering van Xhosa en ander Afrika tale binne die breër sosiale konteks. En hy het dit met groot lof gedoen.
Diko, 'n PhD-kandidaat wat wyd gepubliseer het, is onlangs beloon vir sy bydrae tot die veld met 'n PanSALB Multitaligheidsprys in die Jeugkategorie.
Die pryse erken individue en organisasies wat uitsonderlik bygedra het tot die bewaring en bevordering van amptelike tale in Suid-Afrika, insluitend Khoi en San.
Die pryse het ook ten doel om taalkundige diversiteit te vier en bewustheid te skep oor die rol van tale as 'n verenigende agent in die land.
"Hierdie prys is werklik inspirerend, en ek hoop dat UWk en baie ander universiteite voortgaan om hulle energie te belê in die sigbaarheid van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale," het Diko, 'n dosent aan die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, gesê.
"Ek hoop dat UWK besef dat sy bereidwilligheid om die sigbaarheid van inheemse Afrika-tale ten volle te aanvaar, erken en waardeer word. Ja, daar is baie kompleksiteite en uitdagings hieraan, maar ek glo dat as hierdie universiteit voortgaan om die sigbaarheid van plaaslike tale te ondersteun, ons beslis êrens kan kom en baie jong meisies en seuns kan inspireer wat hulself nie weerspieël sien in instellings vir hoër onderwys nie. Dit begin alles met 'n individu se moedertaal."
Diko, wat afkomstig is van Ntabankulu in die Oos-Kaap, het meer as 30 navorsingsdokumente gepubliseer wat fokus op die ontwikkeling van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale in joernale wat geakkrediteer is deur die Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding.
In een van die dokumente ondersoek hy hoe gesondheidskwessies gereflekteer word in 'n isiXhosa-gedig getiteld "Isifo Sesifuba". "In hierdie gedig demonstreer ek uitgebreid dat sommige van die gesondheidsuitdagings waarmee ons voortdurend te kampe het in Suid-Afrika behoorlik aangespreek kan word deur die gebruik en toepassing van isiXhosa-literatuur. Of ons besluit om bewustheid te verhoog of inligting oor gesondheid, politiek, ekonomie, ensovoorts te versprei, ons kan beslis die isiXhosa-taal en literatuur werf as een van die meganismes. Dit bewys weer eens dat die koloniale denkwyses wat gepoog het om ons literatuur te verlaag, gebrekkig is." In 'n ander dokument argumenteer Diko dat, hoewel die land demokrasie bereik het, daar 'n behoefte is om hierdie geleentheid doeltreffend te gebruik om die stand van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale te verhoog. "In my argument dui ek aan dat ons nie tevrede kan wees oor waar ons tale is nie, want as ons dit wel doen, loop ons die risiko dat dit verdraai of uitgewis word, of selfs 'n episode van kolonialisme en apartheid kan herhaal."
Diko, wie se droom altyd in die onderrig was, voltooi sy studies aan UWK in isiXhosa "omdat ek bevry gevoel het om in my voorgeskrewe taal te skryf. Daar is baie teëspoed daaraan, soos taalkundige uitsluiting, maar ek bly voortstry in enige manier wat ek kan om te verseker dat ek my navorsing in my inheemse taal neersit. Byvoorbeeld, ek was geseën om deur UWK toegelaat te word om my hele proses van PhD-studie in isiXhosa te skryf, en ek voel bevry om myself in my moedertaal uit te druk. Daar is net iets besonders en vervullend om navorsing in 'n mens se voorgeskrewe taal te skryf.
"U mag bewus wees dat daar dikwels 'n aanname is dat ons inheemse tale nie die toets van akademiese produksie kan weerstaan nie. Ek het bewys dat hierdie aanspraak gebrekkig is, aangesien ek enkele navorsingsdokumente in isiXhosa in DHET-geakkrediteerde joernale gepubliseer het. Ander is nog in produksie."
Pogings om die isiXhosa-taal, literatuur en kultuur te (her)formuleer is dikwels binne 'n koloniale raamwerk gedoen. Die gevolg hiervan was dikwels die verdraaiing en bespotting van hierdie pragtige Afrika-taal.
Om hierdie rede het Mlamli Diko, 'n student van die Universiteit van die Wes-Kaapland (UWK), sy akademiese vordering toegewy aan die bevordering van Xhosa en ander Afrika tale binne die breër sosiale konteks. En hy het dit met groot lof gedoen.
Diko, 'n PhD-kandidaat wat wyd gepubliseer het, is onlangs beloon vir sy bydrae tot die veld met 'n PanSALB Multitaligheidsprys in die Jeugkategorie.
Die pryse erken individue en organisasies wat uitsonderlik bygedra het tot die bewaring en bevordering van amptelike tale in Suid-Afrika, insluitend Khoi en San.
Die pryse het ook ten doel om taalkundige diversiteit te vier en bewustheid te skep oor die rol van tale as 'n verenigende agent in die land.
"Hierdie prys is werklik inspirerend, en ek hoop dat UWk en baie ander universiteite voortgaan om hulle energie te belê in die sigbaarheid van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale," het Diko, 'n dosent aan die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, gesê.
"Ek hoop dat UWK besef dat sy bereidwilligheid om die sigbaarheid van inheemse Afrika-tale ten volle te aanvaar, erken en waardeer word. Ja, daar is baie kompleksiteite en uitdagings hieraan, maar ek glo dat as hierdie universiteit voortgaan om die sigbaarheid van plaaslike tale te ondersteun, ons beslis êrens kan kom en baie jong meisies en seuns kan inspireer wat hulself nie weerspieël sien in instellings vir hoër onderwys nie. Dit begin alles met 'n individu se moedertaal."
Diko, wat afkomstig is van Ntabankulu in die Oos-Kaap, het meer as 30 navorsingsdokumente gepubliseer wat fokus op die ontwikkeling van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale in joernale wat geakkrediteer is deur die Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding.
In een van die dokumente ondersoek hy hoe gesondheidskwessies gereflekteer word in 'n isiXhosa-gedig getiteld "Isifo Sesifuba". "In hierdie gedig demonstreer ek uitgebreid dat sommige van die gesondheidsuitdagings waarmee ons voortdurend te kampe het in Suid-Afrika behoorlik aangespreek kan word deur die gebruik en toepassing van isiXhosa-literatuur. Of ons besluit om bewustheid te verhoog of inligting oor gesondheid, politiek, ekonomie, ensovoorts te versprei, ons kan beslis die isiXhosa-taal en literatuur werf as een van die meganismes. Dit bewys weer eens dat die koloniale denkwyses wat gepoog het om ons literatuur te verlaag, gebrekkig is." In 'n ander dokument argumenteer Diko dat, hoewel die land demokrasie bereik het, daar 'n behoefte is om hierdie geleentheid doeltreffend te gebruik om die stand van inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse tale te verhoog. "In my argument dui ek aan dat ons nie tevrede kan wees oor waar ons tale is nie, want as ons dit wel doen, loop ons die risiko dat dit verdraai of uitgewis word, of selfs 'n episode van kolonialisme en apartheid kan herhaal."
Diko, wie se droom altyd in die onderrig was, voltooi sy studies aan UWK in isiXhosa "omdat ek bevry gevoel het om in my voorgeskrewe taal te skryf. Daar is baie teëspoed daaraan, soos taalkundige uitsluiting, maar ek bly voortstry in enige manier wat ek kan om te verseker dat ek my navorsing in my inheemse taal neersit. Byvoorbeeld, ek was geseën om deur UWK toegelaat te word om my hele proses van PhD-studie in isiXhosa te skryf, en ek voel bevry om myself in my moedertaal uit te druk. Daar is net iets besonders en vervullend om navorsing in 'n mens se voorgeskrewe taal te skryf.
"U mag bewus wees dat daar dikwels 'n aanname is dat ons inheemse tale nie die toets van akademiese produksie kan weerstaan nie. Ek het bewys dat hierdie aanspraak gebrekkig is, aangesien ek enkele navorsingsdokumente in isiXhosa in DHET-geakkrediteerde joernale gepubliseer het. Ander is nog in produksie."
Ngenxa yesi sizathu, umfundi weYunivesithi yaseNtshona Koloni (UWC), uMlamli Diko uzinikele ekuqhubeleni phambili iimbono zamaXhosa nama-Afrika kwimeko yentlalo gabalala, kwaye wakwenza oku ngenzondelelo enkulu. UDiko, umfundi wesidanga sobugqirhalwazi (PhD) nopapashe kakhulu, kutsha nje uye wawongwa ngegalelo lakhe kweli candelo ngembasa yePanSALB Multilingualism kwicandelo lolutsha.
La mabhaso anika ingqwalasela kubantu kunye nemibutho ethe yanegalelo elikhulu ekugcineni nasekukhuthazeni iilwimi ezisemthethweni eMzantsi Afrika, kuquka isiKhoi nesiSan. Ezi mbasa zikwajolise ekubhiyozeleni iyantlukwano yeelwimi nokwazisa ngendima yeelwimi njengezixhobo zomanyano kweli lizwe.
“Eli wonga liyakhuthaza eneneni, kwaye ndiyathemba ukuba iUWC nezinye iiyunivesithi ezininzi ziya kuqhubeka ukutyala amandla azo ekubonakaliseni iilwimi zomgquba zaseMzantsi Afrika,” utshilo uDiko, umhlohli kwiYunivesithi yoMzantsi Afrika (UNISA).
“Ndiyathemba ukuba iUWC iyayiqonda into yokuba ukuvuma kwayo nokwamkela kokubonakaliswa kweelwimi zesiNtu ngokupheleleyo kuyathakazelelwa kwaye kuxatyisiwe. Ewe, zininzi izinto ezixandileyo kunye nemingeni koku, kodwa ndiyakholelwa ukuba ukuba le yunivesithi iyaqhubeka nokuxhasa ukubonakaliswa kweelwimi zeli, ngokuqinisekileyo singafika kwindawo ethile kwaye sikhuthaze amantombazana kunye nabafana abancinci abangaziboni bebonakaliswa kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo. Yonke into iqala ngolwimi lwenkobe lomntu ngamnye. ”
UDiko, ophuma eNtabankulu eMpuma Koloni, upapashe amanqaku ophandonzulu angaphaya kwamashumi amathathu (30) agxile ekuphuhliseni iilwimi zesiNtu zaseMzantsi Afrika kwiijenali ezivunywe liSebe leMfundo ePhakamileyo noQeqesho (DHET).
Kwelinye lamanqaku, uphonononga nzulu indlela imiba yezempilo ebonakala ngayo kumbongo omnye wesiXhosa osintloko sithi “Isifo Sesifuba”. “Kulo mbongo, ndibonakalisa kakhulu ukuba eminye yemingeni yezempilo esithe gqolo ukuhlangabezana nayo eMzantsi Afrika ingasonjululwa ngokufanelekileyo kuxhathiswa kukwasetyenziswa uncwadi lwesiXhosa. Nokuba sithatha isigqibo sokwazisa okanye ukusasaza ulwazi ngezempilo, ezopolitiko, ezoqoqosho, njalo njalo, ngokuqinisekileyo singalufumana ulwimi noncwadi lwesiXhosa njengenye yeendlela. Kwakhona, oku kungqina ukuba iingcamango zamakoloniyali ezazifuna ukuthoba isidima soncwadi lwethu ziphosakele.”
Kwelinye inqaku, uDiko uthi nangona ilizwe lifikelele kwidemokhrasi, kukho imfuneko yokuba kusetyenziswe eli thuba ngokukuko ukuphakamisa izinga leelwimi zesiNtu zaseMzantsi Afrika. “Kwingxoxo yam, ndibonisa ukuba asinakoneliseka ngokuba ziphi na iilwimi zethu kuba xa sisenjenjalo, sisengozini yokugqwetheka okanye yositheliso, okanye siphinde siphindaphinde isiganeko sobukoloniyali nocalucalulo.”
UDiko, iphupha lakhe ebelisoloko likukufundisa, ugqibezela izifundo zakhe eUWC ngesiXhosa “kuba ndiziva ndikhululekile ukubhala ngolwimi lweenkobe. Zininzi izithintelo koku, ezinjengokungabandakanywa kwiilwimi zesiNtu, kodwa ndiqhubeleka nokutyhudisa nangayiphina indlela ukuqinisekisa ukuba ndibhala uphandonzulu lwam ngolwimi lwam lomgquba. Umzekelo, ndasikelelwa ngokuvunyelwa yiUWC ukuba ndibhale lonke uphandonzulu lwam lwezobugqirhalwazi (PhD) ngesiXhosa, kwaye ndiziva ndikhululekile ukuzivakalisa ngolwimi lwam lweenkobe. Kukho nje into ekhethekileyo nezalisekisayo ekubhaleni uphandonzulu ngolwimi lweminyanya yomntu.”
“Usenokuba uyazi ukuba, amaxesha amaninzi, kukho ingcinga yokuba iilwimi zethu zesiNtu azinako ukumelana novavanyo lokuveliswa kubunzululwazi. Eli bango ndilibonakalisile lineziphene njengoko ndipapashe amanqaku athile ophandonzulu ngesiXhosa kwiijenali ezivunyiweyo yiDHET. Amanye asephantsi kwemveliso.”
