A panel discussion was held on Friday at Maitisong where author, Professor Rose Letsholo-Tafila explained that culture and language were intertwined.
She said it was hard for people to say who they are without language.
She said it was through language that people define who they are. “It is painful to see a language die. Nowadays children speak English. Everyone wants their children to go to English Medium Schools including the less privileged members of community.
We have people in the Kalanga region teaching their children Setswana instead of their native language and if you ask why, they would say it does not have any importance in their children’s life. If language dies, culture also dies,” she pointed out.
She further explained that writing in iKalanga language was challenging. She added that she had to learn and refer to a manual for writing iKalanga published by some Kalanga speaking people.
She pointed out that writing in iKalanga was more difficult than writing in Setswana. She explained that she had to use little apostrophes and had to be conscious how certain words must sound.
However, Letsholo-Tafila explained that the response to her book surpassed what she had expected. She explained that people were interested in learning other languages spoken in Botswana including iKalanga because they were not taught at schools. “There is need for a change of mindset. This can only be done in a more systematic way. We must start from the top.
We need change of policies. Our languages are important like any other language. We are so unused to reading our own languages. Language policies are showing that our language is not good enough to create jobs.
It does not show that it is good enough to make an impact in the growth of our economy,” Letsholo-Tafila ended.
For her part, Dr Naledi Letshwao, who is also the author of Ithute Setswana and Ithute Kgomo, said as a linguistic she chose to write her books in Setswana because she realised that many children did not know the Setswana language and neither did they know the Setswana culture.
“When I wrote this book in Setswana I felt fulfilled. I even have some schools reading it. One thing I realised is that many children’s books are written in English. Those are the same books we read for our children during bedtime stories.
I realised that my books since they are written in Setswana, they have enabled a lot of children read Setswana language, which also improved their writing skills.” “Even though publishing is expensive, I encourage many authors including the upcoming ones to publish books in Setswana. The market is there. We must promote our vernacular languages.
Writers must know that writing in other languages other than English also have market,” she said.
The renowned local folklore poet, Edwin Moroka also known as Serurubele who also wrote a book titled Legaleng, said he wrote the book after realising that there was a gap between children and their grandmothers.
He said folk tale nights were no more there. He added that his target market was children aged 16 years and below. He is famed with his radio program dubbed Sekhutlwana Sa Bannye, which he said he extended to schools and society especially for schools where children were struggling to explain proverbs. He said he was using toning of language and used pictures so that they could easily understand the message portrayed.
He explained that his choice for teaching children Setswana language was because their forefathers paved ways for them to create stories in a creative manner and did not have to stop with them. The show hosted many writers and poets from Botswana and across the continent.
They included Angie Chuma Mogotsi, Dr Modiri Molema, Joe Kabomo, Kgomotso Jongman, Isaac Makwala, Keikantse Phele, Dr Nankie Ramabu, Zukiswa Wanner, Mandisa Mabuthoe who recited a beautiful poem and Chuma Nwokolo. Its theme was #AreBaleng #AreKwaleng.
