“Kunomthelela kithi lokho esikufundayo.” – You are what you read… while this is a retake of an age-old adage, it certainly holds true – but what if your home language is isiZulu and you are desperate for Zulu literature? Chances are you are not likely to find many offerings at your local library.
And that is exactly what motivated Xolile Zondi and Nolwazi Zuma. They are two friends who wanted to ensure that their children had access to Zulu literature, that served to empower them to not only hone their mother tongue but simultaneously be proud of their Zulu heritage. So they started a non-profit organistation; Kwasukasukela – an entity that produces vernacular literature – right from development through to production and distribution.
Both Zondi and Zuma agree that the need for more literature in vernacular offerings extends beyond just first language speakers – but in essence it is for everyone. “We live and work in a diverse country and we need to amplify this in our ability to converse efficiently with each other,” said Zondi.
Zuma closely echoed sentiments by saying, “I want to be able to have the choice of buying literature across a host of languages for children, for my friend’s children, irrespective of their mother tongues.”
Kwasukasukela is responding to a long-term societal need and it will undoubtedly start a movement that will seek to spark a reinstated pride in truly celebrating our respective mother tongues.