News / National
'Be proud of being Ndebele if you're a Ndebele'
27 Oct 2014 at 20:42hrs | Views
The Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture is in the process of drafting a national language policy amidst outcries from civil society, marginalised communities and the general public over the lack of use and promotion of various indigenous languages.
Speaking during the official launch of the 8th edition of the Shangano Arts Festival in Lupane , Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa noted that it was important for people to celebrate their different cultures and languages.
"There is no tribe that is special over another and no-one should undermine anyone's language. If you undermine yourself you have a problem. Be proud of being Ndebele if you're a Ndebele, be proud of being a Khalanga if you're a Khalanga or a Tonga if you are Tonga,
"If three English people get in here, all of you will start speaking in English. If there are five Khalangas and two Ndebeles all of them will start speaking in Ndebele. If there are nine Ndebele people in a Kombi (commuter omnibus) and three Shonas get in all of them will start speaking in Shona .
"That is why the constitution recognises 16 languages," he said.
In an Interview with Radio Dialogue after the launch, the Principal Director in the department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Paul Damasane said that work on the language policy was in progress.
"This is a political, social and technical issue and is infact as a result of colonisation. It is a complex issue that needs to be looked at from a cultural perspective, language perspective and an identity perspective," said Damasane
"In the constitution 16 languages have been officially recognised and it pushes for a language policy that determines which ones of those languages is the language of record. So it means the next step would be to determine what would be the language of record."
Rev Damasane futher noted coming up with the language policy would be determined by a number of factors including the needs of the people, their activities and the economy.
"The language policy understanding in Zimbabwe is that it has to follow sequentially from the review of the national cultural policy. The national cultural policy is at an advanced stage and we are now editing the latest review document.
The issue is you don't just jump into language you have to look at culture first because culture will determine what language you will use," he said.
Reflecting on the statements made by Adrew Langa on the lack of use of cultural languages, the Reverend however noted that personal behaviors who be harder to control.
"l don't think that a language policy will have a control on individual behaviors of people or over such kind of issues," he noted.
The new constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 20) chapter 1 recognises 16 languages including sign language as official languages as opposed to the Lancaster House constitution only recognised English, Ndebele and Shona as official languages.
Speaking during the official launch of the 8th edition of the Shangano Arts Festival in Lupane , Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa noted that it was important for people to celebrate their different cultures and languages.
"There is no tribe that is special over another and no-one should undermine anyone's language. If you undermine yourself you have a problem. Be proud of being Ndebele if you're a Ndebele, be proud of being a Khalanga if you're a Khalanga or a Tonga if you are Tonga,
"If three English people get in here, all of you will start speaking in English. If there are five Khalangas and two Ndebeles all of them will start speaking in Ndebele. If there are nine Ndebele people in a Kombi (commuter omnibus) and three Shonas get in all of them will start speaking in Shona .
"That is why the constitution recognises 16 languages," he said.
In an Interview with Radio Dialogue after the launch, the Principal Director in the department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Paul Damasane said that work on the language policy was in progress.
"This is a political, social and technical issue and is infact as a result of colonisation. It is a complex issue that needs to be looked at from a cultural perspective, language perspective and an identity perspective," said Damasane
Rev Damasane futher noted coming up with the language policy would be determined by a number of factors including the needs of the people, their activities and the economy.
"The language policy understanding in Zimbabwe is that it has to follow sequentially from the review of the national cultural policy. The national cultural policy is at an advanced stage and we are now editing the latest review document.
The issue is you don't just jump into language you have to look at culture first because culture will determine what language you will use," he said.
Reflecting on the statements made by Adrew Langa on the lack of use of cultural languages, the Reverend however noted that personal behaviors who be harder to control.
"l don't think that a language policy will have a control on individual behaviors of people or over such kind of issues," he noted.
The new constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 20) chapter 1 recognises 16 languages including sign language as official languages as opposed to the Lancaster House constitution only recognised English, Ndebele and Shona as official languages.
Source - Radio Dialogue
