Barbara Clara Makhalisa Nkala Trust awards indigenous language authors

LITERARY polymath Barbara Clara Makhalisa-Nkala has honoured a quartet of IsiNdebele authors through her Barbara Clara Makhalisa Nkala Literary Trust (BCMNLT) in order to preserve indigenous language literary works.

The quartet, Meluleki Sibanda, Mthandazo Nyoni, Irvin Moyo and Primrose Dube participated in a competition to pen IsiNdebele short stories in order to win cash prizes early this year. They were presented with their prize money last week.

The BCMNLT founder, Gogo Nkala lauded the authors for their solid literary content in a competition that gave them Carte Blanche to spread their wings and fly.

"The Barbara Clara Makhalisa Nkala Literary Trust has been publishing Ndebele literature from works of writers who have entered various competitions that the Trust has sponsored in order to encourage writing and publication of good Ndebele literature.

"One good thing was that most stories had suitable thematic messages that conscientise children on Ubuntu and good moral values. The messages also make children aware of dangers of peer pressure, drinking and drugs abuse, all forms of abuse by older people that may lead to pregnancy for girls and depression generally; awareness of people living with albinism and general motivation and inspiration for children to aim high and do better at school.

"We aim to encourage more story writing in Ndebele so that children enjoy reading for pleasure in their own mother tongue," said Gogo Nkala.

Meluleki Sibanda who is no stranger to winning this competition was the biggest winner pocketing a combined US$400. He authored Iminwe Ayilingani and Igula lesizwe for Grades 1-3 and 3-7 respectively.

"I'm over the moon; very excited! On the other hand, I felt so emotional after winning because this is the third consecutive time I have come first in a writing competition. In 2021, I got first prize in a short story writing competition that was held by the BCMNLT. Last year, my play Akugwatshwa ngokuzala got first prize in a competition that was again held by BCMNLT," he said.

Another author, Irvin Moyo, who saw his exploits making him US$140 richer, said he dreams of being the best at what he does.

"This encourages me to keep on writing. It gives me hope that I will fulfil my dream of being one of the best IsiNdebele authors," said Moyo.

Mthandazo Nyoni penned Iphupho lami for Grades 3-7 and walked away with US$60, something he attributed to persistence.

"I'm humbled and encouraged at the same time. This has given me the zeal and oomph to continue writing Ndebele novels. It has shown me that I'm capable of becoming one of the greatest Ndebele novel writers in the near future.

"As young people, we are the custodian of our language which is part of our culture. So, penning stories in our language will help preserve it for the next generation," Nyoni said.

Primrose Dube whose "Iphutha" story for Grade 3-7 saw her walking away with US$60 expressed excitement and said she is motivated to write stories.

"It is a great honour and I'm so excited and looking forward to writing more stories," she said.

Literature in indigenous languages has been dwindling in recent years due to piracy but with such resilience as Gogo Nkala's, the torch has been kept blazing.