BY TAKUNDA D. NDUMIYANA
EFFORTS to promote and as well as preserving Ndau language and literature is reaching greater heights following the formation of Ndau Language and Literature Association. The alliance shall be headquartered in Chipinge although its membership shall be spread world over.
Speaking to this publication, the Coordinator of Ndau Language and Literature Association, Mr Phillip, who is also the Director of Ndau Festival of the Arts (NdaFA)’s flagship Ndau Language Resource Development Centre, indicated that all is place in the formation of the association.
“It’s long overdue for the Ndau community in Chipinge and Chimanimani come up with such a development. We as Ndau Festival of the Arts have already moved towards Ndau language development. Therefore, we feel that incorporating other players in the field would do the region bigger service.
“We shall advise the public of the launch date although we are working flat out to meet our targets. The Association is going to work with whoever shares the same vision on the development of indigenous languages.
“Teachers and other professionals from different ministries and organisations will constitute the stakeholders and should react swiftly because if we are not careful, our languages might diminish for good. We are happy that our Government has already given some blessings on the promotion of indigenous language constitutionally.
“However, there is always need for further strategies to develop languages. Formation of Associations is one way of complementing Government efforts to preserve languages. Associations become more meaningful if they are driven from grassroots and when communities embrace them.
“Ndau language is not taking giant leaps so we feel that the formation of an Association shall help mobilise resources and technical skills needed in the development of the books and other resources. We are convinced that through this Association, talent in schools would be productively tapped,” he said.
Mr Kusasa went further to outline that technically, teachers can benefit from the initiative.
“There are teachers who if technically guided on the development of books, can do wonders. Many teachers are good writers that they only need capacity building workshops on how to turn their writing skills into enterprise. We hope that through this Association, the teachers and other potential writers from Ndau community would be empowered.
“There are many graduates from colleges and universities who have potential in Ndau story writing who can utilise the association. The literary terrain of indigenous communities is yet to be developed and that would mean empowered if they realise their potential in literary arts,” he added.