By Karabo Legoabe – The culture of storytelling in many rural areas in South Africa is slowly dying, gone are the days where people would sit around a fire to listen to someone tell a good story. And with the decline of such oral traditions comes the erosion of South African languages and culture.The Rhulani Chauke Foundation aims to tackle this issue in Malamulele, a lush-green rural area in the heart of Limpopo, by launching the Malamulele Writer’s Workshop, a project that seeks to unleash some of the finest upcoming Xitsonga writers in the Malamulele area.
Workshop Facilitator – Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho
The Rhulani Chauke Foundation aims to tackle this issue in Malamulele, a lush green rural area in the heart of Limpopo, by launching the Malamulele Writer’s Workshops, a project that seeks to unleash some of the finest upcoming Xitsonga writers in the Malamulele area. “These workshops are the launch of a movement that will see publishing of more Xitsonga literature.” says Rhulani Chauke, the founder of the project.
The workshops are free for aspiring writers and aim to equip writers with the information and skills needed for writing short stories, developing these stories and crafting them into great literature and the process of publishing. With the support of the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) and the Nedbank Arts Affinity, the workshop will be held on Saturday 2 July 2016.
To facilitate these workshops are a panel of well-known Xitsonga writers who have published books that are currently read at schools in the area. The panel includes Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho and Tiyiselani Mathe.
Tshifhiwa Mukwevho spent 11 years in prison for robbery and theft, it was in the penitentiary where Mukwevho began to work on his body of Xitsonga literature. In 2011, a year after he was released, his first collection of short stories titled Traumatic Revenge was published by Timbili Publishing. He also wrote the novel, The Violent Gestures of Life (UKZN Press, 2014) and a Tshivenda drama manuscript, Nwananga Nandi! Which was announced runner-up in the Maskew Miller Longman Literature Awards 2014. He continues to work as a writer, poet and freelance journalist
Tiyiselani Mathe began nurturing his writing skills in high school with the encouragement of his teachers. He received a couple of awards in writing in English and Xitsonga at school and later went on to study Media Studies at the University of Venda. He has written opinion pieces for various national newspapers and magazines and currently works at Tangaza Media as a senior media content analyst. He has also recently written for CFO Magazine and worked with Magaza Magazine which is a Xitsonga lifestyle magazine.
A call for submissions from aspiring writers, mainly youth and women in Limpopo was released at the beginning of June and the deadline is Friday 1 July 2016. Those who wish to participate must submit a piece of writing, which they will work on with facilitators at the workshop.
To submit an application email Rhulani Chauke on chaukies@gmail.com or contact the Rhulani Chauke Foundation on 084 089 2194. The venue of the workshop will be shared with successful participants. Click here for more information about the foundation visit their facebook page.
The Malamulele Writing Workshops programme is funded by the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) in association with the Nedbank Arts Affinity. Click here for more information about the ACT Professional Development Programme funded by the Nedbank Arts Affinity. Open a Nedbank Arts Affinity-linked bank or investment account and support arts development in SA at no cost to you. nedbankarts.co.za.