Author: Andiswa Bukula (SADiLaR isiXhosa Researcher)
This blog post speaks about the importance of language and culture. It taps into the idea that one’s language is one’s identity, and our culture paves the way for how we live our lives.
Xa uthetha ngenkcubeko awukwazi ukuyibekela ecaleni indaba yolwimi lwakho lwenkobe.
Ulwimi lwenkobe lulwimi olo luthethwa ngabazali bakho, ingakumbi utata wakho. . Kumaxa amaninzi kuyenzeka ukuba umntwana abeneelwimi ezimbini azithethayo, olo luthethwa nguyise, nolo luthethwa ngunina. Oku ke kuye kwenzeke xa abazali bakhe bethetha iilwimi ezahlukileyo. Umzekelo, umama abengumXhosa ze utata abengumZulu. Kuye kuxhomekeke kwelo khaya ke ukuba kuza kuthethwa oluphi na ulwimi. Hleze kuthethwe isiZulu sikatata okanye isiXhosa sikamama, okanye zombini ezilwimi.
Kaloku ulwimi lwakho lunempembelelo kwindlela okhuliswa ngayo, indlela owalandela ngawo amasiko nezithethe zakowenu. Umzekelo, mna ndingumXhosa, umXhosa ozalwa nguDlamini kunye noMamntshilibe. Bobabini ke abazali bam ngamaXhosa, nto leyo ethetha ukuba ndikhuliswe njengomXhosa, ongangxengwanga.
KwaXhosa ke umntwana ulandela amasiko nezithethe zakuloyise, ngoko ke xa sithetha ebuhlanti sithetha sibhekise kooDlamini, ewe tyhini nam ndinalo igunya lokungena kwiiNtlanti zasemaZizini, ndifike ndidwekeshe ndibika imbilini yam, ndibulela izinyanya zakowethu.
Xa sithetha ngenkcubeko sithetha ngobuwena, ngobuni bakho. Inkcubeko yakho ikuxelela ukuba ungubani, wakwabani. Intsusa yakho, intsusa yabazali bakho, abazali babo, nookhokho babo ilandeleleka kulwimi oluthethayo, isiduko sakho kunye nendlela eniwenza ngayo amasiko. Yiyo loo nto kubalulekile ukuba uzazi ukuba ungubani. Iqhelekile ke into yokuba abantwana bakhuliswe ngoomama babo kuphela, kube kungekho tata kwelo khaya. Xa oku kusenzeka, umntwana lowo uye alandele amasiko akulo mama wakhe. Noko ke le yinto eqhelekileyo, ngoko ke ivumelekile kwaXhosa. Kodwa ke masiqaphele ukuba oku akuthethi ukuba ikho into engalunganga kulo mntwana, nto nje uzibone ekwimeko enjalo. Inkuthazo ke apho iye ibeyinto yokuba, noba sekunjalo, lo mntwana makazingce ngobuyena. Makazingce ngesiduko asifumene kumama wakhe, aphile ubomi bakhe abe eyazi into yokuba izinyanya zakuoo mama wakhe zimjongile.
Akhonto egqitha ukuzazi, ukuzidla ngobuwena, nokuzithanda.
Ndiyema apho!
