Last month Ulwazi received an email from a Mr Fanekiso Dube, requesting help with a Zulu language project that he’s helping to run in Mzuzu, northern Malawi. According to Fanekiso there are large numbers of Nguni people living in Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania (known in these areas as ‘Ngoni’ people) as a result of Mfecane, a period of widespread chaos and warfare that took place in southern Africa between 1815 and about 1840, and which resulted in the forced migration of large numbers of Zulu people. Fanekiso says that over the years ma
ny people have lost touch with their Zulu heritage and he believes that the first step to regaining their identity is for people to learn to speak isiZulu.
Fanekiso is involved in the running of a school that is teaching people how to speak and write isiZulu. He says that the programme is unfortunately not doing as well as it should due to a lack of books and specialised training for teachers. Below is a list of some of the books that the school needs to continue with its work:
1. Uhlelo Lwesizulu
2. Injiyo lenjulo yesizulu
3. Inkondlo zesizulu
4. Ngiyasithanda isiZulu (books 1, 2, 3, 4)
5. Learn Zulu ( by C.L.S Nyambezi)
6. Zulu Dictionary
Please contact Fanekiso directly should you or your organisation be in a position to help: fanekisodube@yahoo.com.