KEETMANSHOOP – A delegation from the Southern African Nama Development Association (Sandeva) was recently in the //Kharas region to further streamline modalities of teaching the Nama language in schools in the Northern Cape Province.
James Makanga, founding member and Sandeva executive director, said they do not possess the required expertise to re-introduce the Nama language in the Northern Cape primary schools; thus, an agreement was signed between their provincial government and the //Kharas regional council, making provision for the process to be implemented.
This twinning agreement between the Northern Cape and the Kharas region was signed in 2017, which saw the Nama language introduced as an extra subject at two schools in Riemvasmaak and Kuboes.
“Through this initiative, the //Kharas regional education directorate will support us in developing the Nama language back home – and in the process ensure it is re-introduced in our education curricula,” he told New Era.
South African language activists say this ancient language is on the brink of extinction and they want to revive it.
Makanga added they and the Nama-speaking people in the //Kharas region are bound as families in terms of language, culture, tradition and values, thus belonging to the same communities.
Supported by the South African Constitution, which guarantees the right to language, their wish is to have a training institution at home, capable of developing the Nama language to an acceptable level to be spoken in Namibia and South Africa.
Local Nama/Khoekhoegowab linguist and teacher Fritz Dirkse has been identified by the education directorate as one of the experts to develop a standard training manual and spearhead the initiative.
He said the idea was birthed after the Nama people on the other side of the Orange River desired to regain their dignity in terms of language and culture.
“When these people get their language back, it should be up to a standard whereby others cannot dictate to them how to speak, read or write it,” he emphasised.
Dirkse continued that the Nama people in South Africa are now aiming to have their language declared as the 13th official one by their government.
“We are targeting to complete the [training] manual by the end of this year, as the South African government wants to implement the Nama language in schools up to junior level by 2025,” he explained.
Once the programme is fully implemented, Dirkse said, it can serve as a marketing tool for Nama-speaking artists and other relevant entrepreneurs to engage in cross-border businesses.
Fransiena Vries, senior education officer at the regional education directorate, said they have so far developed a 30-minute oral lesson in the Nama language that will lay the foundation to implement lessons in those schools.
The educator noted that the one challenge experienced is that most people can speak the language but lack literacy proficiency.
- sklukowski@nepc.com.na