BY SHARON SIBINDI
THE Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA) has described the late veteran journalist Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, who was one of its long-serving trustees, as a “moving” BaKalanga encyclopaedia.
Ndlovu, a writer and war veteran, passed on Friday in Bulawayo.
KLCDA chairperson Sotsha Moyo told NewsDay Life & Style that Ndlovu left a void among BaKalanga people that would be difficult to fill.
“It is unfortunate that this great luminary of Kalanga history and culture has departed before we could extract enough of what he had to offer. He had the history of other nations on his fingertips,” Moyo said.
“Ndlovu will not only be remembered as a moving Kalanga encyclopaedia, but also as a selfless nationalist whose role in the emancipation of humanity exceeded foundational and basic political freedoms.”
Moyo, who is also Black Umfolosi founder, said the KLCDA owed Ndlovu for his role particularly through the Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Promotion Association which lobbied for the recognition of the country’s then marginalised indigenous languages.
“Through his work, indigenous languages, Kalanga included, were eventually included in the country’s 2013 Constitution. For many Zimbabweans, he contributed to self-identity which had been lost through several years of colonisation,” Moyo said.
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“For BaKalanga, his contribution to culture and linguistics became a pedestal for the Kalanga renaissance.
“Ndlovu believed in cultural restoration without returning to primitive life and we are glad that section 6 of the Constitution honoured his ambition.”
Moyo said KLCDA, through its successive leadership would certainly consider memorialising Ndlovu’s immense knowledge.
“We can only hope that through his legacy we will be inspired and carry on his marvellous works through making collections of what he pencilled and compiling it into books, documentaries and other storable sources of information,” he said.
KLCDA is a grouping of Kalanga people and interested parties for the revival and promotion of Kalanga traditions and language.
- Follow Sharon on Twitter @SibindiSharon
