Umbungazo Omkhulu Nge-Inthanethi Kugujwa Iminyaka engu-25 ye-Time of the Writer Festival

BY: .

Click here for English version

I-Centre for Creative Arts (i-CCA), ngaphansi kweKolishi lezesiNtu livule ifestivali yababhali, i-Time of the Writer Festival yesi-25 kwi-inthanethi.

Omunye wabahleli, uNksz Siphindile Hlongwa wamukele ababukeli abangaphezu kwama-300 kulomcimbi wokuvula obuseLuthuli Museum e-Groutville, KwaZulu-Natali.

UHlongwa uthe, ‘Inkosi u-Albert Luthuli wayengesona isishoshovu sokushintsha izimpilo kodwa wayengumbhali onentshisekelo. Njengoba sigubha iminyaka engama-60 yencwadi ngempilo yakhe; amandla emibhalo yakhe igqugquzela le minyaka engama-25 yefestivali ukuthi iqhubeke ibheke ngaphezu kwamagama, ibheke ukuthi ukukhumbula, umcabango, nonembeza kuvukuzwa kanjani ababhali bezincwadi, osonkondlo, ababhali, nabanye abasebenzisa amagama.’

IPhini likaSekela-Shansela neNhloko yeKolishi lezesiNtu, uSolwazi Nhlanhla Mkhize ubalule indima ebalulekile edlalwa ubuciko, nokufunda nokubhala ekulweni nokungalingani. ‘Sishayela ihlombe isibindi, ubuhlakani nobuciko bababhali abakhuluma iqiniso ngaphandle kokwesaba nokwenzelela,’ usho kanje.

Enkulumeni yakhe uMqondisi we-CCA, UDkt Ismail Mohamed ubalule ukusebenzisana okukhona ne-Lviv International Literacy Festival yase-Ukraine nokuthi amaciko ahlangane kanjani ngezikhathi zobumbano. ‘Ababhali bethu baba ngababhali beqiniso ngomhlaba. Ezinye izigaba zale festivali yethu zikhuluma iqiniso ngokubusa ngentando yeningi eNingizimu Afrika. Sibuye saqinisa imizamo yethu ukwandisa izinhlelo zolimi lwesiZulu kuwo wonke amafestivali ethu.’

Ekhuluma ngefestivali yalo nyaka nangendikimba yayo, omunye wababhali uMnuz Mandla Langa uthe, ‘Le festivali yenzeke ngesikhathi esibalulekile kubantu balelizwe. Kunokuzamazama kanti kumele ababhali baqhamuke nesisombululo. Ngijabule ukubona ababhali abaningi abasebancane kuloluhlelo, baphethe isibani kanti bazosiyisa phambili.’

Umbhali ohlonishwayo, onguncwaningi nombhali we-Future Africa Institute yeNyuvesi yasePretoria, uDkt Nokuthula Mazibuko Msimang wethule inkulumo enohlonze lapho ebheke khona ukuthi umbhalo ngoLuthuli othi: Let My People Go ungagqugquzela abantu nokuthi ubagqugquzele kanjani abanye ababhali. Ubuye waphawula kabanzi ngemuva, wacubungula izimo zamanje wabe esethinta okumele kubhekwe esikhathini esizayo.

‘Izindaba zomlando ezikhuluma ngezimpilo zabantu njenge-Let My People Go kanye nezincwadi ngomlando zilethe ukukhanya kwindima yemibhalo yase-Afrika uma kubhekwa ukukhumbula, umcabango nonembeza okuhambisana nesikhathi samanje ngoba sisahlala emhlabeni lapho ukungalingani kuhambisana nobulili, ubuhlanga, namasiko kusaqhubeka. Lezi zincwadi ziqhamuka nezipopolo ezibalulekile zomlando okumele sibhale zicabange ngekusasa elinethemba, ukwedlula izimpi nokususwa kwezinto endaweni yazo,’ kusho uMsimang.

Ukubalule ukuthi ukuguquka kwezinto kwi-inthanethi kudala ukuthi abantu abaningi bakwazi ukuthola izincwadi nokuthamela amafestivali. ‘Izincwadi zisisize ukuthi zibhekane nobhubhane. Abantu abaningi bahlala emakhaya bafunde. Lezi impela izikhathi ezimnandi ezincwadini zase-Afrika. Ababhali besifazane bathola ukuhlonishwa, kanti i-Time of the Writer yenze uhlelo olunamaphesenti angama-70 ababhali besifazane. Lolu hlelo luhlukile. Kuyajabulis a ukubona umsebenzi wababhali besifazane abasaqhubeka nokubhala umlando wabesifazane nokuqinisekisa ukubaluleka wamazwi ehlukene.’

Ephetha uMsimang uthe, ‘Ngithanda ukuhalalisela ababhali ababe yingxenye ye-Time of the Writer ngokushitshisana ngamaqhinga nangemibono. Ukufakwa kwezwi elizwakalayo labesifazane kulolu hlelo nababahli bezincwadi zezingane kudinga ukuthi sikushayele ihlombe elikhulu zikubonge.’

Amagama: ngu-Melissa Mungroo

Izithombe: Zithunyelwe