September 2020
By Staff Reporter
The Khwe community, in Platfontein, joined other South Africans to celebrate Heritage Day. Less than 100 community members attended. The event was held at Platfontein Lodge near Barkleywest.
In his opening remarks, Jim Jim, a representative from the Communal Property Association said “This year, the focus is on the youth. Hence all the performing groups are young boys and girls”.
As part of the celebration elder folks offered advice on various issues such as marriage, rite of passage.
The day was filled with lots of activities such as singing, dancing and story telling. With the elderly teaching the younger men the art of archery or to shoot arrows.
In an effort to preserve the language, the community established the N‡anamacen, a group consisting mainly of the youth who are taught to write the language.
This is a sample of how the language is written.
ll’akuca ‡áum 24/Heritage Day Celebration
khwe kuri kx’am na llxaie xataya namunako xana di teirika l’eema nguiate.
‡amkuri te khwete kx’wako te hi kx’ema kxakhoma tcao o ka kuunu cinu ll’anu nu k’xoxoum a lx’uu nu yaka ta hi taxunu khwena llaino tx’oro na nguita hi taxunu ndingoa llx’am ta hi tako boroa lu ta hi
Ll’akuca‡’a um 24 xana kx’eilam te hi kx’ema
Llx’arexuataya txoro na nguiate nli lee.
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