On 24 September each year as South Africans, it’s time to stop and think about who we are as a nation, where we have come from and we are going. An important part of who we are is the languages we speak and the stories that have been told to us – and the ones we tell.
Storytelling is central to our heritage as South Africans, Africans and human beings. As human beings we use stories to remember and to make sense of our lives. We tell ourselves stories and we tell each other about our lives using the story form. So, because telling and remembering stories is so easy for us, we can use stories to connect our children to their language, culture and the generations that have come before us. And what’s more, as we share and tell stories, we inspire children to want to tell stories themselves – and this is where the literacy magic begins…
Story magic
This Heritage Day, Nal’ibali is making it easy for all in South Africa to share the magic of a good story with our children. Read one of Nelson Mandela’s favourite stories, The Snake Chief from the book Madiba Magic: Nelson Mandela’s favuorite stories for children (courtesy Tafelberg)*, which will be printed in the weekly Nal’ibali supplements inserted into The Times, The PE Herald and the Dispatch in partnership with Avusa Media. They can be shared with your own children or grandchildren, or the children who live in your street or attend your reading club.
Tell the story on 24th September, and then challenge your children to find someone to tell it to – pass the story along, and find new ones too. Together, let’s spark an excitement for stories and storytelling!
Share your story
You’re invited to send your Heritage Day storytelling pictures or stories about what you did on the day to Nal’ibali – and stand the chance to win a storybook hamper. Send your letters and pictures to letters@nalibali.org or Nal’ibali, PO Box 1654, Saxonwold, 2132 or share them with us at www.facebook.com/nalibaliSA. Closing date: 24 October 2012.
* Translated from isiZulu into English by T. Cele and retold in English by Diana Pitcher. Illustration by Niki Daly.
