A budding, Komani-born author and teacher Lulamile Satyo has launched his book of poems written in isiXhosa as part of his mission to promote the language.
Satyo, 54, a father of two from Whittlesea who now works in Cape Town, believes that through work like his, indigenous languages can be saved.
“IsiXhosa is at a risk of perishing and when that happens we will lose our dignity. Every person’s dignity is with the language they speak,” he said.
“Our language is looked down upon. When you speak isiXhosa, people treat you as if you are not educated. I want to change that,” he said, adding that he had chosen isiXhosa in which to write his poems because “it is my home language”.
He said it was important for people to know where they came from in order to know where they were going.
Satyo started writing poems in 1985 when he wrote a poem about his grandfather.
After more than 30 years of writing poems, the teacher at Bhongolethu Primary School in Philippi in Cape Town decided to take 54 of his 92 poems and publish them.
“While I was at Masibulele College in Whittlesea, I was encouraged by my lecturer to submit my poems to the college magazine. I continued to write poems and in 1991 I submitted three of my poems to De Jager-Haum Publishers which later turned into Maskew Miller publishers,” he said.
Satyo said three of his poems had been published in Aweselwa 1, four in Aweselwa 2 and three in Nambitha isihobe.
“The book contains all types of Xhosa poems – you get poems about politics, social issues and religious issues,” he said.
Satyo said this encouraged him to put his poems into a book. I started living my potential by writing in isiXhosa and follow the footsteps of my uncle, SC Satyo,” he said.
The book is available at Keens bookstore in Komani or by contacting the author on satyolg@gmail.com.
Poet on isiXhosa crusade
Satyo, 54, a father of two from Whittlesea who now works in Cape Town, believes that through work like his, indigenous languages can be saved.
“IsiXhosa is at a risk of perishing and when that happens we will lose our dignity. Every person’s dignity is with the language they speak,” he said.
“Our language is looked down upon. When you speak isiXhosa, people treat you as if you are not educated. I want to change that,” he said, adding that he had chosen isiXhosa in which to write his poems because “it is my home language”.
He said it was important for people to know where they came from in order to know where they were going.
Satyo started writing poems in 1985 when he wrote a poem about his grandfather.
After more than 30 years of writing poems, the teacher at Bhongolethu Primary School in Philippi in Cape Town decided to take 54 of his 92 poems and publish them.
“While I was at Masibulele College in Whittlesea, I was encouraged by my lecturer to submit my poems to the college magazine. I continued to write poems and in 1991 I submitted three of my poems to De Jager-Haum Publishers which later turned into Maskew Miller publishers,” he said.
Satyo said three of his poems had been published in Aweselwa 1, four in Aweselwa 2 and three in Nambitha isihobe.
“The book contains all types of Xhosa poems – you get poems about politics, social issues and religious issues,” he said.
Satyo said this encouraged him to put his poems into a book. I started living my potential by writing in isiXhosa and follow the footsteps of my uncle, SC Satyo,” he said.
The book is available at Keens bookstore in Komani or by contacting the author on satyolg@gmail.com.
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