In a three-day event during September, Amazwi celebrated Dr Sindisiwe Magona, one of South Africa‘s most treasured storytellers and writers. Dr Magona writes in many genres, including fiction, drama, poetry, children’s books, autobiography and biography.
The exhibition will be on display until September 2024. It will include a digital collection of that celebration, as the conference included photos used as part of her birthday celebration the previous month. The exhibition aims to honour and celebrate Magona while she is still alive.
Magona writes in both English and her Home language, IsiXhosa; though challenging, she continues writing plays and novels for the younger generation so that they can improve their reading and writing.
Despite having few readers for her isiXhosa literature, Magona remains optimistic that one day this will change. “Kunetha kuphume ilanga,” she says, directly translating to “after the rain comes the sun”. By that, she means that though not many read or publish her books, they will get their due recognition one day.
Dr Siphiwo Mahala, a writer, also speaks on the lack of reading among people in the country. “Ask yourself how many bookstores you find in each town around South Africa. Yet you find several taverns in one street, so we should begin to ask ourselves those questions.”
During the event, Dr Mahala gifted Dr Magona a book with short stories and plays titled ‘Imbiza’.
In closing, Dr Magona encouraged people to start reading more often and showing kindness, symbolising ubuntu.
