Author: Unathi Sandi

By Unathi Sandi The Extension 9 community hall came alive with energy as a diverse range of artistic expressions—such as dance, music, drama, and marimba, among others—invaded it last week. Taking place on Heritage Day, the Sakhuluntu Heritage Day Youth Festival presented those in attendance with an outstanding and enduring appreciation for the arts, carried by the youth of the Sakhuluntu Cultural Group, which continues to cultivate a significant part of the cultural and artistic identity of the Extension 9 community. Attended by around 100 community members, both young and old, the festival was designed not only to celebrate the…

By Unathi Sandi Legendary isiXhosa writer Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi is being honoured this week by Rhodes University’s School of African Languages and Literatures. SEK Mqhayi Week, which launched on Monday, celebrates the writer’s profound contributions to the isiXhosa literary tradition across multiple genres, and highlights his enduring impact on South Africa’s cultural landscape as a whole. Siphosethu Jente, a drama and IsiXhosa joint honours student at the institution, reworked Mqhayi’s landmark novel, Ityala Lamawele, for the stage. Judging by the audience’s response to the performance this week, she did a stellar job in re-imagining this masterpiece which Lovedale Press first…