ICONIC READ
Story-times for primary schools
FOUR Eastern Cape primary schools are set for a visit from top storytellers for next month’s relaunch tour of the classic book,
Madiba Magic, an anthology of folk tales selected by the late Nelson Mandela.
The book, which has sold more than 100 000 copies in South Africa, includes stories told over evening fires from various African countries such as Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya and Nigeria.
The founders, the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and Tafelberg Publishers, will invite experienced storytellers to visit Tshatshu Primary (King William’s Town), James Ntungwana Primary (KwaNobuhle, outside Uitenhage), Kei Road Combined (near King William’s Town), Gilbert Xuza Primary (Somerset East) in an effort to bring these stories to life through dancing, storytelling and music.
The schools will also receive donations to their libraries.
“Madiba’s great heart for children struck a chord with many people and this book reflects something of those ideals.
“These are the stories Madiba would have told,” said Michelle Cooper who is a publisher at Tafelberg.
The book is available, translated into different languages, in countries like Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, the USA, France, Italy, Mexico and Portugal.
Theo Kemp, executive director of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, which was founded by Jakes Gerwel, a director-general in the presidency of Nelson Mandela’s first democratic government, said the company was proud to be a part of the project in partnership with Tafelberg Publishers.