A GUIDE TO LIFE IN MAKANA Grocott’s Mail

Nompilo Ndlovu and Adriana Georgiades If you were able to understand that, congratulations. You have just managed to decipher a message made up of symbols.

Look around you; in your home, when you walk on the streets, even on the clothing you wear; symbols can be found everywhere.

These days symbols have become a language of their own, yet they are constantly evolving and taking on new meanings in new contexts.

The power of symbols lies in their ability to convey a large amount of information using single images.

Yet some symbols need to be challenged, for their meaning is outdated and reinforces social stereotypes that are archaic, such as beer as a symbol of masculinity.

Whether it be through the art of graffiti, the use of emoji in the developing technological age, or through the use of sign language for those with hearing disabilities, symbols provide an alternative mode of expression.

Almost by definition, poets deal in images and symbols – mental pictures drawn with carefully selected words and phrases. What may begin as a literal description of an object or scene soon transforms into something else, often creating a different,...