Novel sows school setwork seeds
AFTER receiving rave reviews both locally and abroad, the debut offering from KZN author Ashling McCarthy has found its way into classrooms as part of the English curriculum.
Wildlife crime is the central theme of Down at Jika Jika Tavern, but so too are social inequality, belonging and identity, and cultures colliding.
Set in Zululand, where Ashling spent much of her childhood, the story highlights the crosscultural differences and lack of understanding evident in the life of many South Africans today.
Nonhle Ngubane is the main character, who is caught between two worlds - the rural life in Mevamhlophe where she was raised, and the city life in Durban as she undertakes her tertiary studies.
Born and raised on the fringes of the game farm on which her parents work, Nonhle is privy to two worlds - the haves and the have nots - and is uniquely poised to see things from both perspectives.
When her father is accused of involvement in a rhino poaching incident, Nonhle struggles to make sense of the accusation, and is blind to the dark plot of revenge unfolding.
“When I began thinking about writing a book, I knew I wanted to write a story that was relevant to the South African context and, in particular, told the story of people living in the Zululand area, and the unique challenges they faced,” said Ashling.
“As the founder of an education non-profit, I also wanted to write a book that would appeal to youth in our schools, who would benefit from a set book that explored the South African story.”
“Down at Jika Jika Tavern will be taught at a school in Johannesburg next year, but has already been used by some teachers who have
incorporated the novel into their curriculum, both in support of and as core curriculum, with wonderful results,” said Ashling.
“If you can tell a relevant and engaging story, you’ve got them – you’re teaching language incidentally through the exploration of text instead of explicit language and grammar lessons,” said English teacher, Claire Geber.
Ashling is developing a teacher’s guide and student workbook with two English teachers, which will be available for the start of term 2 next year.
“Down at Jika Jika Tavern is a beautiful resource for South African English teachers. Ashling McCarthy’s vivid descriptions of people and places provide excellent examples for studying both language and literary devices,” said Kris Denekamp.