Story about Zululand’s whispers should inspire our youth

The story “What the Hills of Zululand Whispered” succeeds in narrating history in a creative and succinct manner.

It further paints a picture of a nation built on immeasurable resilience. King Dingane and his successors fought to defend their land against British and Boer invasions. Many died in these various battles.

Sadly, nearly two centuries later, the Zulu people, like their counterparts in other parts of South Africa, are still waiting for the land issue to be resolved. The Zulu nation may have lost a lot of its pride after colonisation but some semblance of its core values still thrives. On one hand, the music, dance, oral poetry and other cultural practices survive and thrive.

On the other hand, isiZulu faces a stiff challenge from English, especially among the youth.

Lastly and most importantly, although Ryan Enslinʼs piece focuses on one or two historical heritage sites, the province has countless such important areas. Perhaps itʼs time the communities came together to reclaim these sites and make them sought-after tourist attractions that can generate job opportunities for the youth, while preserving and imparting invaluable knowledge to generations.

Sipho Sithole Alberton