African stories have been told thousands of times, recited again and again in the walls of academic caliber, written with male sources, giving recognition and authority to men that struggled to get freedom, as they should but neglect an aspect of stories of African women in history. These stories do not always tell the significant roles played by women in building societies and don’t show women as active participants in the making of their own histories. But two South African authors are out to change that narrative.
Dr. Athambile Masola a lecturer in Historical Studies department at the University of Cape Town, Writer, Poet and founder of Asinakuthula which is a collective of teachers and researchers interested in women’s history alongside Dr. Xolisa Guzula who is an author of children’s’ books and founder of a network of reading clubs growing across the country and a lecturer in language and literacy studies with a focus on multilingual and multiliteracy education at the University of Cape Town, collaborated to write the series of books tilted IMBOKODO: Women Who Shape Us.
IMBOKODO: Women Who Shape Us is a groundbreaking series of books which introduces you to the powerful stories of South African women who have all made their mark and cleared a path for women and girls. These books recognize, acknowledge and honour heroines and elders from the past and the present. The title ‘Imbokodo’ is a Zulu word that means “rock” and is often used in the saying ‘Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo!’, which means “you strike a woman, you strike a rock!” These books are published in three parts, each with a list of 10 extraordinary women listed therein, made possible with the support of Biblionef and funding from the National Arts Council in South Africa.
In the first book, 10 Extraordinary Leaders, Activists & Protesters, you will read about women who fought against colonialism and oppression. Here are the stories of women heroes, whose stories are connected because of a shared passion for equality and justice. These women are: Emma Sandile, Nomgupo Paulina Dlamini, Charlotte Makgomo Mannya-Maxeke, Mina Tembeka Soga, Mabel Cetu, Pumla Ngozwana Kisosonkole, Lauretta Ngcobo, Brigalia Ntombemhlophe Bam, Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela-Mandela and Masalanabo Modjadji VII (The Rain Queen)
In the second book, 10 Inspiring Singers, Writers & Artists, you will read about the poets, singers, painters and writers who used their creative talents to express themselves. These re the women who shape the worlds of art, culture and literature in South Africa. These women are: Nontsizi Mgqwetho, UMntwana uMagogo Constance Zulu, Gladys Mgundlandlu, Noni Jabavu, Miriam Masoli Tlali, Dorothy Masuku, Esther Nikwambi Nostokana Mahlangu, Madosini Latozi Mpahleni, Busi Mhlongo and Brenda Nokuzola Fassie.
In the last book in the series, 10 Curious Inventors, Healers & Creators, you will read about the women who shape our world through education, science and maths. You will read about women who became teachers, nurses, social workers, scientists and community workers, overcame obstacles and through their work fought for social justice. These women are: Nokutela Linderly Dube, Cecilia Lilian Tshabalala, Sibusisiwe Violet Makhanya, Dora Nginza, Louisa Mvemve, The Makiwane Sisters: Daisy, Florence and Cecilia, Nontsikelelo Qwelane, Zanele Mbeki, Professor Tebello Nyokong and Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Dr. Xolisa Guzula and Dr. Athambile Masola shared more on their books in an interview with our Editor Grace Sikanda.
The book series Imbokodo; women who shape us is really inspirational. What inspired the contents of the book?
While we have managed post-apartheid to give access to schooling to many children, we have not changed much of the content of what children read. We have not enriched African languages with the necessary content for the African language readers. Furthermore, women are still marginalized in post-apartheid South Africa. A lot of South African history books value men as heroes who inspire our youth and are silent on the role that many women have played in advancing our lives as artists, storytellers, writers, politicians and educationalists. In writing these books, our vision is to recognize, acknowledge and make known our elders and heroines from the past, who have not been recognized in South Africa because of Apartheid and our current Eurocentric school curriculum. The books aim to expose children, parents and teachers to the names of women who have been left out of history and the “his”tory books. The hope is that these women will become general knowledge for young children.
The second inspiration for writing the book was that the work we do as teachers and academics led us to these women and to the idea of a non-fiction genre for our children. We have taught in schools, co-founded and volunteered as facilitators in children’s reading and writing clubs and facilitated masterclasses for children on women’s historiographies. We believe that writing non-fiction books multilingually can support children with their school content. This is particularly important as many African language speaking children transition to English as a medium of instruction in grade 4, at a time when they still have not developed their English proficiency to understand their subjects for which textbooks are written in English only.
The third issue was the issue of providing a variety of books in children’s literature. Most books, especially written in African languages, focus on fiction. While fiction is good for the development of children’s imagination, it is important that they must also be exposed to non-fiction, as it can supplement their history content in school and expand their knowledge.
The three books list around 30 women in history and I am sure there are more women that deserve to be known that aren’t included in historical books, what was the criteria used for the women included in the book?
The criteria for choosing women for these books was a very subjective one. Athambile was doing academic work on women’s historiographies and in the process of writing her PHD, she came across many of these inspirational women. Little did she think she would use the material for something thereafter until this idea came. While doing the work of starting a school, we also came across women who inspired us by starting schools. Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke started a school, Wilberforce Institution in Everton, Johannesburg when she arrived from the USA having qualified with her BSC degree. Pumla Ngozwana Kisosonkole worked at UNESCO as the literature expert and made history in Uganda. Gogo Qwelane taught for over 70 years until she died at the age 100 in August 2021. She was the longest teacher who nurtured and cared about education. This was so subjective to us as women interested in education and in starting schools for children.
Next, the women who were pioneers in their fields also inspired us. Here, we talk about women who became nurses like Cecelia Makiwane and Dora Nginza, the first nurses. We also include women who did social and community work and innovators & scientists who developed Nano laser technology for curing cancer like professor Tebello Nyokong and Louisa Mvemve who was a chemist using both traditional medicines and western science.
Finally, we were drawn to artists, writers and singers and how they shaped our lives through their art as a way for helping us deal with colonialism and apartheid and as food for the soul. We learn about Dorothy Masuka and Brenda Fassie and Busi Mhlongo captivated audiences with their music at a time when we were experiencing hardships, and how their songs carried political messages for fighting oppression. We were interested in how Madosini and Man’ Esther Mahlangu resisted colonialism through their art. We also learn about how women like Mabel Cetu produced impressionist art, which was always thought of as art done by western artists. We also thought about women like Miriam Tlali who wrote about the oppression of black people and we were inspired by Noni Jabavu who was a writer who had traveled the world. In terms of literacy work we do, we also believe that literacy is broader than just writing. It includes a combination of arts and writing and this expands the definition of literacy and enriches children’s literacy learning experiences and enhances meaning making.
All these were our subjective choices and we feel this is not a definitive list but a list that can be expanded to tell many stories about women and the work they do. We also felt the need to tell new stories alongside women who are already prominent in order to place them into a broader context where they read amongst women who were their peers. There are still so many women who need to be written about and this selection is an invitation to others to continue with the work.
What are you hoping the book will inspire and convey to children?
We want children to become more curious about history beyond what they are taught in schools. We hope that this book will inspire conversations between parents, children and grandparents so people can ask more questions related to their own family histories.
Why is it so important to have women portrayed that learners can recognize and relate to?
Its’s about identity and the past we have emerged from. Historically, South Africa’s education system was designed so that black people (people with colour) are given an inferiority complex. Their education was designed to make them feel less than white people. This is something that stories can respond to. We are the stories we tell and retell about who we are. If children don’t know about women like Madosini, Busi Mhlongo, Magogo, Brenda Fassie as examples from the books, they will always think that they have to neglect their culture if they are to be successful in the global world. If children don’t know about Ellen Ngozwana and the influence she had in Uganda, they will only know about xenophobia. If children don’t know about Mabel Cetu and Gladys Mgudlandlu’s challenges, they will not fully appreciate the importance of the arts and how it makes a difference. We want children to read different stories in order to see themselves in different ways.
Secondly, there are few black women in higher education institutions in SA. Most of what’s written in educational books is by white English and Afrikaans speaking colleagues at these institutions. Additionally, South African children’s literature is dominated by English/Afrikaans authors, such that we always have to translate the books they write for the children. While translation is on way to develop languages, it is important that we grow a pool of black women authors, writing for children and contribute to the content of what children learn in schools. This is especially important for us in terms of representation of who writes what must learn. Thus, apart from Avi and Kumbi, a beautiful history book written by Khize wamaZambezi, there is a scarcity of books with content written by African women.
