08 May 2018

The Mbanderu Youth Association of Botswana (MYAB) is to host its first writers workshop at the University of Botswana on May 19.

The association’s secretary for cultural affairs, Amos Kandjou said the workshop was a quest to preserve and develop Ovambanderu culture through education, research and documentation.

He said the aim was to gather information and facts that would give guidance to the style of writing to adopt in future publications and possibly develop the Otjimbanderu orthography.

The association recently published cultural and historical material.

Kandjou said the association has engaged experts in the field of orthography and language development from University of Botswana.

He also noted that Professor Andy Chebanne, who is the dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Botswana, would give the keynote address.

“Prof. promised to assist and give us critical items to look at as we prepare for the workshop,” Kandjou explained.

He said they lobbied people from different backgrounds such as those with knowledge of oral and written history, writers of the language, readers, especially Bible readers who had the opportunity to read in the old style.“We have also engaged fellow Mbanderu from Namibia and elsewhere in an attempt to harmonise the orthography,” he said

Kandjou appealed to writers, aspiring writers, linguists and contributors to help in ensuring that the workshop was a success.

He said Ovirongo via Botswana, a booklet written in Otjimbanderu was one notable effort, adding that prior to its publication, there were few debates concerning the style of writing.

“Some were suggesting to go with the traditional and common Otjimbanderu in Botswana or adopt the Otjiherero in Namibia,” he said.

Kandjou also noted that another argument was that Otjiherero was non-inclusive hence suggestions that it was high time Otjimbanderu orthography be developed. Ends