Ndebele Literature
As much as the Ndebele society, like most African communities;
has been an oral society; its change to being literary has seen the growth of enterprising literature. In the forefront of
this revolution has been writers like Ndabezinhle Sigogo, Barbara Makhalisa, Phathisa Nyathi, the late politician, Ndabaningi
Sithole and the late Mthandazo Ndema Ngwenya the late Doris Ndlovu, the late Geshom Khiyaza and the late Mayford Sibanda and
many more.
These writers have taken the stories off the tongues of
their grandparents and put them in black and white producing enchanting literature. While Sigogo and Makhalisa have written
out of the love for literature and the desire to tell stories, writers like Ndema Ngwenya have been academics and their writing
has been out of commitment. It is what is called “committed literature.” Nyathi has been at the forefront t of
piecing together the history of the Ndebele. However the underlying point is that when taken together, this exciting literature
written by these Ndebele writers in Ndebele and English, speaks for the Ndebeles.
Literature is represented by a tree planted by the bard
of Ndebele literature, Ndabezinhle Sigogo.
If you are interested in the literature and the history
of the Ndebeles, then you can read these books that can be ordered through the Township Square Cultural Centre. A list is
available.
