“Know your family praise name,” says DJ Madumane

Rejecting your culture, language and ethnicity does not mean you’re more educated, warns popular Ligwalagwala FM breakfast show host DJ Madumane.

Madumane, whose real name is Dumisani Similane, is using the SiSwati language radio station to educate young people about the importance of culture and heritage as part of heritage month in September.

“Many young people just end up being fakes and pretenders. It starts with a black person pretending not to understand an Nguni or other African language by always speaking English with an American accent and thinking that people are stupid! Speaking English does not mean someone is intelligent,” he said.

Madumane instead encourages young people to integrate their heritage with modern lifestyles and technology.

He said many of his listeners have been logging on to www.wakahina.co.za, a website that helps people discover their family praise names.

In African tradition, people celebrate their family names by chanting a poem that honours their ancestors and explains the meaning of their surnames.

“I encourage young people to also teach one another about their roots by organising and facilitating cultural activities in their churches, schools or forming cultural clubs that can be supervised by an elder who’s well-versed in cultural issues,” said Madumane.

One of Madumane’s fans, Precious Nkosi, 25, from KaNyamazane, said she had already started learning about her own heritage and family praise name.

“DJ Madumane encouraged me to interact with my grandmother so that I can learn more about my culture. I now understand that Nkosi is the same as Dlamini,” she said

The DJ has also been attending cultural functions in his community to learn more history from the elders.

He said his family was instrumental in ensuring that he grew up a cultured young man.

“I’ve been doing praise singing since the age of four, thanks to my granny who taught me this valuable practise at such a very young age,” he said.

Madumane then launched into a praise song that celebrates his own clan.

Simelane NaboNgwane NaboNkosi,

Mpempe kalokotfako,

Mnguni wasebuhleni,

Mtungwa naboNkhosi naboNtjingila,

Ndlebezimchewane zachewulwa magundwane,

Nndlebezikhanya lilanga ninematalankhosi,

Ndlovu zidlekhaya ngokweswelumelusi bhozongo…

Ngiwaka Simelane ngumuhle ungamangali vele tsine benguni siso.

Share the Love	Get Free Updates
Tweet