Westerford High School Xhosa and Mr. Cuan Dugmore

In the last few months, I have had the pleasure of being invited to a number of schools to either perform or show my kwaito spoof music video "Ndingumlungu"(viewable at bottom), and then to share my journey with the scholars, and hopefully inspire them to learn Xhosa.

It was a great privilege and I really enjoyed my time with the learners.  Unfortunately due to the new CAPS policy introduced by the Department of Education in the Western Cape, there is now a real threat to Xhosa being taught in many prep schools and even secondary schools.  For a full article on this dilemma, please see here:  http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/there-s-no-time-to-teach-xhosa-1.1220755

Quite a White Ou and UBuntu Bridge hope to play a role in helping to keep Xhosa consciousness alight, respected and given the due importance that it deserves. 

One of the most delightful schools to go speak at is also one of the schools holding the Xhosa torch most brightly alight.  That school is Westerford High in Cape Town and thanks to their fantastic Xhosa teacher Mr. Cuan Dugmore (pictured above)  and the enlightened enthusiasm of many of their students, they have a wonderful Xhosa programme at their school, most of whom are members of the school's Xhosa society, to whom I had the privilege of speaking.

Nina Bloch, one of the learners who also spent a few days interning at UBuntu Bridge, sent me a great letter written by one of her fellow students and this photo (above) of some of the learners with Mr. Dugmore in the Transkei, where they do annual immersion programmes, to connect with the authentic culture and to improve their spoken Xhosa.  Nice one Guys!

Click here to read the letter....  http://ubuntu-bridge.blogspot.com/2012/12/white-youth-bringing-hope-through-xhosa.html

UBuntu Bridge also offers village immersions sporadically.... http://www.learnxhosa.co.za/tours.html

Email us for next dates, or create your own trip.  Any backpacker in the Eastern Cape or 'Transkei' will usually have a village homestay programme.  Take your Xhosa books and go for it!! 

Left:  The Kwaito video that got some things started!