The first multilingual children’s book in Khoe and San languages, titled “Dantagos”, was launched by the Pan South African Language Board in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Academic and the Non-Fiction Authors Association of South Africa.
THE FIRST multilingual children’s book in Khoe and San languages, titled “Dantagos”, was launched by the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of South Africa (Anfasa).
The book, whose title translates to “I have won” in English, aims to promote Khwedam, IXuhnthali, and Nama languages simultaneously, thereby contributing to nation-building, social cohesion, and practical multilingualism.
The launch coincided with the unveiling of the department’s Publishing Hub for 2024/25, which seeks to highlight untold stories, celebrate South African heritage, and empower local authors to publish books in their mother tongue.
The CEO of PanSALB, Lance Schultz, highlighted that the multilingual book was developed through the collaborative efforts of language practitioners and experts in Khwedam, Nama, and IXuhnthali.
“PanSALB’s mission includes addressing the representation of marginalised languages to ensure equality and respect, particularly in education. The publication aims to provide opportunities for Khoe and San communities, reflecting their rich history and culture and thereby advancing and supporting cultural and linguistic restoration amongst the communities by embracing unity in diversity through the respective languages,” said Schultz.
“The book represents a significant step in restoring the dignity of Khoe and San communities and shaping a narrative that reflects the nation’s spirit. It is important that we redress the past imbalances and encourage the use of endangered Indigenous languages in the country. Additionally, the current focus to develop newly established orthography and spelling rules for these languages will help regulate their formal use through cross-border relationships with nearby SADC countries.”
