The Morning Cruise: Khoi language week

KHOI FIRST NATION LANGUAGE WEEK

The Annual International KhoikKhoi Nation Language week 2022 seeks to celebrate and awake a First language of Southern Africa. The words of Sarah Baartman, Krotoa, David Stuurman and Doman.

In light of this, the Morning cruise show was joined via telephone by Denver. One of the founders and a Khoi speaking individual himself. His positive energy spread right through the call and opened up the ears of many listeners regarding his involvement with one of the first indigenous languages.

This year’s theme is U-KHAI TE, ‘lift me up’. KHOIKHOI language week is a whole week dedicated to celebrating KHOIKHOI by incorporating her more into our everyday lives. Denver started off by saying that a lot of the work they do today is to challenge a lot of the colonial trauma that has happened and is still happening today within the coloured community. He continued and said that personally everyone is allowed to claim their own name and identity and that is something that he felt was stripped from people.

Khoi identity means “people” and that connects them to a heritage. Going into depth, Denver said that in 1852 when Jan van Riebiek wnted to erase the language from “everyone’s toungues”. When they wanted to erase peoples language was really just removing peoples voice and also identity. By taking away the old-first language, the colonisers rook away peoples land and took away their opinions.

Reconnecting with Khusi, they continued their conversation by heading into what the khoi nation language is about, Denver responded by saying it was really a celebration of Khoi language. It is just a project to highlight where most of the languages we use today has come from. Sadly over 300 years a lot was removed from the original language but there are still people that remembers these words and it’s important for people to corporate this few words in schools.

Denver mentioned that after 1994 that the government was under a lot pressure in deciding whether or not to incorporate and make it an official language. Sadly the government did not want to open themselves up to the hurt and genocide that has happened over the past years. He also says that many people should learn and feel that they have learnt part of the struggle.

If anyone wants to join they can contact him on 0813542915 or email him on breda2001@gmail.com