Valuing your tradition, culture and language.

I am a Zulu woman. I have the body of the body of a Zulu woman. Umhlanga was something I went to before I did the sin in the Bible and what is wrong in my culture (losing my virginity.) The first words I learnt to say were mama, baba meaning mommy and daddy in my Zulu language. Because my parents wanted us to go to schools that they thought were schools of better education I was sent to a private Afrikaans English school. This did not change the fact that I was a Zulu girl who did her rituals. A girl who knew her language very well. I learnt the Boers and the English way of living, I was forced to forget my language and learn theirs. But one thing I never forgot was, I’m still a Zulu girl. My dad always told us that as soon as we leave the school gates we tune into what him and my mother taught us. That is what has made me value my culture and language till this day. Go on as much as you like that times have changed, but as far as I’m concerned your identity is formed by these aspects of your life. Knowing your roots, your family history is a very important thing. I have nothing against English, my point is that, speak the language threw your noise but don’t forget your language. Don’t forget who you are, where you from. This is to young people who want to forget that they have they own culture, language and traditions. But are quick in following and telling you more about other people’s cultures.