Die woordrivier : 'n model ter bevordering van gemeenskapseie woordkuns

Abstract

OPSOMMING: Daar is 'n gebrek aan stemme, stories en skrywers in Suid-Afrika wat verteenwoordigend is van verskillende tale, kulture en gemeenskappe. Gemeenskapseie woordkuns is woordkuns, hetsy fiktief of nie, wat uniek is aan spesifieke gemeenskappe. Sodanige woordkuns is 'n uitbeelding van die unieke ruimte en identiteit van diverse taal- en ander gemeenskappe in die land. Die verskeidenheid taal- en kulturele gemeenskappe in die land het naamlik verskillende literêre behoeftes, uniek aan elke gemeenskap. Een van die kernoorsake van die genoemde gebrek is die spanning tussen die mondelinge en skriftelike tradisie wat daar steeds in baie gemeenskappe heers, en bykomend ook 'n sogenaamde sekondêre orale tradisie. Die leesproblematiek wat onder die hedendaagse jeug gevind word, vorm deel van die kompleksiteit van die saak. Indien tekste geskryf word wat 'n verskeidenheid ruimtes en identiteite reflekteer, waarmee meer Suid-Afrikaners vanoor die hele geletterdheidspektrum kan identifiseer, sal dit waarskynlik help om dié problematiek aan te spreek. Gemeenskapseie woordkunsprojekte kan 'n nuwe belangstelling in boeke, lees en skryf stimuleer, maar kan ook dien as refleksie van 'n verskeidenheid identiteite en ruimtes in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie oorsigartikel gaan van die standpunt uit dat dié genoemde spanning tussen geletterdheidsfere eerder ontgin behoort te word as om dit te probeer vermy of uit te wis. Dit is die doel van die artikel om 'n model uiteen te sit, bestaande uit basisbeginsels wat by die bevordering van gemeenskapseie woordkuns in gedagte gehou behoort te word. Dié model behels 'n aantal veranderlikes en is in teorie gefundeer op drie teoretiese velde, naamlik: (1) identiteit en ruimte, (2) die woordkuns met spesifieke verwysing na oraliteit, en (3) gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word, is dat elke projek en inisiatief uniek is en dat beginsels by die situasie aangepas behoort te word. Hoewel baie reeds op die gebied van Afrikaanse en ander woordkunsprojekte gedoen word, is nuwe inisiatiewe nodig wat die woordkuns-potensiaal van veral opkomende gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika ontgin. Daar word verder bevind dat beide oraliteit (primêr en sekondêr) en identiteit 'n sentrale rol in gemeenskappe se woordkuns speel. Identiteit en oraliteit speel dus ook 'n onontbeerlike rol in die aanpak van inisiatiewe ter bevordering van gemeenskapseie woordkuns. ABSTRACT: The river of words : a model for the promotion of community-specific word art Community-specific word art is word art (oral or written) unique to specific communities; a portrayal of the unique space and identity of diverse language and other communities. People should be able to identify with the worlds created in stories. However, there is a dearth of voices, stories and writers in South Africa which are representative of a variety of languages, cultures and communities. The various language and cultural communities in the country have different literary needs, unique to each community. The lack of voices, stories and writers in South Africa that are representative has different causes and consequences. One of the root causes is the tension between the oral and written tradition which still affects many communities, and additionally, a new so-called secondary orality. The issue is further complicated by the lack of a reading culture, especially among the youth. If texts were written that reflected a variety of spaces and identities, and with which more South Africans from across the literacy spectrum could identify, this problem could probably be addressed with greater effect. Community-specific word art projects could stimulate a renewed interest in books, reading and writing. It could also serve as a reflection of a variety of identities and spaces in South Africa. The point of view in this overview article is that the tension between literacy spheres should be utilised in a positive way rather than avoided or erased. South Africa, as part of Africa with its strong oral tradition, has much to offer to a new hybrid form of word art. It would lead to a serious loss of cultural heritage (and property) if these changes, and the accompanying tension, were ignored. The potential of word art and artists in South Africa is possibly precisely in their adaptability to technological changes. Although much is already being done in the area of Afrikaans and other word art projects, new initiatives are needed to develop the word art potential of especially developing communities in South Africa. At present initiatives are focused mainly on three areas of development: formal training (like degree programmes); a general public focus (e.g. writing competitions and short-term courses); and a specific community focus (like storytelling and creative writing projects in communities). An attempt to make word art more accessible may be one reason why a community focus is on the increase with many institutions. This causes a need for research on the promotion of community-specific word art, as well as on models according to which such projects may be approached. This article's goal is to put forward such a model, consisting of basic principles which may be taken into account with the promotion of community-specific word art.