On the 11th of August at 19:00, Nokulinda Mkhize’s debut book Ancestory will be profiled and discussed at the Durban International Book Festival this August.
In Ancestory, Nokulinda distils a lifetime of insights from her family and community life, as well as her experience as isangoma, which she has practising since 2008. “I am inspired and honoured to be able to share information, insights and knowledge from my life in my community, and as isangoma, that enriches the quality of people’s lives,” says Nokulinda.
Ancestory is a work of reclamation and remembrance. It draws on the timeless wisdom of African forms of knowing and seamlessly integrates history, research and folklore, as well as centuries of cultural intelligence.
It is also a critique and reflection on the challenges of modern existence and gives context to understand, heal and better honour various aspects of daily life, from health and wealth to relationships and spirit.
“Ancestory covers critical personal and social topics such as family dysfunction and the strain the economy has on our social, family and love lives,” she states. The book also uses various izinganekwane (indigenous folk tales) to reflect on love, life, spirit and community and is packed with research from many African writers and scholars. This is to give readers access to older sources of African history and thinking.
“Ancestory is written to be simple, straightforward and not intimidating because it is meant to serve as a starting point for considering the complexity of our past while gaining intelligence and resilience from our indigenous knowledge to assist in building our future,” explains the mother of four.
The book also dispels common myths and misconceptions, for example, that ubuntu doesn’t have room for the individual. It also puts key African institutions such as eldership into perspective.
Nokulinda says, “I use the examples of Mkabayi, bo rakgadi and omalume to show that we must take up the responsibility of our social obligations as they arise because eldership is inevitable, and that intergenerational care is crucial to the survival and growth of our communities. This is a roadmap of yesterday’s learnings for the journey into tomorrow.”
Ancestory is available at: https://guided.africa for R280.00 and at Amazon.com for readers abroad. The book is also available from Book Circle Capital in Johannesburg and Clarke’s Bookshop in Cape Town.
The Annual Durban International Book Fair will take place at The Globe, Suncoast from 9 to 13 August 2023. Entry is free to all.
