Popular and talented storyteller Gcina Mhlophe will be sharing tales about preserving nature in the coming weeks.
Mhlophe, best known for izingwanekwane (African traditional folk tales), is scheduled to perform storytelling sessions to teach communities about preserving the Earth at the two-week 17th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) that starts on Monday.
African culture teaches children that they must not listen to tales during the day because they will “grow horns”, but Mhlophe has encouraged many storytelling enthusiasts, who are inspired by her zest for the oral tradition.
I recall waking up every Saturday morning and running to my hi-fi to hear Mhlophe tell the stories of The Princess and the Frog and The Singing Chameleon.
I was seven and it was music to my ears.
So it’s on the basis of my experience that I predict that this is going to be an electrifying experience for young children – and the young at heart.
Mhlophe is well known and respected for keeping history alive in the oral tradition.
Talking about the climate change conference, she said her role was to teach people about the importance of preserving nature.
“We can not sit around and do nothing while the Earth we are living on becomes a threat to us.
“We should teach people about climate change. We should take charge,” she said.
In almost all her stories, she tells about nature-related incidents – for example, her traditional tales of the tortoise and the rabbit, and an ancient tree that could walk.
But this time she has prepared an interesting story entitled Reclaiming our future, which she will perform in various commu-nities including KwaMashu, Stanger, Camperdown, Umlazi and Umgababa.
She will also tell her stories at the Botanic Gardens and Durban Green Hub (Blue Lagoon) and hold workshops focusing on the impact of climate change and global warming.
“We need to take precautions – starting by caring for the beautiful things Mother Earth has given us,” said Mhlophe.
The outspoken and sharp-witted Hammarsdale-born artist said people should not panic and that the world was not coming to an end.
Unlike many of us who were not fortunate enough to have old people around who knew the old stories, Mhlophe was raised by her grandmother who, she said, gave her a gift to treasure. Credit should go to her gogo, she said.
Mhlophe has written many children’s books and short stories, including Have you seen Zandile?
She has also produced and performed on a CD for children with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and written music for the SABC children’s show Gcina and Friends.
In 2000 she released an award-winning storytelling CD called Fudukazi’s Magic for German audiences.
And in 2001 her CD and book Nozincwadi: Mother of Books was produced as part of her nationwide reading road show to rural schools.
Her work has received an award from BBC Africa Service for Radio Drama, The Fringe First Award in the Edinburgh Festival, the Joseph Jefferson Award in Chicago, and an Obie Award (for Off-Broadway Theatre) in New York.
After a long exhausting year away from home, Mhlophe said after COP17 workshops, she wouldn’t be performing anywhere, but would be spending quality time with her family in Durban.