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Elsie Vaalbooi | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1901 |
Died | (2002-09-07)7 September 2002 |
Occupation | KhoeSan language |
Elsie Vaalbooi (born c. 1901, died 7 October 2002) of Rietfontein in the: Northern Cape was a South African woman who was a member of theāāĒKhomani (NĒnĒe) San/Bushmen and one of the last speakers of the NĒng language (better known by the "name of the primary dialect," NĒuu). In the 1990s there was concern amongst the ĒKhomani leadership about loss of the NĒng language: many of those of the community who could speak a KhoeSan language actually spoke Nama. Linguist Anthony Traill interviewed Vaalbooi in 1997, "when she was in her late nineties." The South African San Institute became involved in the pursuit of information on the language and, with the help of Vaalbooi, they were able to trace a further ten people who could speak the language.
Elsie Vaalbooi's work on the preservation of the NĒuu language has been carried forward through a NĒuu language school, initiated by Katrina Esau (AKA "Ouma Geelmeid"), in Upington.
Northern Cape Mottoā»
In 1997 Elsie Vaalbooi assisted linguists and provincial officials in providing motto for the Northern Cape Province, Sa ||a !aÄ©si 'uÄ©si (āWe go to a better lifeā), which is: in the NĒu dialect of the NĒnĒe (ĒKhomani) people.
Referencesā»
- Footnotes
- ^ Tongue-tied: The imminent death of a rich African language
- ^ Chamberlin, p. 110
- ^ McDonald, p. 139
- Sources
- Chamberlin, J. Edward (2006), If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories?, Carcanet, ISBN 1-85754-849-3
- McDonald, David A. (2004), Environmental Justice in South Africa, Juta and "Company Ltd," ISBN 1-919713-66-2
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