Language Teacher Gets to The Top

Maokela Nthako is a woman with a love for her language, Sesotho, and she has a goal to spread the message about the importance of indigenous languages among the youth.

“Sesotho is my passion and my professional tool. I love my mother tongue because through it, I can show my pride in my culture.

Nthako, who lives in Mantsubise village in QwaQwa where she teaches Sesotho at Selelekela Secondary School in Phuthaditjhaba township, is studying towards developing the Sesotho language and its literature.

The teacher obtained her Master of Arts degree in African languages during a graduation ceremony at the University of the Free State’s QwaQwa campus on Saturday.

The title of her research thesis is: The structural analysis and interpretation of a Sesotho folktale called Mokoko le Phakwe.

Her work was supervised by UFS QwaQwa campus principal Dr Nyefolo Malete. Mokoko le Phakwe is Sesotho tale about a fight between a cock and a hawk.

In this folktale a cock borrows the hawk’s needle and loses it. Because the cock has failed to return the needle, the hawk compensates for the lost needle by preying on chicks from the cock’s family.

This folklore shows how the life of young chicks can be in danger because of their parents” mistakes. “I used this folktale because it sends a message to people to return what is borrowed.By not doing so you will end up suffering and making your family victims,” said Nthako.

The course demanded hard work, she said. “I did a lot of research. It took me two years.” Nthako was born on September 10, 1964 at Paul Roux township in the Free State.

She is the daughter of Majwalane and the late Monnamoholo Lephuting, and is married with three sons.

She matriculated in 1994 from Sebabatso Secondary School at Montsha Village, in QwaQwa. She graduated with a BA degree, majoring in Sesotho and Afrikaans, in 1998.

The same year she obtained a higher education diploma. Nthako worked at the UFS QwaQwa campus on a part-time basis, lecturing in Sesotho methodology.

Always ready to talk about her passion for indigenous languages, Nthako said: “It came from my parents. They always said, ”in order to know your roots, you must know your language first”.