Empowering Zimbabweans through the use of Indigenous languages in the media : a case of selected newspapers

Abstract

This study explores the extent to which the use of indigenous languages in the publications of Kwayedza and uMthunywa has contributed to the empowerment of the indigenous people. It is informed by the idea that language is an important instrument of development which can either facilitate participation or engender exclusion, bringing about agency thereby inspiring a transformational and participative agenda. Given that the media plays a major role in informationdissemination, this study engages an important subject which has often been given cursory attention. The study is guided by the post-colonial theoretical framework. It employs the mixed methods approach which is premised on the assumption that life is characterised by complex realities which can be understood using multiple approaches. As such, elements of both quantitative and qualitative research are used. Findings revealed that the use of indigenous languages empower readers through making information accessible in a language that makes sense to them. The collected data also show that the newspapers are pivotal in resuscitating the indigenous languages that have been overshadowed by the hegemonic English. They promote the values, norms and general cultural features of indigenous people. Above all, the papers provide curriculum-specific columns for school going children. However, these newspapers are found wanting with regards to the scope of their coverage. Their coverage tends to concentrate on the socio-cultural lives of people at the expense of scientific, technological, political and economic issues. Furthermore, the papers‟ handling of the history of the nation is simplistic and lacks depth. In addition, issues of spirituality also tend to be concerned with the negative (witchcraft, bogus prophets and traditional healers) than the positive aspects. The study recommends a conversion of the papers from tabloid to a genre that accommodates politico-economic, scientific and technological news the social interest stories already being covered in these indigenous language papers; the development of orthographies of other local languages to avoid having Shona and Ndebele being the only indigenous languages that are used in these papers and that the papers present the best of all aspects of the Zimbabwean cultural heritage to restore the indigenous people‟s belief and respect in themselves. The study also suggests that the two papers and many more that are to come in indigenous languages, must showcase, develop, promote and institutionalise the positive aspect of the Zimbabwean cultural heritageand the infusion of all dimensions of indigenous knowledge systems into the current set-up.