Mixo thrives writing in his mother tongue
Author and poet, Mixo Machebe from Ghandlanani village in Giyani, says he writes in Xitsonga because he wants to preserve his heritage.
He released his first publication, Xiondle, a book of poems, in 2021, and in 2023 he released a novel, Ndzhombo, which won an award from Unisa. He has recently released a children’s book, Tintiho ta mina. He says when he was doing his master’s degree in translation at the University of the Witwatersrand, he struggled to get Xitsonga material; it encouraged him to write in the vernacular.
“I saw a gap and a need to write in my mother tongue because there are not enough Xitsonga authors. “Writing in my language allows me to preserve my language and give our people an opportunity to be represented in literature.” Recently his work was recognised at the PanSALB Multilingualism Awards in Durban, where he attained third position in the categories of language and literature, and language activism in Xitsonga.
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He told the Herald that the win encouraged him to write more. “I’m grateful and feel blessed to be recognised for my work and I will continue writing,” he says.
