Why This Book Exists
UMaru Nabangani Bakhe Bafunda izinhlamvu Zamagama: Maru and Friends Learn the Letters of the Alphabet is not just about teaching children isiZulu—it’s about making sure they love it. As parents, we often dream about where life will take our children—what they’ll grow up to become, the dreams they’ll chase, and the stories they’ll write. Their paths may be unknown, filled with adventure and discovery. But one thing I am certain of: I want my child to feel at home in his own language. I want him to greet the world with the pride of his heritage, to speak his mother tongue with joy and confidence. That’s why I wrote this book—to make learning our language a beautiful part of his journey, so wherever life takes him, he’s always connected to where he comes from.
Rooted and Ready: Preparing Our Children for Both the World and Home
We often prepare our children for boardrooms and global stages, but I also want to prepare my son for local stages, the spaces of his people. I want him to be able to sit under a tree with his elders in some village, listening, understanding, and feeling like he belongs. Learning English expands his world, but knowing isiZulu connects him to his roots.
Speaking to the Creator in One’s Mother Tongue
Above all, I want him to speak to his Creator in his mother tongue—comfortably, with his soul. There’s a quote I once read that says, “If you speak two languages, you have two souls.” And my interpretation of that quote is that language is more than just communication; it’s the essence of who we are.
UMaru Nabangani Bakhe
UMaru Nabangani Bakhe Bafunda Izinhlamvu Zamagama: Maru and Friends Learn the Letters of the Alphabet is more than just learning letters—it’s about laying the foundation for words, for meaning, for identity. Through this book, my mission is to make learning isiZulu fun, engaging, and interactive—so that children don’t just learn the language, but truly embrace and celebrate it.