Below follows a compilation of newspaper articles I authored and online pieces I featured in!
Happy reading!
‘Walk straight’: how small-town residents navigate without street signs and names
This article was published in the Conversation. It discusses the oral way-finding practices of two small towns in the Northern Cape, Ulco and Delportshoop.
‘Straight’ gives distance to travel
This article discusses the varied pronunications of the word ‘straight’ as a distance indicator and the route direction, ‘vra daar voor’!
NRF Youth Month 2022 Edition
I was featured in the 2022 Youth Month edition of the National Research Foundation (NRF). The article explores how my future career aspirations and the multiple Sustainable Development Goals my research contributes to.
Finding your way not always simply straight(forward)
Online version of ‘Straight gives distance to travel.
UWC Documentary highlighting Oppression of the Bushman to be Screened Online
This article was published on the University of the Western Cape’s website. It contextualises the Broken String and provides details of the first virtual screening we held on 25 May 2022.
Northern Cape English sports rich vocabulary
This article was published in NoordKaap Bulletin on 28 April and elaborates on additional Northern Cape English words: 1) June-July, 2) Laptop, 3) My number, 4) Fish oil, 5) Hot stuff and 6) Jam.
Northern Cape ‘English’
This article was published in the ‘Gemsbok’ – a local newspaper based in Upington, Northern Cape.
It gives 6 examples of English words/phrases in the Northern Cape that have localised meanings.
Redefining ‘madam’
This piece addresses the need to redefine two labels: ‘Madam’ and ‘mosadi o senang matsogo’ (a woman without hands).
These are two labels used by some in the South African society to describe women who refuse to or simply can not complete labour intensive domestic chores.
White people’s food
This article provides a critique at what is considered White people’s food vs Black people’s food.
“When are you trying again”?
“When are you trying again?”…
A question typically asked to parents who unexpectedly lost an unborn child. This article explores why this is such a difficult question to respond to.
Stillbirth
This article questions why pregnancy loss is considered a taboo topic in South Africa.
Northern Cape towns’ nicknames
This article explores how Northern Cape residents’ bottom-up oral naming practices forms part of South Africa’s renaming process.
2 litre bottles as scarecrows
This article explores how Northern Cape residents use 2 litre bottles in their gardens in two manners: Firstly, as scarecrows with the hope to deter dogs from defecating on their lawns. Secondly, Northern Cape residents also use 2 litre bottles are used to decorate their gardens.
Lorato Mokwena 