THABA NCHU: SLOWLY MAKING ITS MARK!

By TEBOHO MASAKALA (Novelist and short story writer)

Due to my work as a journalist for Mangaung Issue I interview a lot of people, from national celebrities to ordinary local people. In one of my interviews I remember during the Macufe auditions on 16 September 2011 at Mmabana cultural centre in Thaba Nchu, I came across the acclaimed actor Mr. Babes Mphatseng who is renowned for his character as Phineus in the Sabc 2 comedy drama Moferefere Lenyalong (trouble at a wedding).

While I was interviewing him I asked him what he thought about arts in Thaba Nchu, his answer was obvious like the rest: “dead!!” He told me that Thaba Nchu is dry while they have a centre that could help develop young artists. I looked at him and I agreed it is “dry while it is paradoxically filled with talent" it could use to develop it (even though it has more than 130 years in existence). I realise the poetry and writing talent we have in Thaba Nchu is enormous.

We have so many poets, both in English and Sesotho but most of them do it for enjoyment, some want to publish books but when I intermittently ask them how far are they with them, they tell me they are still writing but had to stop as they are still busy with this and that - and at the ultimate end they join a number of people who say Thaba Nchu is dry and talentless and literature is dead. Many say writers are there, but what is the use of being a writer in Thaba Nchu?

I disagree most of the time as many great people who have gone down in history come from poor places, the likes of Jacob Zuma, Nelson Mandela and other great names who became icons and heroes despite coming from poor places. I am proud to say that this year alone, three writers penned books in Thaba Nchu; we have Sechaba Marumo with his beautiful debut book “Be the best you can be” and Michael Seisho who is a teacher also published his debut book called “They call themselves bo tau bo bla wee (township slang) and yours truly Teboho Masakala with my second book titled ‘Through it all” which is now available at Motheo FET College Library.

The bible tells us about the place Jesus was born Bethlehem in Judea. The place was undermined, looked down upon and seen as a place where nothing good came from, but the birth of Jesus changed it all as a Messiah was born in the very same backwater, hated and undermined place.

With the exciting establishment of these three authors mentioned above, this shows that Thaba Nchu has come out tops this year as far as publishing books is concerned. We are finding our feet in the literary world although it is not easy being an author in Thaba Nchu as the support is somehow limited good compared to the entertainment that is madly loved. But we must note that one cannot force a person to read, write and buy books, it has to be one’s decision.

We are starting to make our mark in the writing world, Sechaba Marumo is one of the best.; he loves Thaba Nchu so much that he even included it in his book in the introductory part. He loves the place where his identity was forged; where he got his education and writing foundation. Need we say more about Teboho Masakala’s love for Thaba Nchu also? (laugh)

Enthusiasm, zeal and love help develop writing at grass roots level and inspire the young ones who want to be great writers. I love and respect the progress of Bloemfontein and I call it Free State’s heart (hub) of literature with lots of writing clubs and poetry sessions.

We have powerful female poets like Charmaine Mrwebi who continues to motivate writers in general. Charmaine is from Thaba Nchu but based in the city of Roses. I look at Bloemfontein for inspiration and use that inspiration to turn my home town (Thaba Nchu) like it.

I agree we still have a lot to learn, and it’s going to be a long journey but we will not despair, we will not give up, we shall take our stand in the literature world, we shall fight for the land of Thaba Nchu to be heard, counted, not to be underestimated but to be recognised. We shall take the weapon of expression which is the pen and fight to give our place a name amongst the great!

- Teboho Masakala, ”proudly Thaba Nchu” has already published two books, and is working on other manuscripts. Email comments to tebohomasakala@yahoo.com or facebook: Teboho Masakala