The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr. Gayton McKenzie, will lead a special celebration in honour of Ouma Katrina Essau on Thursday, 24 April 2025, at the Upington Inn in the Northern Cape. Ouma Katrina is widely recognised as a Living Human Treasure and a revered figure in the preservation of the N|uu language and Khoi-San cultural heritage.
This event, held in partnership with the Northern Cape Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), and the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, will pay tribute to Ouma Katrina’s extraordinary efforts in safeguarding and promoting the N|uu language, as well as Khoi-San literature and culture.
The N|uu language, classified by the United Nations as critically endangered, was officially declared extinct in 1973 following the systematic marginalisation of indigenous languages under apartheid and the enforced dominance of Afrikaans in public and economic life. Ouma Katrina stands among the last fluent speakers who played a vital role in reviving this ancient San language. Recognising the urgent need to preserve her mother tongue, she dedicated herself to teaching N|uu to both children and adults in her community, ensuring that this invaluable oral tradition is passed on to future generations.
Her unwavering commitment has also contributed significantly to the development of a multilingual N|uu dictionary, funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, which serves as a critical resource in ongoing language preservation efforts.
Significantly, the event also forms part of South Africa’s Freedom Month commemorations, an opportunity to reflect on untold stories and celebrate unsung heroes and heroines who have shaped the nation’s cultural and historical landscape. The preservation and promotion of the N|uu language remain central to the identity and heritage of the San people, reinforcing the need to protect and uplift indigenous knowledge systems.
Date: Thursday, 24 April 2025
Time: 11h00
Venue: Upington Inn, Northern Cape Province.
Image: news.uct.ac.za
