“Language contributes to a community’s sense of place, identity, and social practices. Thus, memorialisation of the grave of Magrieta “Hlabi” Jantjties brings into focus a diminishing community and culture’s sense of place. The inscription of the N|uu Language on a grave of one the last community members to speak the language (the first in the country) was a milestone in contributing to restoring to the N|uu. In its discussion of the N|uu, the UNESCO notes, “A lost language is not only lost cultural heritage, it is also lost traditional knowledge, such as precious knowledge about medicinal herbs or local species or environment. Thus, with each language that disappears, humanity is impoverished in manifold ways.”[1]
The grave of Magrieta “Hlabi” Jantjies, is, therefore, both of historic and social importance to not just the Khoisan community, but to the South African community as a whole. As one of the last speakers her grave brings into the public consciousness important aspects about the South African past. The near extinction of the language speaks to the legacy of colonialism and apartheid, of land dispossession, coerced assimilation, forced labour, neglect and migration amongst others. The extinction of the language in a democratic dispensation as a lived community experience, further reflects the depth of this legacy. While fragments of the N|uu language are in the process of being recovered, several words from its vocabulary have been lost thus extinguishing part of the richness and diversity of our heritage tapestry. Thus, her grave is of cultural significance as it foregrounds a forgotten aspect of South African history.”
[1] The #Khomani Community of South Africa mourns one of the last N|uu language speakers, http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/dynamic-content-single-view… [Accessed 20 February 2020]
