Culture

South African Hollywood actress, Charlize Theron, in trouble for denigrating Afrikaans language

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2022

South African-born Hollywood actress, Charlize Theron, has run into trouble after she allegedly described her native mother tongue Afrikaans, as “a dying language.”

The popular star has had to face a “mountain of criticism” following the comments she made on the SmartLess podcast ’12 minutes in’, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett on Wednesday, where she explained that she grew up speaking only Afrikaans and then learned English when she was 19, which was why she speaks it with an American accent.

She added that Afrikaans was a “dying language” which was “not very helpful” and spoken by “about 44 people,” according to South African media, adding that “some of the millions who do speak Afrikaans in South Africa were angered,” by Theron’s “denigrating” comments.

An angry critic who took offence with Theron wrote on Twitter and said the language is “not dying… there are new songs and poems being written every day, movies made etc”.

Another Twitter commenter wrote that Theron “forgot where she came from. I am Afrikaans and will never talk bad about my mother tongue language! it is a beautiful language! Lots of people wish they could speak or understand it.”

Afrikaans is one of the widely spoken languages in South Africa but according to some, has been highly politicised with its imposition in schools being the main reason behind the 1976 Soweto uprising against the apartheid regime, in which at least 170 people were killed, mostly schoolchildren.

Wikipedia describes Afrikaans as the mother tongue of 13% of South Africans, mainly mixed-race people known as coloureds, and white South Africans who are the descendants of Dutch, German and French settlers who arrived in the 17th Century.

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Culture

Ghana’s Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging anti-LGBT bill

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.

The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.

The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.

The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.

While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.

“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.

The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.

It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.

Culture

UNESCO lists Ghana’s Kente cloth as cultural heritage

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The iconic Ghanaian Kente, a piece of clothing, has been recognized as a cultural heritage on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The global recognition, according to the UN body, is coming under the 2003 Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage highlights the cultural and historical significance of the vibrant, handwoven textile.

In a citation on its website, UNESCO describes the Kente cloth as “originating from Ghana’s Asante and Ewe communities and renowned worldwide for its bold colors, intricate patterns, and deep symbolic meanings, embodying the creativity and identity of the Ghanaian people.”

Ghana’s Tourism Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, described the recognition as a testament to Ghana’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage.

“This achievement places Ghana at the forefront of global efforts to safeguard and celebrate cultural traditions,” he noted.

In a statement acknowledging the recognition, Mercer said the “Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, UNESCO, and the artisans, cultural institutions, and traditional authorities who contributed to this milestone.”

“Special acknowledgement is given to the Bonwire and Agotime communities for their enduring role as custodians of the craft.

“As Ghana celebrates this historic moment, MoTAC reaffirms its dedication to promoting and preserving the nation’s rich cultural legacy.”