Linda Mtoba On Why It Shouldn’t Be Surprising That She Speaks To Her Biracial Daughter In Vernac. The complex issues of race within an interracial couple will always surface somehow, and it doesn’t get any easier when there are children involved.
Linda Mtoba who is married to a caucasian man and share an adorable baby girl “Bean” took to twitter in a long thread, expressing her opinion of people who are shocked that she speaks or rather teaches Zulu and/or isiXhosa to her daughter as it is part of her heritage.
“Ppl often refer to me speaking to my child ngesiZulu or isiXhosa (my language/home language) as “teaching her” as if it’s not who she is too.” Linda wrote.
She further expressed that even though “Bean” is a baby and she is still learning how to speak, if she has Xhosa/Zulu heritage in her then it’s not teaching her the language but instead just a means of communication.
“In as much as efunda yes, but when you speak to your child in isiZulu or any vernac is not “teaching” it’s a means of communication (niyakhuluma) not out of the ordinary” she said.
The actress concluded the thread by acknowledging that to each his own however, she will make it a point that her child understands every aspect of her culture and not only just speak English.
“One thing I’ve made sure of is my child speaking & understanding her language. Each to his own yes, kodwa lento yokukhuluma isingisi sodwa nengane angiyifuni” Linda said.
By Sinakho Mandla
