Commemoration Of International Mother Tongue Day

By: Dr. Paula O.M.Otukile

Dr. Paula O.M.Otukile hails from Mahalapye village in Botswana. She is an international award winning author of mother tongue book named Thato wishes to be a butterfly or Thato O Eletsa Go Nna Serurubele, the book scooped an award in Xilumani Hotel in Giyani two months ago precisely on the 29th December 2024.

Dr Otukile said that the award brings so much joy in her career of writing as it is a milestone to highlight an indigenous language in this modern age an era whereby to be modern one is seen with constant use of English locally.

Dr Otukile wrote Thato Unavela Ku Vha Phaphatani in July 2023. She said she just chose xitsonga as it was a language closer to her heart in terms of her South African literature circle. She donated hundred  of these books to a primary school in Phomolong in Tembisa in Ekhuruleni manucipality in Gauteng province in South Africa.

Dr Otukile said the Xitsonga literary awards were a milestone as she met passionate authors and poets who made her to think about doing more nationally not just locally.

Dr Otukile is the founder of Mulher Forte African literature and Francistown international book festival, which brings African authors under one roof to network and to grow their craft while benchmarking on how to increase sales of books and personal brands.

She further said the use of internet and modern technology has boosted her literacy campaigns as a community Mobiliser in terms of human rights issues. She has written a series of books still on the character Thato, which are; Thato ‘s mother got cancer to raise awareness on cancer disease. Anothe book is called Thato is HIV positive, Thato is on PMTCT, Thato is On ARV And Luisa  is positively living with HIV.

These are HIV awareness campaigns. She also wrote a book called Thato Lost her leg, a book about a young girl who was running and got hit by a car after school, this book talks about dangerous behavior on roads, drink and driving, and lack of observing road signs which leads to accidents. The Last book still on Thato series is Thato got her period which tells a story of a teenage girl who got her period for the first time. This book raises awareness about Menstruation and the importance of the book is to give information to the girls who get period for the first time.

The International Mother tongue comes at a time that authors needs a solid sup from the government and parastatals because alone they cannot win the battle of promoting indigenous and culture.

She also applauded a numerous international representatives locally who continues to fund and help the arts and culture as the sales of books in Africa is declining more as years pass but the partnership of books and literacy campaigns has uplifted the career of many writers.

Dr Otukile is a well known winner of book awards, public speaking and international Gender based violence activist who has been on several international courtesy calls to UNICEF, German Embassy, Indian embassy, European Union, Zambia embassy in Botswana to name but a few, and continues to promote literature locally and internationally. She has a book club initiative called Read Africa Bala “RAB” .