Gcina Mhlophe did not visit a library until she was 20 years old. There simply weren’t any in the small South African village where she grew up, and the closest one was reserved for White people only. Now an award winning writer and performer, she has spent years touring elementary schools in her homeland, working with children and watching the country and its culture change.
Today, Mhlophe concentrates on oral history, telling stories, anything to teach children to love words and books the way she does. As a child, she saw that rich oral tradition mocked and humiliated by those in power. Today, she celebrates that tradition, while continuing her mission to bring literacy and learning to South Africa.
Guests:
Gcina Mhlophe, storyteller and writer