Learners Develop Praise Singing in Khayelitsha

On 4 to 6 December 2012, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and its partners created opportunities for youths in Khayelitsha to learn to perform poetry and praise songs. During this time, learners at Kwafundo High School participated in a praise singing workshop.

The workshop aimed at fusing the art of poetry with praise singing, and in the process, building on the poetry writing skills the targeted youths developed during an earlier creative writing programme at the school.

Mr Ayanda Tobi of the Directorate: Arts and Culture said one of the benefits of transferring indigenous knowledge to the youth is that it helps to bridge the gap between generations. “The workshop created a foundation for the development of positive self-esteem and creative expression and it provided basic guidelines for performing praise songs,” Tobi said.

The Department showed that it is committed to giving youth opportunities to enhance their praise singing skills and document their own creative work through this series of workshops and other support activities.