A Bulawayo musician is set to release a 10-track IsiNdebele children’s folk album later this month aimed at making learning more engaging while promoting the use of the language and preserving indigenous knowledge.
The album, Kufundwa Kudlalwa (Learning Through Play), is expected to be released by the end of July after nearly seven years in development.
The project covers everyday educational topics, including the days of the week, months of the year, the alphabet, numbers, domestic animals, wild fruits, constellations, seasons and cardinal points, all presented through folk songs in IsiNdebele.
Speaking to CITE, musician Sijabuliso O. Ndwalaza Dube said the album was inspired by the belief that children learn best through play.
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“The album seeks to foster a love for and proper use of IsiNdebele, especially among elementary and primary school-aged children, though it will also benefit older people,” he said.
Dube said the idea for the project was shaped by his experiences as a father, describing how singing, storytelling and playing with his children inspired many of the songs.
“Fatherhood sparked creativity because I had to play with my children, especially my first-born, who cried a lot in infancy. In the course of entertaining them I would sing for them, tell stories and folktales,” he said.
He added that memories of songs sung during his childhood, particularly at school sporting events, also influenced the album.
Dube said his own struggles with memory during his school years informed the educational approach behind the project.
“I have always been terribly forgetful and I had to mentally ‘play’ some of the information as a coping strategy. That helped me grasp certain concepts,” he said.
According to Dube, work on the album began in 2018 before recording started in 2024.
He said one of the biggest challenges was his lack of formal music training, which required him to adapt his compositions during production.
“My producers and my friend, Mgcini Nxumalo, guided me through the recording process and also taught me how to work with children who had no musical background,” he said.
Rather than holding a conventional launch event, Dube said the album would be introduced through an online campaign on social media.
“There will be an online exposition about it on our social media pages, nothing fancy, no pomp and no fanfare,” he said.
Looking ahead, Dube said he hoped Kufundwa Kudlalwa would encourage more creators to produce educational content for children while strengthening the use of IsiNdebele and preserving indigenous knowledge systems.
He also urged parents and guardians to spend more time interacting with children despite the growing influence of digital technology.
“People should take time to play and have fun with children in a world where information and communication technologies are compromising social relations that are vital to the survival and continuity of moral values and society,” he said.
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