This episode of African Face, Colonial Tongue extends the conversation on language, culture, and identity. Host Serati, the project’s writer and star, explores the profound inner conflict of those with competing cultural identities. Serati shares her own story of her mother tongue, which she describes as the “smallest part” of her. We also hear from Tshiamo, who started school towards the end of apartheid and found herself “living in linguistically two worlds”. Alfie shares his experience of feeling like a “foreigner” in both his homeland of Kenya and in South Africa. Another guest, Aphendule, discusses how a traditional rite of passage helped him gain a “deeper understanding about who I am” and where he comes from. The episode explores the legacy of apartheid and colonialism, questioning the concept of a binary identity and highlighting the richness of African languages and cultures.

Key Moments & Timestamps

00:00 - 04:14 : Serati discusses her mother tongue becoming “diminished” and the dominance of English, which became the language in which she identified with herself and made sense of the world. She then reflects on whether there is “still space” and “relevancy” in her life for her own mother tongue and culture.

04:15 - 16:54 : Tshiamo talks about her parents’ desire for her and her siblings to be educated in English-speaking schools. She describes growing up in two different worlds—the underprivileged, exclusively Black environment of her township and the privileged, White-dominated environment of her private school.

16:55 - 33:59 : Alfie shares his experience of growing up in a mixed cultural environment and his journey through a traditional rite of passage, which helped him find a “sincere humility and understanding” of his identity. He discusses the importance of language as a “key to actually penetrate into that culture”. Aphendule also talks about his sense of responsibility and how his experience has made him want to use his privilege to help his community.

34:00 - 52:16 : Aphendule, whose family migrated from Kenya due to political trouble , talks about feeling like a foreigner in both Kenya and South Africa because he doesn’t speak his native language. Alfie shares a story about his family’s Lobola ceremony and how it helped him understand that culture is about the lessons passed down through traditions, not just language or skin color. Alfie reflects on how cultural traditions allow people to avoid mistakes of past generations and connect with their family history.

Featured Guests

Serati: South African artist and “artivist,” writer, and star of the African Face, Colonial Tongue film and podcast.

Tshiamo: Serati’s older sister, who started school towards the end of apartheid.

Alfie: A man whose family migrated from Kenya to South Africa due to political turmoil.

Aphendule: A South African who shares his experience with a traditional rite of passage that helped him to understand his roots and identity.