One of the first Nama children's books published in South Africa, titled “My Third Ouma,” has now seen the light.
Emerging from the 2024 “Vroedvrou” film documentary by University of Pretoria Professor Siona O’Connell, the ground-breaking children’s book was launched in Kuboes in the Northern Cape.
The book delves into the heart of a Nama midwife's legacy. Ten-year-old Sonnetjie, entrusted to the care of Ouma Toesie, witnesses first-hand the wisdom and healing hands of a traditional midwife.
As Sonnetjie’s mother prepares to give birth, the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a community deeply rooted in tradition.
The book pays homage to the invaluable contributions of Nama midwives, whose knowledge is slowly fading away in the face of modern medicine.
Professor Loretta Feris, Vice Principal: Academic at Tuks, and Professor O’Connell worked with Alicia English and Leanne Feris to produce the book, which was translated into Afrikaans and Nama.
O’Connell said: “This book responds to so many different threads that are of deep significance in a place such as the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape. It speaks of heritage and history, indigenous knowledge systems, and mother tongue learning.”
She has a particular interest in early childhood literacy and mother-tongue learning, so being able to see this book from concept to launch has been deeply rewarding for her in the sense that this University of Pretoria team is intervening in impactful ways.
The book was hand-illustrated by Rosa Shepherd and Nicola Visser, who worked closely with O’Connell. Indigenous plants were researched, and the characters in the book were based on Feris’s earlier research as well as O’Connell’s work in Paulshoek.
The launch in Kuboes was co-hosted with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and is part of a community engagement collaboration between the university, the department, and the Richtersveld World Heritage Site committee.
As emphasised by the documentary, “Vroedvrou,” giving birth is the epitome of challenge for a woman. Often, modern medical care lets new mothers down when they need the support the most. That is where traditional midwives fill the gap that is left by modern medical support.
While the traditional midwife practice is not legally protected, the documentary highlights the importance of preserving the knowledge and practices that these midwives have gathered and refined over centuries of experience and hard work.
The book is co-published by ESI Press and The Olive Exchange and is available for free to download in three languages.
Pretoria News
zelda.venter@inl.co.za