Hello there, Athandiwe Sikade, winner of Nali´bali’s national storytelling competition Story Bosso

Athandiwe Sikade

How did you hear about the competition?

– We were told by our class teacher who is responsible for the Nal’ibali reading club in my school. I asked my teacher to organize a form for me to enter.

How did you enter?

– Mr. Kamohelo Ramaipato (Nal’ibali Literacy Mentor who oversees clubs in the area) had auditions at our school.

Why did you choose your story?

– I like reading stories and listening to them during Listening & Speaking as well as during shared reading and read aloud periods. I was so attached to this story when it was read by my class teacher to us. The main character in the story makes every listener laugh a lot when they listen to what he does. I wanted to go and read it myself. I enjoyed it and asked my teacher to allow me to read it to the class. The class liked my reading and my body language and I was inspired by their response. They wanted me to read this story over and over again to them and I ended telling it instead of reading it. It is a very interesting story that one must listen to and you can also laugh a lot if you can listen to me telling it. (The story is called Umboleki)

What is your story about?

– The story is about the man who always wants people to give him whatever they have – He does not have a proper way of asking them- He always uses words like, ‘borrow this, give me this and give me that,’ The sad part of this is when he does not understand why all these people do not want to give him what he is asking for.

What is your storytelling background?

– I don’t have much to say about my background. All I know is that I used to listen to the reading club members when they gather in my class for their reading club sessions. I love them when they share stories read from different story books and when they tell stories that they heard from other reading clubs.

We have news time every morning in my class. That is one of my favourite times of my schooling. I enjoy sharing what I saw, however, I also enjoy sharing what I read. One day I was asked to tell and interpret the story that was read by my classmate from the Bible during the assembly.

How do you plan to use your talent / prize?

– I would use it to improve my future and talent, and to empower myself.

Athandiwe Sikade in front.