Animation useful in promoting local language, culture

Animator and Multimedia artist Claire Dongo said animated films can be used to teach and promote local languages and culture to younger generation.
Dongo who spoke at the Nafuna Animation Campus workshop held on Tuesday as part of the ongoing Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF) themed “Documation” said animators should consider working on more projects to achieve this.
“Animated series can help in teaching children our languages and culture. Filmmakers therefore need to take it seriously and become very active participants,” she said.
In Zimbabwe there is cultural diversity and it has 16 official languages which are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, and sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa.
Dongo however said the drive to work on animated projects is being thwarted by unavailability of funding.
“My passion is to do animated films that teach and promote Southern African countries languages. At the moment bread and butter issues are making it difficult to jump into that project,” she said
“The animation films we watched when we grew up were American and taught us the American culture and languages. If we get funds we will work on more projects since we have the knowledge and skills needed. I have spoken to various producers who include the Nafuna TV and ComExposed.”
Dongo has been in the animation industry for 9 years and she took part in the production of Gava, Ingwe neMunhu, an animated music video based on the song Mutongi Gava by Zvishavane Sounds.