Prof DS Matjila (Setswana) Language Head

Qualifications

• PhD African Languages (UNISA, 2009) 

NRF Rating

Currently teaching

Fields of academic interests

Research interests

• African Literature
• 2 Cultural History
• Biographical studies 

Field of Specialisation

• African Literature
• Cultural History

Books

Book chapters

• 2012. Lover of his people: A biography of Sol Plaatje: Wits press.
• 2015. Bringing Plaatje back Home-Ga e phetsolele nageng: Africa World Press, Trenton, New Jersey
• Language and literature books: Setswana Tota grade 4 - 6
• Monate wa Setswana grade 7 - 12
• Setswana se se Monate grade 7 - 12
• Ditharabololo: Setswana grade 10 - 12

Journal articles

• 2004. An Exploratory study of Grade 8 reading skills in Setswana and English. Per Linguam: A journal of Language learning Volume. Volume 20. Matjila and Pretorius
• 2007. Some Aspects of Batswana traditional beliefs as reflected by intertextual analysis of Mothoagae’s poetry. SAJAL.Volume 27. Number 1 2007. Matjila
• 2008. Sound and RepetitSouion as Metaphor markers in  Raditladi’s work “Aferika” MUZIKI Journal of Music Research in Africa. Volume 5 (Number 2).Matjila
• 2008. Teaching for Cultural Relevance and Restoration in the Multi-Lingual South African Setting.  Alterantion Journal Volume 15 (Number 2). Matjila and Haire
• 2008. Representations of cattle and comfort in Setswana life and Oral literature,  MUZIKI Journal of Music Research in Africa. Volume 5 (Number 2).Matjila and Haire
• 2009. Analogy and intertextuality in Setswana oral/written poetic diction. MUZIKI Journal of Music Research in Africa. Volume 6 (Number 1).Matjila
• 2010. The Cattle Motif in Sol T. Plaatje’s Publications in English: Re-Storying the African and Batswana Sensibilities. Journal of Black studies. Matjila and Haire
• 2011. Music in Poetry: Poem in the Story. MUZIKI, Journal of Music Research in Africa Volume 7(2) Matjila
• 2012. Socio-Cultural dimensions of Raditladi’s poetry: Reflections from Selected poems SAJAL Volume 32(1) 2012
• 2012.  Poetry and Patronage: Historical Vision of Raditladi’s Sefalane sa Menata Journal of Literary Studies,Volume 28, Number (2) June 2012.
• 2013. A World of Contrasts: Traditional Love and Marriage versus Modern Troubadour Love in L. D. Raditladi’s Selelo sa morati (A Lover’s Lament) South African Journal of Folklore Society Volume 23(2)
• 2015. Birds as subjects in Setswana folklore: Depiction of their relationship to man. SAJAL. Volume 35(1)
• 2016. Glorification and castigation of birds through song in Ssetswana folk-stories DS Matjila
• 2017. Images of traditional Setswana time concepts in DPS Monyaise’s novels DS Matjila
• 2018. How Plaatje expressed his oral influences in his written work. Listening to Literature. DS Matjila
• 2019. Sol Plaatje: A Life of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje, 1876–1932: Brian Willan,
• 2018. Auckland Park, South Africa: Jacana.  South African Journal of African Languages DS Matjila2019. Host and parasite in Setswana Poetry: an intertextual analysis of themes: Protest and Love. Southern African Journal for Folklore Studies. DS Matjila
• 2020. The depiction of cosmic images of the sun, moon and stars in selected Setswana novels. South African Journal of African Languages. DS Matjila
• 2023. Water as a metaphorical marker in Setswana and Afrikaans poetry. SAJAL. Volume 43, issue 1, 2023 , pages: 25–30 DS Matjila

Paper presentations

• Conference papers:1993. Elucidating Keledi tsa Motlhotlho ( Wits University)1993. Application of deconstruction theory on the poem ‘Tshwanologo’ (University of Potchefstroom)
• 1993.The use of folktales in industrial theatre a practical method ( University of the North
• 1994. Traditional Beliefs of  Batswana as potrayed in poetry of D.M. Mothoagae (University of Botswana
• 1994. Intertribal Emulation:  praises of Batswana ( Potchefstroom
• 1995. Protest and Conflict in Moncho’s poetry (University of Vista)
• 1995. Teaching African languages: A culture based approach (University of Maryland Eastern Shore, USA)1996. Intensifying the teaching of African languages :Decolonization as a teaching strategy (University of Juvaskula, Finland1997. Significance of imagery in Setswana poetry ( University of Swaziland)1998. Consonance and Assonance in Setswana poetry (University of Natal)1999. South Africa’s policy of Multi-Lingualism: (Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan)

• 2000. Sound Repetition as Metaphor marker in Aferika by LD Raditladi ( Unisa, Pretoria)2001. Attitudes of South African Blacks towards indigenous languages (University of Singapore, Singapore)

• 2002.  Reading Intervention in Historically Disadvantaged Schools  (University of Pretoria, Hammanskraal branch)
• 2003. Results of  Intervention in Historically Disadvantaged Schools (University of Pretoria, Hammanskraal branch )
• 2004. Bilingual Education in African Schools (Roma University, Lesotho)
• 2004. Language in the African Classroom (Mowbary, Cape Town)
• 2005 Literacy practices and reading skills of Setswana learners in high school (Wisconsin-Madison USA)
• 2006. Content Based Education in the Teaching of African Languages ( University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA)
• 2008. Reading impediments and learning problems (University of Essen, Germany)
• 2009. On Translating African Poetry ( University of Michigan Ann Arbor, USA)
• 2009. Explicating Raditladi’s Selelo sa Morati. (Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA)
• 2009. Origin of Setswana Modern Literature: Plaatje and Raditladi ( Writers Conference, Bear River, Michigan, USA)
• 2009. Cultural Relevance Pedagogy (with Karen) (Temple University, Philadelphia,USA)
• 2010.  The Context of Social Change among Batswana in Tshwanologo and Fatshe la Batswana (ALASAGaborone. Botswana)
• 2011. Translation as a window to another culture: University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg.
• 2011. From Traditional kingship to Modern Democracy: The House of Khama, University of Venda, Venda.
• 2011. The concept of time among Batswana. Michigan State University
• 2011. The Effects of land dispossession on African people, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
• 2012. Birds as subjects in Setswana folklore: Depiction of their relationship to man. University of Botswana, Gaborone
• 2013. Poetry and Patronage: Historical Vision of Raditladi’s Sefalane sa Menata, Africa Museum, Johannesburg   2013. Socio-Cultural dimensions of Raditladi’s poetry: Reflections from Selected poems. Lisbon, Portugal.
• 2014. Echoes of allusions to and affinities with bogosi (kingship) that infuse Plaatje’s writings. Athens, Greece
• 2014.  Traditional love and marriage versus Troubadour in Setswana poetics, Madrid, Spain
• 2017. Stereotypes about African cultures and languages: Indigenizing Education in Africa, Illinois, USA
• 2017. Linguistic Atlas of African languages in South Africa, Bamako, Mali
• 2017. Images of traditional Setswana time concepts in DPS Monyaise’s novels, Adelaide, Australia
• 2018. Setswana conveyed through poetic aestheticism, namely, protest and love, Athens, Greece

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

• List  1 Commissioner of Academy of African Languages (Continental body)
• List  2 Member of Advisory Board on Development and use of African Languages in Higher Education
• List  3 Chairperson and Academic Board Member of Guest Resource Services 

Projects

• Project  1 Setswana Cross border language
• Project  2 Research on African Ontology
• Project  3 African Indigenous Poetry

Other

Non Fiction Publications:

• 2012 Lover of his people: A biography of Sol Plaatje: Wits press.
• 2014 Bringing Plaatje back Home-Ga e phetsolele nageng: Africa World Press, Trenton, New Jersey
• 2018 Ubuntu-Botho Series: Decolonising and Indigenising Education in Africa
• 2023 Poetry and Patronage: The Socio-Cultural and Historical Vision of L.D. Raditladi’s Sefalana sa Menate.

Fiction Publications

• Malakabe: Novel  
• Dipelo: Radio Drama
• Go jela botlhoko teng: Drama
• Bodila:  Novel
• Dintelo: Short Stories
• Bodibeng jwa Matlhomola: Novel launched in 2011 Grahamstown festival