Mashatile Honours Dr Katrina Esau, Last Fluent N'uu Speaker, on Heritage Day

N’uu, spoken by the San people, the earliest hunter-gatherers of southern Africa, is regarded as one of the most endangered languages globally.

Acting President Paul Mashatile paid tribute to Dr Katrina Esau, affectionately known as Ouma Katrina, the last fluent speaker of the critically endangered N’uu language, during the official Heritage Day 2025 celebrations. Esau, a San elder from the Northern Cape, is recognised as one of South Africa’s living human treasures, safeguarding one of the oldest indigenous languages in the world.

The Legacy of the N’uu Language

N’uu, spoken by the San people, the earliest hunter-gatherers of southern Africa, is regarded as one of the most endangered languages globally. Its preservation is critical not only for linguistic diversity but also for protecting an entire worldview, history, and cultural memory.

Mashatile highlighted the irreplaceable value of indigenous languages, saying:

“When a language dies, a universe of meaning, memory, and identity is lost forever.”

He described Esau as a “towering figure of resilience, wisdom, and indigenous knowledge” whose life’s work embodies the unbroken thread between past and future generations.

Honouring a Living Human Treasure

Dr Esau has dedicated her later years to teaching N’uu to children and community members at a small school she established at her home in Rosedale, near Upington, Northern Cape.

Mashatile praised her commitment, noting that she is not only preserving words but also transmitting cultural practices, oral traditions, and values rooted in Africa’s earliest communities.

“With every lesson she imparts to present and future generations, she safeguards a profound archive of human experience and linguistic heritage,” Mashatile said.

He announced that Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie will support Esau’s school, ensuring resources are provided to expand her teaching efforts.

The Importance of Indigenous Knowledge

Mashatile stressed that Esau’s role reflects the broader value of South Africa’s living treasures – elders, artists, and cultural custodians who ensure continuity of tradition.

“They guide communities, enrich cultural experiences, and educate society on the enduring value of arts and culture,” he said.

He called for the restoration and preservation of indigenous languages as a central element in the fight to restore dignity to those whose voices were silenced under colonialism and apartheid.

Tribute to Traditional and Khoisan Leaders

The Acting President also honoured traditional and Khoisan leaders, Kings and Queens, who historically defended the land and preserved heritage under colonial assault.

He recalled how many were executed, beheaded, and had their remains shipped to European museums as trophies of conquest.

Mashatile reaffirmed government’s commitment to correcting these historical injustices through:

• A national policy for the repatriation of human remains

• The reburial of Khoisan ancestral remains

• Engagement with international institutions holding sacred remains of African leaders and ancestors.

Building a More Inclusive Future

Heritage Day, observed annually on 24 September, is dedicated to celebrating the diverse cultural identities that make up South Africa’s social fabric. Mashatile’s keynote address emphasised that heritage preservation must also confront historic wrongs, social exclusion, and cultural silencing, while ensuring youth inclusion and opportunity.

He argued that indigenous languages like N’uu are more than communication systems—they are archives of human wisdom, memory, and resilience that must be protected for future generations.

“Dr Esau’s voice reminds us that the preservation of our intangible heritage is a national responsibility,” he concluded.

Heritage Day 2025 thus became not only a celebration of diversity but also a reminder of the urgent need to protect intangible cultural heritage, support living human treasures, and restore dignity to those whose history was denied.