UMalusi nguNiki Daly(isiZulu) by Niki Daly

UMalusi ngumfana owelusa izimvu nezimbuzi zikayisemkhulu ezintabeni zaseTranskei. Le phezulu kundiza izinkozi kanti phansi emhlabeni kuhuquzela amabhungane, kuphithizele umuhlwa, kushunqe izintuli ngenkathi uMalusi edlala imidlalo yokungcweka ngezinduku nomngani wakhe. Kodwa ikhona njalo nengozi -- Ngabe uMalusi uzophumelela ukusindisa amazinyane kule mfene elambile ecathamela umhlambi?

Ngabe ngubani leli khehla elisemotini ecwebezelayo elimayo lixoxe, likhuthaze umalusi kuleli phupho analo lokuba nguMongameli?

Le ncwadi yezithombe ixoxa ngomfanyana ophupha ngekusasa eliqhakazile. Yindaba yokugunyaza nokuhlomisa umuntu, ukumnika ukuzethemba namandla obuholi. Okunguyena ongumthombo wogqozi lokubhalwa kwale ndaba ngowayengumongameli, uNelson Mandela.

Ukwazisa izingane kuka Niki Daly njalo nje kuphumela obala ezincwadini azibhalela zona. Eminyakeni engama-33 eyedlule usezuze izindondo eziningi kuleli naphesheya kwezilwandle ngokubhala kwakhe okuhlaba umxhwele nezithombe ezigcwele impilo.

Ngencwadi yakhe yonyaka we-1986 ethi Not So Fast Songololo lo mzuzi wemiklomelo i-Katrine Harries Award ne-U.S. Parents' Choice Award wavula indlela yezincwadi zezingane ezibhalwe ngemva kweNingizimu Afrika yeminyaka yobandlulo. Phakathi kwezincwadi eziningi, le ethi̴Ì_Once Upon a Time yazuza umklomelo wokuhlonishwa (Honor Winner) ekwethulweni kwemiklomelo okuthiwa yi-US Children's Book Award ngo-2004. Lena ethi Jamela's Dress_yaqokwa ngabe-ALA ngokuthi iyi-Notable Children's Book, kanti abe-Booklist bathi le ncwadi iphakathi kweziyishumi eziphambili Top 10 African American Picture Books of 2000. Yabuye yazuza eminye imiklomelo: Children's Literature Choice Awards, Parent's Choice Silver Award ne-Peter Pan Silver Award eSweden. Ngo-2009 uNiki waklonyeliswa nge-Molteno Gold Medal ngeqhaza alibambile emkhakheni wokubhalwa kwezincwadi zezingane eNingizimu Afrika.

Uhlala nenkosikazi yakhe, umdwebi wezithombe, uJude Daly edolobhaneni elingasolwandle, iKleinmond, eNingizimu Afrika.