N.S. Puleng (Samuel Puleng Nkomo) is a writer in the Northern Sotho language. He was born 10 January 1958 in South Africa, in the "Blacks only" township of Bengweni, which was next to Randfontein, which was a Whites-only town. His father was a missionary who had come from (then) Rhodesia as a Christian missionary. Because his father died early, he was raised by his mother, Sarah "Peggy" Priscilla Mmapoo, a nurse and midwife.[1]

Mokgoatsana points out some influences in his writing, including his mother (especially in her role as nurse, seen in his poem Sekutupu), Phatudi Sekhukhune (his literary mentor), Simon R. Mamabolo and A.M.Ramonyai.[2] His writings show a knowledge of the Bible, but Mokgoatsana believes that “The primary influence in Puleng derives largely from African cosmology… the cosmological origin of life informs the poetry of N. S.Puleng.[3] “Puleng's poetry is to a large extent autobiographical. This is evident in his dramatic text Thellenyane ba tla bolela where the main character seems to be a disguised representation of the author.”[4]

“As an African, Puleng could not escape the African world view which gives impetus to his poetic works. Within his poetry Puleng is seen vacillating between the two poles: Christianity and African Traditional Religion. This religious plurality is reflective of what pertains to most Africans in Africa in general, where one or more religions are competing with the traditional religion of the original inhabitants... A large content of his poetry is allusive to hymns and various books of the Bible.[5] His "father's Biblical influence upon his son's writings" has been noted.[6] Examples of Biblical infleuences in his poetry include a paraphrasae of part of the Lord's Prayer.[7] In addition, his Christian influences include echoes of some hymns.[8]

Most of Puleng's writings have not been translated into English, yet. The poem "Kgadi'a Bakone", "Images of a Woman in Marriage" has been translated by Manthiba Phalane and is available online.[9]

In terms of poetic technique, his use of Northern Sotho proverbs, in their standard forms or in forms he has altered, has been praised. In addition, he used poetic structures that are common across the world, such as parallelism, rhyme, rhythm, repetition, metaphor, personification, symbolism,[10] and satire.[11]

Puleng touched on a variety of themes in his poetry. His poem Bohwa bja ka "My Inheritance" was as protest against Apartheid.[12]

The poetry of Puleng is recognized as being of "a high standard" and is recommended to be included in the high school curriculum and taught in high schools where Northern Sotho is spoken.[13]

Works by N.S. Puleng

Some of his poems appear in M.S. Serudu's collections Ma!Swela (1989a) and Sesegotheto (1989b).

Notes

  1. ^ p. 18. Phalane, Manthiba. "“Kgadi’a Bakone” NS Puleng." Almas Urdu Research Journal 8, no. 1 (2005): 12–19.
  2. ^ p. 9 Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  3. ^ p. 205. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  4. ^ p. 203. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  5. ^ p. 206. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  6. ^ p. 18. Phalane, Manthiba. "“Kgadi’a Bakone” NS Puleng." Almas Urdu Research Journal 8, no. 1 (2005): 12–19.
  7. ^ p. 26ff. Shauke, Maisaya H. The poetry of NS Puleng. MA thesis, VISTA University of Johannesburg
  8. ^ p. 32ff. Shauke, Maisaya H. The poetry of NS Puleng. MA thesis, VISTA University of Johannesburg
  9. ^ Phalane, Manthiba. "“Kgadi’a Bakone” NS Puleng." Almas Urdu Research Journal 8, no. 1 (2005): 12–19.online access
  10. ^ Shauke, Maisaya H. The poetry of NS Puleng. MA thesis, VISTA University of Johannesburg
  11. ^ p. 55,56. Masola, Isaac Sello. Towards a Methodological Model for the Teaching of Northern Sotho Poetry at Colleges of Education. Doctoral dissertation, University of Johannesburg (South Africa), 2012.
  12. ^ p. 55,56. Masola, Isaac Sello. Towards a Methodological Model for the Teaching of Northern Sotho Poetry at Colleges of Education. Doctoral dissertation, University of Johannesburg (South Africa), 2012.
  13. ^ p. 228,229. Masola, Isaac Sello. Towards a Methodological Model for the Teaching of Northern Sotho Poetry at Colleges of Education. Doctoral dissertation, University of Johannesburg (South Africa), 2012.
  14. ^ p. 12. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  15. ^ p. 12. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  16. ^ p. 12,13.Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.
  17. ^ p. 14. Mokgoatsana, Sekgothe Ngwato Cedric (1996) Some aspects of N.S. Puleng's poetry, University of South Africa, Pretoria, http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17482.

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