The Problematics of Intellectualising Indigenous Languages and People, a Cursory Look at the Science of Language in Literature and Formal Education

Since the 1960s, the debate about the discourse on indigenous languages and Black literature has engaged the attention of Black linguists and writers on the continent and beyond. Although research literature abounds with studies that illustrate the need and importance to intellectualise Black indigenous language in literature, it appears that there exist some entanglements. This chapter discusses the problematics of intellectualising indigenous language literature focusing on the question of indigenous Black literature and the problem of languages, the science and technology of indigenous language in the discourse of formal education, indigenous language as a carrier of culture and the plurality of Black literatures. The chapter concludes with some suggested antidotes to the problems.