Finding the words: African translators aim to decolonize science
As a child growing up in rural South Africa, Sibusiso Biyela was surrounded by science. Specifically, he remembers seeing Venus nearly every morning and every night.
But for the longest time, Mr. Biyela, now a science writer, didn’t know he was looking at Venus. He had been taught about Earth’s planetary neighbor in school in English, but what he saw was Ikhwezi, the isiZulu name for the wandering celestial body long studied and observed by native South Africans and used to measure the passing of the year.
He was about 15 before he realized Venus and Ikhwezi were the same thing, Mr. Biyela says. “There was never that connection made [in school] in
Student experienceFrom “dinosaur” to isilwane sasemandulo
