She has played some of the most iconic roles on local tv and she is known for always delivering excellent performances.
Now she's working on a passion project. Actress Nokuthula Mavuso says it is great to be involved in something other than acting that is close to her heart.
She recently partnered with Legacy Creates, presenting Amagama ka Nokutela, a South African women collective’s homage to Nokutela Mdima-Dube.
Nokuthula recreated pictures of Nokutela, who was the wife struggle stalwart John Langalibalele Dube and the actress believes there was more to her than what is publicly known.
“She was a trailblazer. She was someone that I stumbled across years ago while doing research for something else. There was not much about, it was barely even a page long, but her story stuck to me.
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“She was more than just Bab’ John’s wife because she was already established even before she married him. At the age of 11 she already had an essay published in a newspaper. She had her own big dreams. It is heartbreaking and disappointing that someone of her stature has been erased from history the way she has been,” she says.
The ongoing project, Amagama ka Nokutela, is funded by Legacy Creates, a media consultancy business owned by sisters Busi and Asanda Sizani, who are the executive producers.
TV producer Florence Masebe, actor Masasa Mbangeni and poet Siphokazi Jonas are the other collaborators with whom Nokuthula and the Sizanis are working.
Their Nokutela Mdima-Dube inspired independent project aims to shine a light on the life and contributions of this iconic hidden figure, through multiple avenues of storytelling and conversations.
Nokuthula says while it is great for school kids to be taught history about people from all across the world, she says it is important for them to be taught the history of black people, particularly black women here at home.
“She could read and write music, she could play the organ, she was the co-founder of Ilanga lase Natal. I strongly believe that can be taught differently to the kids. Yes, it is great to know what is happening with our neighbours, but we need to keep the same energy about our own. We must never forget who we are and where we come from.”
Nokuthula says women hardly ever get the recognition they deserve and it is time to change that.
“We work really hard but we get erased from history. Even in the Bible, it is mostly men who are mentioned. In fact, I even think women who stay at home to look after their children and take care of their homes should get a salary because it is a real job that never ends,” she adds.
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Asanda says this recreation of pictures is only phase one of their project. “Mam Nokutela was an incredible musician and also a philanthropist. She was recognized overseas and we want to put her in the forefront here at home as the community builder that she was.”
Asanda echoes Nokuthula’s sentiments about history taught at schools.
“It is completely unacceptable that our history is not being taught. Kids are not taught the right kind of history or holistically as if our history as a people is not important. We do not have a culture of preserving black stories and that is why we thought it would be important to tell Mam Nokutela’s story.
“Nokuthula is an incredible actress and it is wonderful to have her on board. There is a song book from 1911 that has Mam Nokutela’s songs that she wrote and one of the songs has the name Nokuthula in it. I believe it was affirming that we chose the right person for the photo series."
