Tsosheletso Chidi

Tsosheletso Chidi is a PhD candidate in the Department of African Languages at the University of Pretoria. Her research interests lie in indigenous languages and their role in representing and constructing social meaning around various societal issues. Additionally, she is a bilingual poet and writer proficient in both Sepedi and English. Chidi earned her master of arts degree in Creative Writing from Rhodes University in 2020, specialising in Sepedi poetry. Her MA thesis, titled “Maremereme”, critically examined representations of black sociality. In early 2020, she was published as part of Ratomil Media Corona’cles Poetry Anthology. In 2020, she was commissioned by Loss-Ilahleko to serve as their Sepedi Poet for 2021, and in 2019, Avbob Poetry also commissioned her as their Sepedi Poet. Chidi made her debut in the literary world with the publication of her novel, The Baby Is Born, in 2015. Notably, in early 2023, Loss-Ilahleko commissioned her to translate the full-length manuscript of the Loss-ilahleko: A National Choreopoem Anthology Series into Sepedi.

Her latest book, Dirurubele-Wandering Butterflies, explores representations of homosexuality in indigenous languages and received funding from the National Arts Council. Chidi is a dedicated writer and publisher with a primary objective to advocate for writers from disadvantaged backgrounds and promote the preservation of declining indigenous languages. She actively advocates for improved community development interventions, with a strong focus on youth and women empowerment.