John Kani's Golden Touch

He gets isiXhosa to be used as an official language of Black Panther

- Boitumelo Matshaba

NOT only is Dr John Kani featuring in the UK film, Black Panther, but he has influenced the official language of the movie to be isiXhosa. South Africans will be able to hear one of their home languages in an international movie, which will be in cinemas from 16 February.

BLACK PANTHER IN ISIXHOSA

Do not be too shocked when you hear a bit of isiXhosa in the UK film based on the Marvel comic character, Black Panther. In a scene where John, who plays King T’Chaka, the ruler of Wakanda, is reunited with his son, the directors were challenged as to what the father would say to his son and how he would say it.

John says, “I decided to say something in isiXhosa to Chadwick Boseman, who plays my son in the movie, which the director and everyone on set loved. The director said, ‘We need that.’”