The article discusses the significance of translating parts of James Joyce’s classic novel Ulysses into isiZulu, one of South Africa’s major African languages.

The focus is on South African writer and translator Sandile Ngidi, who rendered Molly Bloom’s famous final soliloquy into isiZulu, as part of Bloomsday celebrations held in Johannesburg.

Bloomsday, celebrated every 16 June, marks the single day on which Ulysses takes place in 1904 Dublin and has become a global literary event that brings readers together across cultures.In Johannesburg, the 2026 celebration carried a distinct South African identity, hosted in a community bookshop and featuring multilingual readings.

The event took place in an area affected by anti-immigrant tensions, making the emphasis on multilingualism and cultural inclusion especially meaningful.The article highlights how such gatherings use literature to promote civic imagination and social unity.

The scholar writing the piece argues that Ngidi’s translation is important because it challenges the long-held assumption that African languages are not suited for complex world literature.Instead, it shows that isiZulu can carry the depth, emotion, and philosophical richness of Joyce’s writing.

Even though only a small section of the massive novel was translated, the effort opens the door for wider African engagement with global literary classics.

The article also reflects on Joyce’s own concerns about language, identity, and colonial power in Ireland, drawing parallels with South Africa’s linguistic and cultural landscape.It argues that translation is not just copying text, but an act of imagination that reshapes meaning for new audiences.Ultimately, the piece suggests that African languages are active participants in global literature.

By bringing Ulysses into isiZulu, the translation expands how the novel can be understood and strengthens the idea that literary classics belong to all cultures, not just their original linguistic roots.