Smoking in Zulu

There is no smoking in most public spaces in Canada.  Airports too, just in case you will be flying in and out with a stop-over in one of the Canadian provinces.

© Louise Gubb/CORBIS SABA

Traditional societies in South America, Africa and Asia had their own tobacco, before French, English and Spanish imperialists brought packaged cigarettes.

That tradition survived in the case of ama-Xhosa, the nation found in the southern part of South Africa.  Xhosa women (elders) still smoke the pipe, i-nqawe.

One thing stubborn about smoking is the smoke.  No air freshener can kill it.  Remember Monsoon Wedding, the classic film directed by Mira Nair?  The bride’s mother sprayed air freshener after smoking in the bathroom, but the husband still caught her.

Bhe-ma is smoking.  The first part is pronounced as in bed, the second part as in money.

ZULU	ENGLISH
U-nga-bhemi.	Don’t smoke.
A-ngi-bhemi.	I don’t smoke.
Ngi-ya-bhema.	I smoke.
A-si-bhemi.	We don’t smoke.
Baya-bhema.	They smoke.
U-ya-bhema u-Marie.	Marie smokes.
U-ya-bhema u-Franco.	Franco smokes.
Ba-bhema i-nsangu.	They smoke weed.
Musa u-ku-bhema.	Don’t smoke.
U-nga-bhemi e-airport.	Don’t smoke at the airport.
Bhema nga-phandle.	Smoke outside.
A-ba-fana baya-bhema.	The boys are smoking.
U-makhulu u-bhema inqawe.	Grandmother is smoking the pipe.
U-bani o-bhemayo?	Who is smoking?
A-ku-bhe-nywa.	No smoking allowed.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.