Patience in Zulu

Patience.  I-si-ne-ke.

There is no patience in the world but please, don’t blame the internet for its posts and videos as many as sand particles on the seashore.

Africa has customs about naming children.  Themba, which means hope, is a popular boy’s or girl’s name but I have never come across kids called i-si-ne-ke. 

There is a triangle of convenience that makes us impatient with cooking, waiting for the pot to boil or chicken in the oven.  The triangle is buying pre-packaged food from the food mart, drop it in the microwave, eat and throw the container in the black plastic garbage bag.  Who cares about the environment?

Patience is i-si-ne-ke in Zulu. I think the noun is a sister to a snail, which is called u-mne-ke.  You know that the snail takes its time, but it reaches its destination, the end of the forest. We don’t appreciate Canada Post, Atlanta USPS and other postal workers anymore because they deliver ‘snail mail.’  Fast mail is in your phone or computer.

I-si-ne-ke.  You say the first part like eat, the second part like sing, the third part like net and the last one like the French word quelque.

ZULU	ENGLISH
Yiba ne-si-neke	Have patience.
U-ne-si-ne-ke u-William.	William is very patient.
U-ne-si-ne-ke u-Luna.	Luna is very patient.
A-ka-na-so i-si-ne-ke u-Lilith.	Lilith doesn’t have patience.
A-ka-na-so i-si-ne-ke u-Frazer.	Frazer doesn’t have patience.
U-be ne-si-ne-ke em-zi-ni.	You must have patience with your in-laws.
U-ne-si-ne-ke.  Mi-na nge-ke.	She has patience.  I will never. He has patience.  I will never.
Ngi-ne-si-neke.  U-yo-ze a-ngi-thande.	I’m patient. She will finally love me.  In ancient Kwa-Zulu men used to cross rivers and mountains pursuing women.  Some were patient, others gave up.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.