Zulu and Ojibwe Sister Languages

Photo Credit: online pic of the Queen of England.

He is quite cultured. He’s well educated. He can say such words without bruising his tongue.

n Gloucestershire

n Straffordshire

n Worcestershire

n Necessary

n Tchaikovsky

In Africa, being well-educated meant you have erased all ‘primitive’ traces, embodied in your language and culture and embraced the ways of the Queen of England. I am fortunate because we grew up in Zulu, saw the world in Zulu, understood why the sky is called izulu and why we are called amaZulu.

I function in an English world, most of the time. Most people in Quebec, function in French. However, my original language helps me understand languages of the rivers and eagles of this land Kanada, before the English and French invasion.

There is some similarity between Zulu and let’s say Ojibwe. I pronounce Ojibwe, as I say it in Zulu. No problem. I say Anishinaabe as I say it in Zulu.  Nokomis as in Zulu. Miigwech as in Zulu.

What would be interesting is hearing someone who speaks this Canadian language say it herself. This is real education, the ability to join dots of people, who live here and there, increasing understanding and not racial superiority.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.