Lies Zulu Lesson

-


The black race is half savage and stupid. That is the lie in school books 
to justify land theft and slavery. 

Lying is a-ma-nga in Zulu. I should not be teaching you this because of where the language isi-Zulu is coming from. Accusing somebody of lying was regarded as rude, uncouth and showed bad upbringing. Don’t even think of accusing elders of lying. That’s a no no!

Kids are taught not to say somebody is lying but they do it nonetheless when they are playing on their own, away from parents. U-na-ma-nga u-Linda (Linda is lying).

You are supposed to say Linda made a mistake. There was some misunderstanding that gave the impression that Linda is lying.

Most industrialists lie about how they mine gold, platinum and other mineral resources. They claim operations wont harm the environment and people’s health. They get away with it because of today, which is getting a job. Bleeding nature resulting in a tsunami, is tomorrow and who cares?

Some politicians have elevated lying to an art form, especially on Twitter because they type how they really feel, without thinking about consequences, including the possibility of another world war.

A-ma-nga. You say the first part like aunt, the second like massive and the last part like Havenga.

ZULU

ENGLISH

A-manga mabi.

Lying is bad.

Bana-manga. A-banamali.

They are lying. They don’t have money.

U-Bob u-namanga. Akangithandi.

Bob is lying. He doesn’t love me.

U-Sally u-namanga ku-Instagram.

Sally lies on Instagram.

A-ngi-khulumi a-manga.

I’m not lying.

Wena u-namanga Lettie.

Lettie you are lying.

Umbuso u-namanga.

The government is lying.

A-manga wodwa. Angibulalanga muntu.

It’s all lies. I didn’t kill anybody.

Khuluma iqiniso. Hayi a-manga.

Speak the truth, not lies.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elections And Political Bullies

-
Image
Forget democracy.   It should be called political bullying. We are watching it in the prelude to the Canadian election on the 19 th of October, 2015.   Americans have also started their political bullying for the looming presidential election next year. So many trees wasted on books about democracy.   Some countries have big budgets for invading other countries ‘ to defend democracy’ but it is seldom practised in campaigning for elections.   Calling opponents names and printing flyers attacking each other is behaviour that will not be tolerated in kindergarten, but it is all legal, in campaigning.   It is irritating and such a let-down to the whole notion of democracy.   Grown-up men and women behaving like Grade One kids. It is also misleading because many voters believe it is real hatred.   Don’t let that fool you.   These politicians play golf together, attend the same dinner parties, eat and drink at the same social events, share jokes and cut deals in parliament.   They
Read more

Comfort Food As Regret Food

-
Image
Chicken curry. Comfort food is good for the soul, which usually bleeds in winter from icy roads, bad drivers that want to annihilate pedestrians, frozen fingers and toes that take a sabbatical.   What happened to my toes?   I thought I was wearing special socks for boots? We therefore have a right to comfort food which throws doctors’ orders out of the window and has no loyalty to calories.   No calculator on the table, thanks very much.   Piece of bread 5 calories, half a banana 10 calories, sugar-free cheesecake 2,000 calories.   Ah! Ah!  We only live once. Naw!   Comfort food is old school food with its compulsory second helping.   It involves licking fingers and giving a big sigh, about the good life, which is shelter, food, love and debt.   The problem is the zip.   The jeans remind you that comfort food can also be called you will regret food .   Home sweet home is even sweeter in winter after surviving blowing snow and bumper to bumper traffic. What is more welcoming th
Read more

No Air Miles

-
Image
I don’t have Air Miles.   I’m considering putting that on a T-Shirt because I cannot go to the drugstore (chemist) or coffee shop without the cashier asking me if I have air miles. We waited for about two minutes the other day, while this guy looked for his Air Miles card in his overweight wallet.   For what?   For a few points. I don’t have air miles because Mathematics is a foreign language.   I was never good in numbers. That is why I squashed the idea of being an investment banker very early in life.   I understand you can invest in cornfields before the soil is turned up or pork bellies even before a baby pig is born. That is how I view air miles, investing in tomorrow or the unknown.   I’m the dumb one.   Some people understand this air miles’ thing so well, I overheard one customer saying: I can even convert my points into cash. Points and air miles are the same thing in Canada and the U.S.   Drugstores or clothing stores even give you a card to collect point
Read more