Zulu Girls Named After Rain

Baby girl born when it was raining? The family might call her Nomvula if she is born in South Africa.

Rain im-vula in Zulu. How do I pronounce im-vu-la? O.K. You say the first part like impossible, the second like vulcanize and the third like luck.

Barbecues/picnics have rain dates. The first preference is having events outside in the sunshine but nature rules, O.K? Garden weddings don’t have the option of changing the date. Too bad if it rains, wedding vows still take place: Yes, I do take Bob as my lawfully wedded husband.  

Great fun in rural Africa when walking somewhere and suddenly thunder and rain! People rush to the nearest big tree to hide. One of my favourite scenes in Waiting to Exhale directed by Forest Whitaker, is Angela Bassett’s character explaining to her daughter that god is not crying. Rain is his way of making sure things grow.

Ama-Zulu treasure daughters and give them long names that explain circumstances of their birth and what they mean to the family. Nomvula is a common girl’s name which means many things.

She was born when it was raining.

She will bring us rain.

Her future will be full of rain, to make things grow.

Nom-vu-la. You say the first part like nominate, the second like vulcanize and the last one like lass.

ZULU	ENGLISH
Nomvula.	A popular girl’s name.
Im-vula iyeza bheka amafu.	Rain is coming. Look at the clouds.
Si-cela im-vula.	Please let it rain.
Safa im-vula.	There is too much rain.
Im-vula ikhulisa ukudla emasimini.	Rain makes food grow in the fields.
Lomisile e-Mzantsi. Imvula ayikho.	There is drought in South Africa. There is no rain.
Izingane ziyayithanda imvula.	Kids love the rain.
Abazali abathandi izingane zidlale emvuleni.	Parents don’t like kids to play in the rain.
Joyce thatha i-umbrella. Imvula iyana.	Joyce take an umbrella. It is raining.
Ngizothatha i-umbrella. Imvula iyana.	I will take an umbrella. It is raining.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.