Sweating in Zulu

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To sweat is ju-lu-ka in Zulu.

Summer is a big deal in north America and Europe.  People sweat a lot and use air conditioners. They might go to the city pool to cool off or their own swimming pool if they are wealthy.  Sweat has an odour, which clings to our clothes, so we shave armpits because that is where sweat resides.  What do African Americans call it?  Funk. We shave to get rid of the funk.

Poor parents sweat to send their kids to school. They might have two jobs and a little home business to make ends meet.  Trust fund babies do not.  They lunch because parents provided for them by leaving money in trust funds.

People go to the gym to sweat, so they have massive gym bags full of towels and water bottles. Rafael Nadal is a fascinating tennis player and he sweats a lot for his titles.

Ju-lu-ka.  You say the first part like Jupiter, the second like look and the last like kamala, an Indian word.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Juluka.
A boy’s name meaning sweating.  Maybe the father worked underground sweating in gold or platinum mines when the child was born.
Ba-ju-lu-ki-le.
A girl’s name meaning they sweated.
U-mju-lu-ko.
Sweat.
U-Remi n-Lanre ba-ya-ju-lu-ka e-ji-mi-ni.
Remi and Lanre sweat a lot at the gym.
Ngi-ya-ju-lu-ka.
I’m sweating.
Ba-ya-ju-lu-ka e-Kinshasa.
They sweat in Kinshasa.
Ku-ya-shi-sa.  Si-ya-ju-lu-ka.
It’s hot.  We’re sweating.
Ba-ya-ju-lu-ka e-Rio, Brazil nge-carnival.
They sweat in Rio, Brazil during carnival.
Mi.  Tha-ta i-tha-wu-la. U-ju-lu-ki-le.
Here, take the towel.  You’re sweating.
La-ju-lu-ka i-se-la u-ma li-bo-na a-ma-pho-yi-sa.
The thief broke into a sweat when he saw the police.
Le-nga-ne i-ya-ngi-ju-li-ki-sa.
This girl I’m trying to win is making me work hard. She makes me sweat for loving her.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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