Mummy-Speak

Kids can be as Einstein as they like, but they cannot decode mummy speak. They can read love, anger or scolding from mummy and aunties’ faces, but they cannot decode ‘gibberish.’

It’s not. They twist the language because they don’t want kids to understand what they’re saying. Kids like to hang out with brothers and sisters or adults. That’s why they cry when they wake up and don’t see a soul.

Reminds me of a scene in Trois hommes et un couffin, the French classic film directed by Coline Serreau. Little Marie wakes up. She doesn’t see anybody.  She bawls. Three men who were raising her against their will enter the room. Complete transformation. She beams and flip flops her legs.

Like Marie, we liked hanging around mama, her sisters or her friends. Although we were little, we understood our language. All of a sudden, somebody will start a topic and mama would nod at our direction. Change of gears. They stop speaking Zulu and the ‘gibberish’ starts. Our heads would Tik Tok, Tik Tok from one face to the next. Dead end. We still did not understand the ‘gibberish.’

We got the message and we always left the room to go and play outside. At least we played in real Zulu. Kids! The original Einstein.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.