Bonus For This Blog's Zulu Students
Friday. School is out. That’s why I have a bonus for my Zulu students. I hope they have tongue insurance because these words are tongue twisters.
Gxoba = pound something, using a stone to extract medicine from a plant. You place the leaves on a stone, then pound with another stone.
Gxuma = we made a rope from grass, then jumped under the rope held by two girls on each side. African Americans call it jump rope.
Gqiba = bury something. After child birth, the umbilical cord was buried in the back yard, to establish the baby’s connection to its land.
Gxeka = is to criticize, like criticizing Deion Sanders ‘Coach Prime’ for using systems and procedures set by American football’s founding fathers.
Ngqongqoza = knock! Knock! Who is there?
Qoba = slice or chop. Teach your sons how to chop onions and tomatoes, cook them in olive oil for six minutes, add chicken pieces, half cup water and lower heat. They’ll be ready in 15 minutes. You don’t know where your boys will end up in life.
Qoma = dating. Girls did not date until tradition deemed they were ready.
Iqhikiza = the senior girl who looked after girls ready to date and schooled them on how to behave with those dangerous creatures: men.
Qubula = lift, like those weights you lift at the gym.
Xolani = a boy’s name meaning forgive, maybe the baby was born when there was friction in the family.
Please note. Xhosa, another South African language, has more clicks than Zulu.
Nonqaba waka Msimang
Executive Blogger
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