Xhosa is one of the official languages of south africa. The boys are taken to initiation schools in the bush or mountain for a couple of weeks where they are taught how to make quick and correct. Gay xhosa mens experiences of ulwaluko traditional male. This special language is taught to the initiate by an ikhankatha, who. Overview of the amaxhosa culture and initiation rites. Jan 16, 20 the xhosa initiation ceremonies have been controversial because many boys get hospitalised and there are numerous reports of botched circumcisions. The ritual is traditionally intended as a teaching institution, to prepare young males for the responsibilities of manhood. Sotho, tsonga and xhosa speaking people bottoman et al, 2009.
Xhosa language for beginners with basic xhosa words. The epic of south africas creation and the tragedy of the xhosa people hardcover by. Welcome to the 9th lesson about the xhosa vocabulary. Pdf exploring traditional male initiates at an initiation. Xhosa language school 307 forest drive extension, 7405 cape town, western cape rated 4. As with other south african languages, xhosa is characterized by respectful forms of address for elders and inlaws. South africa southeastern and urban areas population. Xhosa phrasebook pronunciation guide vowels a like a in hard e like e in red i like ee in seen o like a in all u like oo in moon consonants d, f, h, j, l, m, n pronounced as in english s, sh, v, w, y, z pronounced as in english dl similar in sound to hl see below g always like g in go hl place your tongue to the side of your.
The xhosa male initiation ritual consists of various stages such as. Xhosa is characterised by a number of clicking sounds, which are formed by the tongue. The epic of south africas creation and the tragedy of the xhosa people by noel mostert, the nationss bounty. Approximately 16 percent of south africas population, or 8. Exploring traditional male initiates at an initiation school in limpopo province, south africa. Popular xhosa expressions used daily 50 sentences grammar. Most ofthe plants are collected in the wild and are also available at local herbal street markets. It is a tonal language, governed by the noun which. There are 11 official languages in south africa, of which xhosa is one of the most widely spoken. Xhosa language dvd courses it is one of the many ways to learn xhosa quickly. Its a mystical, secretive ritual that occurs far away from the eyes of the public, and virtually the only information nonparticipants and nonfamily members ever have about it is the disturbing death toll from what the newspapers call botched circumcisions. The aim of this study was to test an intervention for safe traditional circumcision in the context of initiation into manhood among the xhosa, eastern cape, south africa. We believe balanced transformation and ubuntu unity consciousness are key to prosperous human sustainability.
The xhosa language isixhosa, of which there are variations, is part of the nguni language group. As of 2007, there were about 8 million xhosa, making up approximately 17. Jan 02, 2015 tongue twisters xhosa traditional language, kwazulu natal south africa duration. An exploration of the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of xhosa men. Cultural health practices article pdf available february 2019 with 427 reads how we measure reads. The xhosa grammar allows you to manipulate the vocabulary to obtain multiple forms of a word. As in, shame you arent learning isixhosa right now, or the braai was cancelled shame. Presently, they are associated with the establishment of community ideals 35, the enhancement of masculine virility, complementary opposition between men and women and preparation for marriage and adult sexuality 37, 38. Tongue twisters xhosa traditional language, kwazulu natal south africa duration. Xhosa speaking people from the eastern cape practice circumcision for traditional purposes, xhosa people see circumcision as an integral part of young male development and initiation schools as places where young boys are taught valuable life lessons vincent, 2008a. Write or speak xhosa online to improve grammar or conversation.
Most online xhosa language websites also sell xhosa language courses which you can download as pdf xhosa language books. He was chosen to overcome the cultural, gender and language barriers posed by the researchers demographics. Xhosa men and women still use, indeed prefer, certain tradi tional vegetable and mineral cosmetics imbhola yesixhosa for beauty, health, wellbeingand as social status indicators in the eastern cape today. Traditional manhood initiation processes used to be a protected custom, but it has since become an openly discussed matter. Traditional xhosa male circumcision rites need to be understood within a highly complex socio. Initiation initiation schools identity identity formation. The travel tart australian travel blogger 802,658 views.
Each week on the lets talk series, ill be featuring a language learner who will share their heroic process of mastering a foreign tongue. These men are characterised by having undergone the initiation ritual, especially using traditional circumcision. The name xhosa is a generalised term for a diversity of proud clans, the pondo, bomvana, thembu and the xhosa tribe itself. Traditional circumcision during manhood initiation rituals. It was a rite of passage that everyone had to go through. The ndebele are noted for their colorful dress and their artistic creativity, which includes sculpted figurines, pottery, beadwork, woven mate, and their celebrated wall painting. Cultural health practices article pdf available february. Attending initiation school marked a coming of age for both males and females. Governments initiatives in regulating initiation schools. The xhosa culture in south africa practices the art of circumcision to prepare and teach young boys the diverse techniques and responsibilities of resisting the challenges of being a man. As with other south african languages, xhosa is characterized by respectful forms of address for elders and in. A man who has undergone hospital circumcision is more likely to experience humiliation and disrespect from the orthodox xhosa speakers. Ulwaluko, traditional circumcision and initiation into manhood, is an ancient initiation rite practised though not exclusively by the amaxhosa, and is commonly.
English isixhosa isixhosa isingesi sibonisa indlela. Their argument in support of this statement is that he is only half a man. Xhosa phrases is a simple yet useful and completely free android app that plays about forty frequently used xhosa or isixhosa conversational phrases with their english translations on your android phone. It will be possible to find a good number of xhosa language options on the internet to study the xhosa key phrases. Traditional surgeons and nurses registered with the health department were. Ulwaluko, traditional circumcision and initiation into manhood, is an ancient initiation rite practised though not exclusively by the amaxhosa, and is commonly practised throughout south africa.
Gay xhosa mens experiences of ulwaluko traditional male initiation. Above all, the credit for this work goes to the almighty god who is the. Xhosa is well known for its set of three major clicks. Mrs luiza van vuuren for her patience in the painful moments of typing this dissertation so neatly. Circumcision and the whole process of initiation that accompanies it is, as it was in the past, an essential preliminary stage to the achievement of manhood. Traditional surgeons and nurses registered with the health department were trained over five days on ten. We gathered the most important topics such as vocabulary phrases grammar and flashcards so that you only learn what you will actually need to learn for free. Noel mostert shelved 2 times as xhosa avg rating 4. If you master these phrases, you should be able to delight and click with xhosa speakers.
Xhosa isixhosa has been taught at sweet valley for many years and is an integral part of our learning programme for grade 1 7 learners. A man who has undergone hospital circumcision is more likely to experience humiliation and disrespect from the orthodox xhosaspeakers. Initiation school used to play a big role in the life and growth of young adults within the tradition of basotho. The positive outcomes of this research can, however, not be generalised, but rather indicate possible tendencies that initiation schools play a significant role in the identity formation of southern ndebele adolescent boys. Xhosa is one of the official language of south africa, spoken by about 7. Xhosa introduction, location, language, folklore, religion. Two initiation schools among the xhosa, one for boys and the other for girls, form part. Language choice and sexual communication among xhosa. The grammatical rules below are the most important in xhosa and help connect words or shape the structure. Learn xhosa online by practicing with a native speaker who is learning your language. If you are buying from, then you can download your xhosa language books on kindle easily. The app cycles randomsequentially through the various phrases, and you can. Xhosa is a bantu language that is primarily spoken in south africa.
Ulwaluko, traditional circumcision and initiation into manhood, is an ancient initiation rite practised though not exclusively by the amaxhosa. I am not sure whether this is due to jealousy or civilisation. Language choice and sexual communication among xhosa speakers. The xhosa initiation ceremonies have been controversial because many boys get hospitalised and there are numerous reports of botched circumcisions. A language exchange complements other forms of learning such as classroom, cultural immersion and multimedia, because you get to practice all that you have learned with native speakers in a safe. The xhosa language, properly referred to as isixhosa, is a bantu language closely related to zulu, swazi, and ndebele. All the lessons contain audio and are all offered for free. The boys are taken to initiation schools in the bush or mountain for a couple of. Becoming a man during amaxhosa ceremonial rites of initiation. Most commonly used words in xhosa 120 words phrases. What is troubling is how few xhosa men have intervened into these discussions of what has gone wrong. Xhosa language simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The linguistic implications of the xhosa initiation schools.
The word xhosa refers to a people and a language of south africa. The xhosa, also often called the red blanket people, are of nguni stock, like the zulu. The school has made a conscious decision to pursue a structured approach to teaching the language through the development and implementation of a progressive curriculum which aims to foster basic. Therefore, initiates are called abakhwetha in isixhosa. You will hear the language all of the time and, using the recording games, you can start speaking straight away.
Wonga juliwe, who is xhosa, is 21 years old and from khayelitsha. Ubuntu bridge learning isixhosa, bridging gaps, building. An outstanding example is the breaded nguba, a marriage blanket which the bride to be, inspired by her ancestors, makes under the supervision and instruction of the. Traditional circumcision during manhood initiation rituals in. Jealousy seems to be at the heart of the matter for me. Mqhayi 18751945, and published in 1907, is now lost. Oct 30, 2014 i chose xhosa and afrikaans because they are the languages offered at the university and many people in the community speak them. Thirdly, the initiation ritual of xhosaspeakers consists of four phases, namely. May 29, 2015 the male initiation ceremony of the xhosa people of south africa, ulwaluko, is an ageold tradition. School dictionary isichazimagama sesikolo school dictionary za 1. Circumcisions undertaken in nonclinical settings can have significant risks of serious adverse events, including death. Xhosa is one of the 11 official languages recognized by the south african constitution, and in 2006 it was determined that just over 7 million south africans speak xhosa as a home language.
It was produced at a time when black people in south africa were becoming bolder in their demand. Imbhola yesixhosa trad itional xhosa cosmetics by tony cold, selmar schonland herbarium, botany department. A few of those online tools are generally xhosa language ebooks, basic xhosa key phrases pdf sheets, xhosa words and phrases with audio pod casts as well as instructional xhosa language youtube video lessons. Im here to help you learn xhosa, by going step by step. An exploration of the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of. Red and the orange of ochre were the traditional colours of the xhosa, tembu and bomvana the red ones. Oxford school dictionary isixhosa isingesi english isixhosa. He understands xhosa culture and has undergone initiation himself. The app cycles randomsequentially through the various phrases, and you can lengthen the.
Xhosa is a member of the southeastern, or nguni, subgroup of the bantu group of the benuecongo branch of the nigercongo language family. Jan 22, 2008 thousands of xhosa boys prepare for their coming of age initiation in the eastern cape duration. He is relatively unknown amongst the xhosa community of bitou and knysna. The xhosa people have a range of cultural customs that they adhere by. Xhosa for beginners publishers description this interactive course covers food, colours, shopping, parts of the body, numbers, telling the time, countries, greetings and essential phrases. The first novel in xhosa jeff opland godalming, surrey abstract the first novel in the xhosa language, usamson, written by the greatest figure in the history of xhosa literature, s. Were dedicating this page to the most important and most used words in xhosa. Pdf the xhosa male initiation practice, as it was viewed in the past, is discussed by focusing on its impact upon the initiates, its contribution to. Thousands of xhosa boys prepare for their coming of age initiation in the eastern cape duration. Boys initiation ceremonies among the xhosa are common and they appear to be popular among the boys themselves and to attract enormous community interest. Historically, xhosa used circumcision and initiation rites to strengthen boys to become warriors 35, 36. Xhosa language, a bantu language spoken by seven million people in south africa, especially in eastern province. The male initiation ceremony of the xhosa people of south africa, ulwaluko, is an ageold tradition.
Physical abuse and torture the physical ordeal is designed to effect discipline and to prepare the initiates for the hardships of manhood. It is at these schools that girls and boys were taught how to be contributing members of society. Henry hare dugmore helped translate the entire bible in xhosa language. Worrying issues are the high number of school dropouts following initiation, and alcohol and substance abuse amongst initiates.
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