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AFRICAN VOICES NEWS
The African Voice May 2000 The Fifth Edition Kudala sagqibela ukunibhalela! It has been ages since we last wrote to you! We apologize for the delay since our last newsletter and hope you have all been working hard at your Zulu and/or Xhosa in the interim. One of the reasons for the long wait is that Christine Dunckley, co-founder of African Voices, has just had a baby! Her name is Shawn Rose Nomkhitha. "Nomkhitha" does not have a literal meaning but is used for a dazzling beauty! Because of this new addition to the African Voices family, we thought this would be a good time to tell you a little about attitudes to pregnancy and childbirth amongst the Xhosa and Zulu, and to provide you with some related vocabulary. But first: ZULU ADVANCED We plan to "give birth" to our Advanced Zulu Course later this year. As an owner of African Voices software you are entitled to special discounts, so let us know if you are interested in purchasing the course and we will put your name down to receive notification as soon as it comes off the press! The course will take you to an advanced level of Zulu conversation and grammar with plenty of exercises to test your skill. LANGUAGE CD-ROM FOR MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS Since we have had keen interest in our programs from people working in the health field, we have decided to research the feasibility of developing a medically oriented CD-ROM. This CD-ROM would have a language choice option allowing the learner to choose the languages s/he wants to work with. For example, a learner with English as a mother tongue could choose to learn Zulu with English as the language of instruction; or a learner with Zulu as a mother tongue could choose to learn Tswana with Zulu as the language of instruction. We propose that the program incorporate Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, English and Afrikaans. The user will be able to access phrases and terminology applicable to specific medical areas, e.g. General Health, Aids, Psychology, Physiotherapy, etc. We feel that such a program would be an invaluable resource for all health workers in this country as it is an area where language plays such an important role in creating understanding and trust between practitioner and patient. Should you be interested in supporting this initiative in any way please let us know.
A very successful Xhosa Language and Culture course was given to staff members of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape during February and March of this year. Tessa was assisted by the charismatic Thandi Nxumalo and Liyanda Maseko (who stars on the "Speak Xhosa With Us" CD-ROM). The feedback was excellent - one delegate noted "This has been the best interactive group I have ever experienced. I have developed a love and interest in this language that I was so resistant to." Xhosa An expectant mother will normally not let anyone, apart from her husband or partner and very close relatives, know that she is pregnant. This is because it is believed that talking about one's pregnancy might bring bad luck. Baby showers and buying lots of things for the baby are also not common. A woman will normally just buy a few things like nappies which she will keep secretly. Traditionally, a woman would give birth at home and would be helped by the married women of the village. The husband would only be shown the baby after the healing of the baby's belly-button. For a time after a woman has given birth she will only leave the house during the night and will always cover herself with a blanket. Imbeleko - about 10 days after the birth of the baby, although it can be much longer, a sheep or goat is slaughtered. The dung (ubulongwe) from the sheep's intestines is used to clean/smear (ukusinda) the house. The woman is given some braaied meat to eat (usually cut from the foreleg of the slaughtered animal). This celebration is called "imbeleko" because the verb "ukubeleka" literally means "to put a baby on the back in a skin holder". The skin of the slaughtered goat or sheep was traditionally dried and softened and used to carry the baby on the back. Nowadays the word "ukubeleka" is also used to mean "to give birth".
Zulu As with the Xhosa, childbirth among the Zulu has always been a women-only matter. Alan Mountain, in Peter Magubane's "Vanishing Cultures of South Africa" (Struik, 1998: 44-45), notes: After babies are born they are washed in the "umsamo" (a sacred section at the back of the dwelling) with water medicated with "intelezi" (special medicine), and then they are "strengthened" by the observance of rituals and the application of strengthening medicines. Even today, both mothers and children are then isolated, usually until the umbilical cord falls off. During this time the mothers are considered "unclean" and potentially harmful to the ancestors in their husbands' homesteads. They are not allowed to touch ordinary utensils and have to eat food prepared by the midwives, out of a special dish, using a special spoon. The isolation normally lasts five to ten days, after which the mother is purified: she has to be sprinkled with "intelezi" before she can resume her normal life. The dwelling has to be thoroughly cleaned, fresh cowdung spread on the floor and a fire lit in the hearth. After this, the husband may enter and see his child for the first time, although today migrant fathers are seldom able to come home for these events. Beer is brewed to celebrate and to thank the midwives.
A Zulu Lullaby - We Mntwana Wami
Nank' umzanyana wakh' usefikile (x2)
My child, don't cry (from "Songs sung by South African children, Grassroots Educare Trust, 1992:36)
A Xhosa lullaby - Thula Mama Thula
Wasuke wakhala wathi iyo (x2)
Khawuthule mama thula, thula mama thula,
Yamthabath' umntwana yambeka egxeni
Mother! The baboon took the baby
Be quiet mother, be quiet
The baboon put the baby over his shoulder (from "Songs sung by South African children, Grassroots Educare Trust, 1992:33) |