Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/African Lore/Answer Key"

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'''Shona''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[ʃə<sup>o</sup>nə]}}) is the name collectively given to several groups of people in [[Zimbabwe]] and western [[Mozambique]]. Numbering about eight million people, who speak a range of related dialects whose standardised form is also known as [[Shona language|Shona]].
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{{ethnic group|
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|group=Xhosas
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|image=[[Image:Mandelaza.jpg]]
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[[Nelson Mandela]] is a famous Xhosa-speaker.
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|poptime=2001: '''7.9 million''' est. <sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
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|popplace=[[Eastern Cape Province|Eastern Cape]]: '''5.4 million''',
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[[Western Cape Province|Western Cape]]: '''1.1 million''',
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[[Gauteng Province|Gauteng]]: '''0.7 million''',
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[[Free State Province|Free State]]: '''0.25 million''',
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[[Kwazulu-Natal Province|Kwazulu-Natal]]: '''0.22 million'''
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(2001 est. <sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>)
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|langs=[[Xhosa language|Xhosa]], many also speak [[English language|English]] or [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]].
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|rels=[[Animist]], [[Christian]]
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|related=[[Bantu]], [[Nguni]], [[Basotho]], [[Zulu]], [[Khoisan]]
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}}
  
However, many black Zimbabweans do not self-identify as Shona, preferring instead to describe their origin in terms of their specific language/dialect group (e.g. [[Zezuru]]) or ancestry group (e.g. Rozvi). Ancestors of today's Shona groups are believed to have been the first permanent inhabitants of the region where the [[Great Zimbabwe]] site was later established, with archaeological evidence of Iron Age occupation in the 5th century AD.
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The '''Xhosa''' people are a group of peoples of [[Bantu]] origins living in south-east [[South Africa]].  
  
{{ethno-stub}}
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most Zimbabweans either identify themselves as either belonging to the Ndebele or Shona ethnic group. Dialect groups are nowadays almost irrelevant because 'standard' shona is spoken throughout Zimbabwe. Dialects only help to idnetify which town or village a person is from rather (e.g. a person claiming to be a Manyika would be from Eastern Zimbabwe).
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== History of the Xhosa ==
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 +
The Xhosa are part of the southern [[Nguni]] migration which slowly moved south from the region around the [[Great Lakes]] from around 1400. The name Xhosa refers to a specific tribal leader, called uXhosa, from whom the Xhosa claim descent. They refer to themselves as the '''amaXhosa''' and  their language as [[Xhosa language|isiXhosa]], a [[Bantu]] language.  Xhosa society was historically viewed as an 'open' society, because of its readiness to learn from, trade and interact with other societies. This included the incorporation or absorption of entire [[Khoi]] and [[Griqua]] cultural groups into Xhosa communities, often through marriage, and the wholesale adoption of [[Khoisan]] loanwords into Xhosa vocabulary.
 +
 
 +
The Xhosa people split in the eighteenth century as the result of a succession dispute between chiefs. The two branches of the group are known as the Gcaleka and the Rharhabe or Ngqika. The name Xhosa is also often used to refer to anyone from a number of different Xhosa-speaking ethnic groups that includes the [[Pondo]] and Thembu, neighbours of the Xhosa people, and the Mfengu people, who are descendants of scattered clans who were displaced during the [[mfecane]] of the early nineteenth century.
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Although nowadays around 8 million Xhosa people are distributed across the country, the population is concentrated in the [[Eastern Cape Province]] of South Africa. Under the pre-1994 South African system of [[bantustan]]s, they were allocated to [[Transkei]] or [[Ciskei]], now both a part of Eastern Cape.
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The Xhosa and white settlers first encountered one another around Somerset West in the early 1700s. In the late 1700s [[Afrikaner]] [[trekboer]]s migrating outwards from Cape Town came into conflict with Xhosa pastoralists around the Great Fish River region of the [[Eastern Cape]]. Following more than 20 years of intermittent conflict, in [[1811]] to [[1812]] the Xhosas were forced east by [[British Empire|British]] colonial forces in what was known as the Third Frontier War.
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In the years following, many Xhosa-speaking clans were pushed west by expansion of the [[Zulu]]s, as the northern [[Nguni]] put pressure on the southern Nguni as part of the historical process known as the [[mfecane]], or "scattering". Xhosa unity and ability to resist colonial expansion was weakened by the [[famine]]s and political divisions that followed the cattle-killing delusion of [[1856]] (see [[Nongqawuse]]).
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The "X" in the word "Xhosa" is a [[click consonant]]: it is pronounced with a sideways click of the teeth - the same noise one makes when urging on a horse.
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== Famous Xhosa People ==
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[[Nelson Mandela]] is a Xhosa-speaking member of the Thembu people, and a significant portion of the [[African National Congress]] leadership is Xhosa or Xhosa-speaking.
 +
 
 +
[[Stephen Biko]]
 +
 
 +
[[Thabo Mbeki]]
 +
 
 +
[[Makhaya Ntini]]
 +
 
 +
[[Desmond Tutu]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Brenda Fassie]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Winnie Madikizela-Mandela]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Chris Hani]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Oliver Tambo]]
 +
 
 +
[[Walter Sisulu]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Miriam Makeba]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Robert Sobukwe]]
 +
 
 +
[[ John Kani]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Enoch Sontonga]]
 +
 
 +
[[ Govan Mbeki]]
 +
 
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[[ Archibald Campbell Jordan]]
 +
 
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[[ Victoria Mxenge]]
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[[ S.E.K. Mqhayi]]
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==See also==
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*Reverend [[Henry Hare Dugmore]], the first translator of the [[Christian]] [[bible]] and [[psalms]] into Xhosa
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==References==
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* [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/demographics/census-main.htm Results of the 2001 South African census]
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::Note that the figure mentioned on this page is based upon the number of people speaking [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] as their home language, which may be greater or less than the total number of people claiming Xhosa descent.
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* Reader, J., 1997. ''[[Africa]]: A Biography of the Continent'', Vintage Books, [[New York]], NY, United States of America.
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== External Links ==
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* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/xft/ Xhosa Folklore] - a collection of Xhosa folklore collected in 1886.
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[[Category:Ethnic groups of South Africa]]
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[[Category:Ethnic groups of Africa]]
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{{Ethnic Groups South Africa}}
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[[de:Xhosa]]
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[[fi:Xhosat]]
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[[it:Xhosa]]
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[[nl:Xhosa]]
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[[pt:Xhosa]]

Revision as of 21:00, 21 October 2005

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[[Image:File:Mandelaza.jpg Nelson Mandela is a famous Xhosa-speaker.|thumb|300px|{{{image caption}}}]]







The Xhosa people are a group of peoples of Bantu origins living in south-east South Africa.


History of the Xhosa

The Xhosa are part of the southern Nguni migration which slowly moved south from the region around the Great Lakes from around 1400. The name Xhosa refers to a specific tribal leader, called uXhosa, from whom the Xhosa claim descent. They refer to themselves as the amaXhosa and their language as isiXhosa, a Bantu language. Xhosa society was historically viewed as an 'open' society, because of its readiness to learn from, trade and interact with other societies. This included the incorporation or absorption of entire Khoi and Griqua cultural groups into Xhosa communities, often through marriage, and the wholesale adoption of Khoisan loanwords into Xhosa vocabulary.

The Xhosa people split in the eighteenth century as the result of a succession dispute between chiefs. The two branches of the group are known as the Gcaleka and the Rharhabe or Ngqika. The name Xhosa is also often used to refer to anyone from a number of different Xhosa-speaking ethnic groups that includes the Pondo and Thembu, neighbours of the Xhosa people, and the Mfengu people, who are descendants of scattered clans who were displaced during the mfecane of the early nineteenth century.

Although nowadays around 8 million Xhosa people are distributed across the country, the population is concentrated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Under the pre-1994 South African system of bantustans, they were allocated to Transkei or Ciskei, now both a part of Eastern Cape.

The Xhosa and white settlers first encountered one another around Somerset West in the early 1700s. In the late 1700s Afrikaner trekboers migrating outwards from Cape Town came into conflict with Xhosa pastoralists around the Great Fish River region of the Eastern Cape. Following more than 20 years of intermittent conflict, in 1811 to 1812 the Xhosas were forced east by British colonial forces in what was known as the Third Frontier War.

In the years following, many Xhosa-speaking clans were pushed west by expansion of the Zulus, as the northern Nguni put pressure on the southern Nguni as part of the historical process known as the mfecane, or "scattering". Xhosa unity and ability to resist colonial expansion was weakened by the famines and political divisions that followed the cattle-killing delusion of 1856 (see Nongqawuse).

The "X" in the word "Xhosa" is a click consonant: it is pronounced with a sideways click of the teeth - the same noise one makes when urging on a horse.

Famous Xhosa People

Nelson Mandela is a Xhosa-speaking member of the Thembu people, and a significant portion of the African National Congress leadership is Xhosa or Xhosa-speaking.

Stephen Biko

Thabo Mbeki

Makhaya Ntini

Desmond Tutu

Brenda Fassie

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Chris Hani

Oliver Tambo

Walter Sisulu

Miriam Makeba

Robert Sobukwe

John Kani

Enoch Sontonga

Govan Mbeki

Archibald Campbell Jordan

Victoria Mxenge

S.E.K. Mqhayi

See also

References

Note that the figure mentioned on this page is based upon the number of people speaking Xhosa as their home language, which may be greater or less than the total number of people claiming Xhosa descent.
  • Reader, J., 1997. Africa: A Biography of the Continent, Vintage Books, New York, NY, United States of America.

External Links

Template:Ethnic Groups South Africa

de:Xhosa fi:Xhosat it:Xhosa nl:Xhosa pt:Xhosa