AY Honors/African Lore/Answer Key
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[[Image: Nelson Mandela is a famous Xhosa-speaker.|thumb|300px|{{{image caption}}}]]
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The Xhosa (IPA pronunciation: /ko'sɑ, -zə/) people are a group of peoples of Bantu origins living in south-east South Africa, and in the last two centuries throughout the southern and central southern parts of the country.
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Local environment
The Xhosa settled on mountain slopes of the Amatola and the Winterberg Mountains. Many streams drain into great rivers of this Xhosa territory including the Kei and Fish River. Rich soils and plentiful rainfall make the river basins good for farming and grazing making cattle important and the basis of wealth. Traditional foods include sorghum, maize, milk, pumpkins, beans, vegetables, and umphokoqo, or dry maize porridge. Tobacco is an important crop in this area.
Religion
Traditional Xhosa culture includes diviners, who serve as herbalists, prophets, and healers for the community. This job is mostly taken by women, who spend five years as an apprentice. Many Xhosa people are Christian, particularly within the African Initiated Churches such as the Zion Christian Church.
Oral tradition
The key figure in the Xhosa oral tradition is the imbongi (plural: iimbongi) or praise singer. Iimbongi traditionally live close to the chief’s 'great place' (the cultural and political focus of his activity); they accompany the chief on important occasions - the imbongi Zolani Mkiva preceded Nelson Mandela at his Presidential inauguration in 1994. Iimbongi's poetry praises the chief’s actions and best features, and may also criticise the chief if aspects of his reign or government are unpopular.
Famous Xhosa people
Nelson Mandela is a Xhosa-speaking member of the Thembu people.
Other famous Xhosa speakers include:
- Amampondo
- Stephen Biko
- Fats Bookulane
- Brenda Fassie
- Ken Gampu
- Chris Hani
- General Bantu Holomisa
- Archibald Campbell Jordan
- John Kani
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
- Miriam Makeba
- Govan Mbeki
- Thabo Mbeki
- S.E.K. Mqhayi
- Victoria Mxenge
- Bongani Ndodana
- Bulelani Ngcuka
- Makhaya Ntini
- Winston Ntshona
- Percy Qoboza
- Walter Sisulu
- Robert Sobukwe
- Enoch Sontonga
- Oliver Tambo
- Zwelithini Tunyiswa
- Desmond Tutu
- Ashley Buti
- St John Page Yako
Xhosa in popular culture
The Xhosa is the name of the freighter commanded by Kasidy Yates in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The vessel was named for the Xhosa people.
See also
- Reverend Henry Hare Dugmore, the first translator of the Christian bible and psalms into Xhosa
- Partners Across The Ocean Ashley Buti
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. In addition, several million people in the Johannesburg-Soweto region speak Xhosa or Zulu as a second or third language. For a majority of these, the two languages become difficult to distinguish (unsurprising given the extreme closeness of their linguistic relationship).
- Reader, J., 1997. Africa: A Biography of the Continent, Vintage Books, New York, NY, United States of America.jkadfgl;uh;lpuylaerpgh
- Kaschula, Russell The Heritage Library of African People: Xhosa, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 1997.
External links
- 2001 Digital Census Atlas
- Xhosa Folklore - a collection of Xhosa folklore collected in 1886.
- Xhosa Google - Google interface in Xhosa
Template:Ethnic Groups South Africa
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