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Glossary note on glossary and orthography Given the colonial experience and the prominence of the English language in South Africa, but particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, a number of Zulu terms have been anglicized over the years and gained popular usage throughout South Africa. The Zulu word for medicine, umuThi, is thus popularly called “muthi” and sometimes spelled in a non-Zulu way as “muti.” In order to avoid confusing those who are not familiar with the Zulu language I have taken the liberty of using these anglicized terms and anglicizing Zulu plurals by adding an s; thus many medicines would be “muthis.” In quotations I have left the spelling of Zulu plurals as they appear in the original. In order to help the reader I have included a glossary below of Zulu terms with both the singular and plural forms. The spelling of terms here is in contemporary Zulu, though quotations from primary sources often reflect older orthographic traditions of Zulu spelling. zulu terms Singular or Verb Plural Meaning Assegai spear iBandla council of elder statespersons imBongi bard or one who recites the history of the nation or praise poems for the chief or king 247 You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. Singular or Verb Plural Meaning izibongo praises and history of the nation ukuBula to divine by smiting with sticks in response to an isaNgoma’s questions uButho amaButho sing: soldier; pl: soldiers or regiment iDlozi amaDlozi ancestral spirit inDuna izinDuna a councilor or headman of a chief iziDwedwe material containing body dirt which carries the essence of a person and is thus used for ritualistic purposes or is mixed with muthi for evil purposes ukuGcaba to make incisions in the skin and rub in medicine isiGodlo iziGodlo private area of the king’s enclosure that housed the king’s wives, children , and concubines as well as the nation’s inKatha uGxa initial fee of a doctor umHlahlo imiHlahlo an assembly at which isaNgomas are asked to divine uHlaka abaHlaka apprentice of a healer, who carries the umuThi inKatha izinKatha ceremonial grass coil used to ensure the solidarity and strength of the chiefdom or kingdom umKhando imiKhando finely ground Indian powders used in umuThi uKholwa amaKholwa African Christian converts, usually fairly educated and better off economically 248 w Glossary You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. Singular or Verb Plural Meaning umKhosi First Fruits ceremony marked the eating of the season’s first crops by the king, as well as the ritual empowerment of the king, nation, and soldiers by the king’s doctors umKhuhlane imiKhuhlane illness caused by natural origins ukuKonza to pledge allegiance to iLobolo gift exchange given to the maternal family at time of marriage umLozi imiLozi whistling spirit which usually emanates from the roof of a structure umlozikazana abalozikazana person who channels an umLozi or whistling spirit iMpaka iziMpaka cat that acts as the familiar of an umThakathi (defined below) isaNgoma/isaNuse izaNgoma/izaNuse healer who uses the power of the ancestors to divine or “smell out” the cause of illness and can intervene between the living and the amaDlozi iNyanga iziNyanga specialist or healer who uses umuthi alone inSila izinSila body dirt umSutu abaSutu doctor who strengthens the army and nation inTelezi izinTelezi protective medicine umThakathi abaThakathi witch, evil-doer, or criminal; sometimes spelled umthagathi umThandazi abaThandazi healers who use the power of the holy ghost and Christian prayer to heal Glossary w 249 You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. umuThi imiThi medicine; can include herbs, animals , minerals, and/or chemicals isiThundu vessel for carrying magical medicines , owned by powerful chiefs and kings umTwasa abaTwasa an iSangoma initiate who is alerted to his/her calling by ailments particular to an umTwasa ukuTwasa to undergo illness/initiation to become an iSangoma 250 w Glossary You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures...

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