isixhosa
Language & Studying isixhosa
Culture in the U.S.
The fact that isiXhosa is one of the eleven official languages in Below is a list of some universities in the
South Africa has given it prominence. The very fact that the United States that currently offer isiXhosa.
first part of the multi-lingual national anthem of South Africa is
Xhosa has gone a long way to encourage people to learn to For more information, please contact the
speak isiXhosa and to be able to sing the anthem entitled in National African Language Resource
Xhosa: ‘Nkosi sikelel’iAfrika’ (Lord bless Africa) Centre, or check the NALRC website,
In the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, where a great located at http://www.nalrc.indiana.edu
number of speakers communicate in isiXhosa, the proceedings
in parliament are conducted in English and isiXhosa, with Indiana University
Afrikaans as the third language in the Western Cape. The Michigan State University
government of South Africa is working with the Pan South
African Language Board and the Department of Arts and University of Wisconsin-Madison
Culture to promote the widespread recognition and use of
isiXhosa as well as other African languages that have been
marginalized in the past. The cornerstone of the culture of
amaXhosa is respect, and it is embedded in their traditional
religion. The cultural language and dress forms of respect have
drawn interest from a number of sociolinguistics scholars.
The diversity of South African cultures is recognized by the
national broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Co-
operation, whereby cultural activities of all peoples are
publicized. The National Heritage Day is a public holiday that
was set for strengthening people’s respect and admiration for
culture in South Africa.
When an umXhosa introduces him/herself s/he gives her/his
name, surname and clan name. A clan name is usually the name
of a common ancestor of a group of families. So families that
share a common clan name are related to each other even if
they do not have the same surname. Two people may have one National African
common surname and not be related to each other, but if they Language Resource
have a common clan name they are related. AmaXhosa regard Center (NALRC)
the clan name as more important than surname, such that a
married woman never changes her clan name although the Room 3075, Hamilton Lugar
surname is changed to that of the husband’s. School of Global and International Studies
355 N. Eagleson Ave., Indiana University A Xhosa woman in traditional attire
AmaXhosa give names that have special significance to their Bloomington, IN 47405
children. A child born during a year of copious rains, drought, Phone: (812) 856-4199 | Email: nalrc@iu.edu
war, famine, etc. will be given a name that has reference to such Website: http://www.nalrc.indiana.edu
an event. Parents also make their good wishes and feelings
National African Language
known by giving their children names reflecting their hopes. Resource Center (NALRC)
Why Study isixhosa? Who Speaks isixhosa?
IsiXhosa is a very beautiful language with unique and striking Peop le and History
features. People throughout the world are fascinated by the
clicking sounds that occur in isiXhosa. A number of students The majority of isiXhosa speakers live in the Eastern and
have put forth a variety of reasons for studying the isiXhosa Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. There is a great
language in the United States. Some have research interests, number of isiXhosa speakers in the Gauteng Province
while others are interested in studying about cultures of and an insignificant number in the Northern Cape .
South Africans. The rich history of amaXhosa (people who Altogether there is a total number of about 7 million
speak isiXhosa) has gripped the interests of many a student isiXhosa speakers in South Africa.
who has heard of names and phenomena like Nongqawuse,
who was at the center of what became known as The Xhosa
AmaXhosa, the people who speak the Xhosa language,
National Suicide and Enoch Sontonga, who composed the
famous national anthem - Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika. A number of are said to be descendants of an Egyptian king named
people want to study isiXhosa simply because it is the home Nuto, who lived about the 3rd century AD. (Soga. Young Xhosa woman grinding maize in a village in South Africa
language of one of the world’s best statesmen – Mr Nelson 1954) History has it that king Nuto had many sons
Rolihlahla Mandela. from his many wives, some of whom moved towards the
South in search of better grazing land for their growing
A knowledge of isiXhosa enables one to communicate easily herds. In these series of slow migrations, the people
with speakers of other Nguni languages: isiZulu, isiNdebele fanned out into the subcontinent and settled in large
and isiSwati. So learning isiXhosa can actually be a gateway groups – each group consisting of a number of tribes.
to speaking four South African languages. IsiXhosa is one of
Within these groups or tribes there emerged young men
eleven official languages of South Africa, and it is the home
language of people settled over a vast area of the Eastern and with excellent leadership skills. Such leaders would
Western Cape Provinces – an area stretching from the Indian organize hunting expeditions whereby both males and
Ocean in the East to the Atlantic Ocean in the West. A females participated –males to hunt, females to cook.
number of development projects and industries that are
funded by overseas company are situated in the area occupied One of these groups, the Nguni, settled on the south-
by amaXhosa, so a communicative competence in this east African coast. It was amongst this Nguni group that
language puts research workers in very good standing. A two brothers, Zulu and Xhosa emerged. They moved
knowledge of isiXhosa comes in handy in Gauteng Province, further towards the south, always hunting and herding
the richest, busiest and most prosperous province in South cattle. So, even though Xhosa was not meant to be a Children playing along the road A Xhosa woman in native attire
Africa, because the majority of people in that province speak near Queensland
chief, his hunting parties urged him to form a separate
a Nguni language.
group from his brother’s, and so he became their chief.
Foreign diplomats, business and education directors, Thus, the two descendants of king Nuto, Zulu and
international aid workers, missionaries, volunteers of the Xhosa, found themselves separated by hunting strategy
Peace Corps, etc. benefit greatly from a knowledge of and ideology, but united in blood. Hence to this day the
isiXhosa because they can communicate with more than 70% amaZulu and amaXhosa people have almost identical
of the South African community. languages.
Included in the isiXhosa lessons are skills for making jewelry The nation of amaXhosa is made up of many groups,
and other isiXhosa artifacts from beads. Students also have commonly known as tribes, who all speak isiXhosa with
fun learning how to sing Mirriam Makeba’s famous click
a few differences in their vocabularies and structure.
song:
‘Uqongqothwane’ With the move towards globalization, the Such groups include: AmaHlubi, amaMfengu,
importance of empowering oneself with communicative amaBhaca, amaBomvana, amaMpondo.
competence in many languages cannot be overemphasized.
Learning how to speak isiXhosa will improve any student’s
A teacher teaching Xhosa culture to a child
chances of participating in the global village that is our world.
