Languages feature - isiXhosa

The AmaXhosa are one of four nations, known as Nguni, the other three are AmaNdebele, AmaSwazi and AmaZulu. The AmaXhosa settled in the Eastern Cape and over time spread to the Western Cape.

The Xhosa nation is made up of tribes and clans which are groups of families with different surnames but sharing one clan name. For example, Radebe is the clan, but the nation is called AmaHlubi. 

The isiXhosa language has many clicks - for example the X, Q, KR and CG in the English language are letters that form the clicks. Storytelling plays a big part in the culture, and even the music is a form of storytelling. Xhosa dance is called umtyityimbo, which requires dancers to make their upper bodies tremble and vibrate while dancing.

Title:                          [• Dr. Mr]

Name:                        [• Vulindlela (Godfrey) Mona]

Position AND org.:   [• Director of the Language Centre at the University of Fort Hare]