Don't Upset ooMalume: A Guide to Stepping Up Your Xhosa Game

Title: Don't Upset ooMalume
Subtitle: A Guide to Stepping Up Your Xhosa Game
Author: Hombakazi Mercy Nqandeka
Publisher: Jonathan Ball Publishers South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa 2022
ISBN 9781776192113 / ISBN 978-1-77-619211-3
Softcover, 15 x 23 cm, 272 pages, several b/w photos

About: Don't Upset ooMalume. A Guide to Stepping Up Your Xhosa Game

Returning to the family homestead in the Eastern Cape for the holidays, and worried that your city ways and less than perfect knowledge of Xhosa culture will get you a wagging finger in the face from ooMalume, the uncles? Don't Upset ooMalume! is a fusion of the knowledge of the elders in my village at Mqele and Bulungula where I work. It captures the essence of Xhosa heritage and culture, and explores different aspects of village life, and covers a range of topics, from major Xhosa life ceremonies and traditional clothing, to the significance of uronta (the rondavel) and ubuhlanti (the kraal). Not forgetting the importance of traditional food, popular dishes, edible forage and even medicinal plants. I would never be able to mention every single person who has made it the success it is. My mother played a huge part in its making, and whenever she stumbled on questions I asked her, she would call some relatives to help, so I'm thankful to all of them.

Contents: Don't Upset ooMalume. A Guide to Stepping Up Your Xhosa Game

Intshayelelo / Introduction
1. Izigaba zobomi nemicimbi ebaluie.ki.leyo / Important life stages and ceremonies
Ukubeleka nokungcwatywa kwenkaba - Birth and the burying of the umbilical cord / Imbeleko - A baby's introduction / Isigaba sokwaluka kwamakhwenkwe nentonjane yamantombazana - Initiation stage / Ukwaluka kwamakhwenkwe nokuthomba kwamantombazana - Circumcision of boys and puberty of girls / uMtshato / uMendo - Marriage / Ukumitha - Pregnancy / Ukukhutshwa kwabafazi endlini - Married women's graduation / Ukufa - Death
2. Izinxibo nehombo / Clothing and adornment
Inkciyo - Virgin girl's bead cover / Ukugaya - Making beads for a male lover / Ixakatho - Checked throw / Ikhetshemiya - Black head wrap for makotis / Umbhaco - Xhosa women's regalia / Umbhaco oditshiweyo - Clay-dipped mbhaco / Iqaba - One who smears ochre / Umsubhe - Beaded anklets / Inkaca - Wooden anklets / Umbhalo - White blanket with black stripes / Umvambo - Body art / Iihombo zesihlahla - Wrist bands
3. Ngaphakathi kukaronta / In and around the rondavel
Uronta - Rondavel or hut / Umqadi - Inside the roof of a rondavel / Isitena sodaka - Mud brick / Isithungu - A bundle of grass / Ukhuko - Reed mat / Ingobozi - Reed basket / Isithebe - Reed chopping mat / Umtshayelo wengca - Grass broom / Umjingo - Rope for hanging clothes / Isinxathiba - Fencing hook / Imibuliso - Greetings / Ukuthwala - Carrying something on the head or head wrapping / Ukungcekelela - Carrying without holding / Ukubeleka - Carrying a child or something on the back / linbombozi - A big plastic bottle
4. Iinkuni no mlilo / Firewood and fire
Ukubekelela - Piling firewood If Inyanda - A bundle of firewood / Igoqo - A big pile of firewood / Umlilo - Fire / Imbiza - Pot / Unocotsholwana - A small pot / Umsi - Smoke / Imbawula - Traditional firewood heater
5. Ukupheka / Food preparation
Isingqusho - Pestle and mortar / Ilitye lokuguba / lokusila - Grinding stone / Ukupheka - Cooking / Ukufudumeza - Heating or warming / Umleqwa - Free-range chicken / Ulusu - Tripe / Ubusuntsu - Prawns / Ithanga - Pumpkin / Ibhatata - Sweet potato / Intlama - Dough / Isonka - Bread / Intshela - Remains of food that stick to the pot / Umbeko - Leftovers
6. Umbona / Maize
Ubulembu - Maize silk / Umphurhu - Maize stalk / Ibhangqa - Boiled green maize / Isihumba - Boil or blister smut / linkobe / ugcado - Boiled or roasted maize / limbotyi / iinoyi - Beans IS Iqhashu - Roasted maize / Umlu - Stacks of maize / Umpha - Maize cob / Isiswenye - Maize seeds / Isidudu sombona - Maize porridge / Isidudu samabele - Sorghum porridge / Isidudu sotywala - Mqombothi porridge / Inkoduso - Sprouted maize / Umqombothi - Maize or sorghum beer / Isicheku / isichenene - A bit of liquid / Ivanya - Second extract of mqombothi
7. Iinifino / A dish made from greens or wild edible plants
Ububazi - West Indian nettle / Umhlabangubo - Blackjack / Unongotyozana - Marsh pennywort / Umsobo - Nightshade / Ugrwangqingqi - Dandelion / Irhwabe - Prickly sow thistle / Imithwane - Baby pumpkin leaves / Ugwadugwadu - Dried greens / Iguzu - Gooseberry / Ifojo - A bunch / Ilaxa - Cooked greens / Imifino yombon' omtsha - Greens and maize dish
8. Imithi / uhlaza / amayeza / Trees, greenery and medicinal plants
Unomaweni - Krantz aloe / Um.cha.kuva - Ricin / Umthuma - Porcupine tomato / Umhlonyane wamaLawu - Artemisia / Umguzane - Marsh mallow / Isihlungu - Scoparia-weed / Ivukazi / umbethe - Dew / Ungqatsi - Tobacco / Intlaka - Tree sap
9. Indalo / Nature
Imvula - Rain / Iqabaza - Droplet / Imvula yentuku - Mole- burrowed soil / Umnyama - Rainbow / Intambo yesigcawu - Spider web
10. Izilwanyana zasendle nezasekhaya / Wild animals and domesticated pets
Iinkomo - Cows / Ubuhlanti / isibaya - Kraal / Iimpondo zenkomo - Cattle horns / Izapholo - Drinking milk from the cow's udder H Ihobe - Dove / Ukhetshe - Bird of prey / Intsikizi - Southern ground hornbill / Usiba - Feather / Indlwane yokuzalelisela - Egg-laying nest / Iqanda - Egg / Inj a - Dog / Ikati - Cat / Ufudo - Tortoise
11. Izuduko / Clan names
Elokuvala / A final word