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Glossary

baba – father

babamukuru – father’s brother/husband’s brother

bhudhi – brother

blaz – slang for brother

buda ndibudewo – literally ‘come out (of mother’s womb) sibling, so

that I can come out too’

chikafu – food

chinamwari – a ritual practised in south and central Africa to prepare young women for better sex, wifely duties and motherhood

chiramu – playful but innocent way in which young in laws from the related families act as ‘wives ’and ‘husbands’ to each other

combi – a mini-bus used as a public taxi

futi futi – and, and

gogo – grandmother

guru – offal, tripe

hakata – the diviner’s bones

hes mhani – hie there!

Hesi mhani – oh, yeah!

hwindi – conductor in a combi taxi

iwe – you

kanga – roasted maize grains

kanjani – how is it?

kaya – servants’ quarters in suburban yards

kuchirungu – the city; in this particular context, the USA

kumusha – rural areas

kutyei – why not?

kwakanaka here – is everything all right?

maakunzwa sei – how are you feeling now?

mabva nekupi – where are you coming from?

mabhoyi – half-derogatory name for black people

madora – a type of edible caterpillar

mai – mother of

maiguru – mother’s older sister/brother’s wife/wife’s older sister

mainini – mother’s younger sister, or wife’s younger sister

majuru – a type of ant, edible when fried

makadii – how are you?

makadii mhamha – how are you mother,/mother–in–law?

mamuka sei – how are you this morning?

manheru – good evening

matumbu – offal, intestines

mazhanje – a sweet wild fruit, a wild loquat

mazondo – boiled cow hooves

mbuya – grandmother, aunt

mhaiwe – oh, Mother! Exclamation of surprise, pain, etc.

mhamha – mother/mum/mother-in-law

mkoma – brother, usually older brother

mkwasha – brother-in-law/son-in-law

mombes – cattle

munin’ina – young brother or sister

mupfuwira – love potion to bait loved man/woman

muramu – wife’s younger sister or husband’s younger brother

muri bho? – are you OK?

muzukuru – grandchild/ nephew/niece

mwana vamaivangu – my mother’s child/sibling

mwanangu – my son

namatambudziko – condolences

nhaika – OK?

palazzo – knee length shorts

sascams – Zimbabwean slang for mentally disturbed people

sekuru – grandfather, uncle, older man worthy of respect

sisi – sister

shebeen – private ‘bar’, usually in a private house

tsano – brother-in-law

vabereki – parents

vatezvara – father-in-law

waswera – How was your day?

wena uzaba u – Ndebele for ‘You will be…’

zambias – light, cotton wrappers worn by African women, so called because they are popular in Zambia

zvako – lucky you

zvauriwe – watch yourself

zvekuti – very much

zvigure – traditional masked dancers belonging to certain cults