African Languages

Abstract
This paper focuses on taboo language used in songs still widely sung in rural areas in South Africa amongst the Zulu People. These songs are called 'amaculo omgonqo' (puberty songs) and are sung at the 'umemulo' (coming of age) ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. An investigation is made of  humour  which is used to make more acceptable, the unusual use of bawdy and ribald language in these songs (normally socially forbidden), which are sung by young girls before these ceremonies. On these occasions when this scatological type of language is used, no senior adults are present, and in some specific situations where young males might  be present with the young females, the girls may sing songs targeting certain males. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humour which is core to the lyrics.

This paper highlights the Oral History efforts of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, which was established in 1995 and is named after a famous deceased game ranger from the Imfolozi Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Magqubu Ntombela, who dedicated his life as a game guard to wildlife conservation from 1914 to 1993. This Foundation intends to prevent the loss of records containing the history, culture and conservation of the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park area (HIP), which are reflected in the names of the places, mountains, rivers and streams as well as in the oral stories of its past custodians. It aims through projects such as the revision of the HIP area map as well as recording the oral narratives of the old and retired game guards, to preserve part of the ‘soul of the country’, which is in such danger of slipping away and being buried in the mire of modern technology. There is a great need in South Africa to safeguard its intangible heritage by collecting, recording and archiving memories of co...

This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.

In the izibongo analysed in this article, the vast majority of male izibongo have at least one mention of male virility and sexual attractiveness; for many, that is the main theme of the poem. The penchant for including these types of references, enables males to entrench these qualities as those which are seen to be not only praiseworthy, but also desirable arid the mark of a man. Since it is mainly men who compose their own praises and those of their contemporaries, they are in a sense able to influence and control their environment by reinforcing the desirability and acceptability of these qualities in their society by consistently including them in their personal praise poetry.