Skip to main content

Why "KwaTu"?

We are all "Tu": In many, if not, most of the major indigenous languages in Africa, there's the "tu" suffix or "tu" in the body of the word meaning "a person" (NB: It can be spelt differently depending on accents, in some African languages it's "-du" & others "-tho".). 

"Tu" may be the best name for Africa collectively. 

Hausa: Person ~ Mutum
Igbo: People ~ Ndị mmadụ
Swahili: Person or people ~ Mtu au watu 

Maybe Tu is too short a word to call a continent so we add the place name prefix "kwa" (meaning at/for) present in Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Zulu & other African languages to make Kwatu or KwaTu.


Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

History of the Mpofana by Mthoko M. Mpofana

I'm not very traditional, I'm more straightforward & basic & often disregard cultural nuances so this history of the Mpofana tribe is going to be as direct & concise as possible.  Growing up, I grew up knowing that the clan praises or izithakazelo of the Mpofana are "Zulu" & "Ntombela", I never questioned that.  What I know now for sure is that there's a lot more that's hidden in history. What I keep seeing being repeated from various sources is that the Mpofana were part of the Amazizi (or AmaTiti) tribe. I now know that in the midlands & perhaps further north, up to the northwestern parts of KZN, they use the greeting "MaZizi okuhlala", perhaps alluding to the fact that the Mpofana as well as other Amazizi tribes were among the original tribes to settle in present-day KZN from 200 AD onwards & the "Dlamini" praise or greeting was used among all Dlamini tribes i. e. the Amahlubi, Amazizi (Mtiti), Hlangwini...
Read more

The modern Zulu language.

I always wondered which of the many Zulu dialects modern Zulu is & always thought it was Hlubi (isiMbo) & according to this thesis by a Mr. Isaac Sibusiso Kubeka written in what was apparently 1979, we see modern Zulu is more the original Ntungwa dialect. The Mthethwa dialect (isiLala) that was likely spoken by King Shaka looks more a Tsonga dialect from a Zulu-speaker's perspective. Despite the "Zulu area" speaking many dialects, I'm of the belief that these dialects were mutually intelligible & similar for the most part. This is the only way these Nguni tribes from southern Mozambique up to Umzimvubu River & inland into the Drakensberg Mountains up to Gauteng could understand each other because I, genuinely, think that it was seldom that an African travelled to a land where he couldn't speak the local language in precolonial times.  Mild differences between Zulu dialects. Writing Zulu   I remember reading a book written in 1930 by ...
Read more

Sentiments on Eswatini...

I have never been to Eswatini , yet I appreciate it's existence. I appreciate Swazi history & appreciate it's importance in the history of south-east Africa. I'll always promote Swazi products & wishes as if I am Swazi myself. I appreciate the fact that, both as African & Ngoni, Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy in Africa. East African countries in general (as well as some central & west African countries) are close to my heart because I believe we share a common history so even if I were to obtain any real power, east African countries will still be seen as family to me albeit distant family. From our flags, physical appearance, languages & mutual intelligibility; I'll always know where my roots are located.  Eswatini is, especially, important to me because it is said to be where my forefathers originate. So everything Swazi on media, I'll always look at as if it is done by my very own nation or countrymen.  I also believe Eswat...
Read more