Names For Days Of The Week In Nama (Khoekhoe) Language Of South Africa, Namibia, & Botswana

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about names for days of the week in the Nama (Khoekhoe) language Of South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.

This post also includes two YouTube videos of people speaking Nama.

This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series that provides information about and lists for day names in various African languages. Click the "African languages days of the week" tag to find other posts in this ongoing series.

The content of this post is presented for linguistic, cultural, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/seven-videos-of-nama-stap-nama-step.html for a pancocojams post that showcases nine videos of a Nama dance form called "Nama Strap" (also known as "Nama Step" or "Riel").

****
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAMA LANGUAGE
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoekhoe_language
"The Khoekhoe language... also known by the ethnic term Nama /ˈnɑːmə/[3] and formerly as Hottentot, is the most widespread of those non-Bantu languages of southern Africa that contain "click" sounds and have therefore been loosely classified as Khoisan. It belongs to the Khoe language family, and is spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa by three ethnic groups, the Nama, Damara, and Haiǁom. A smaller fraction of mostly Nama and Damara who fled the 1904-1908 Namibian War of National Resistance also speak the language in Botswana, while Khoena (previously Colored) are working hard ton [sic] revive the language in South Africa.

[...]

The name for Khoekhoegowab speakers, Khoekhoen, in English khoe is a "person", with reduplication and the suffix -n to indicate the plural[citation needed]. Georg Friedrich Wreede was the first European to study the language, after arriving in Cape Town in 1659.

Khoekhoe is a national language in Namibia, where it is used for teaching up to the university level as well as in the public administration[citation needed]. In Namibia and South Africa, state-owned broadcasting corporations produce and broadcast radio programmes in Khoekhoegowab.

****
Excerpt #2
From http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khoekhoe.htm
"Khoekhoe (Khoekhoegowab)

Khoekhoe is a Khoisan languages spoken by approximately 250,000 people in parts of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. It is spoken by three ethnic groups of people: the Nama (Khoekhoen), Damar and Haiǁom, and is also known as Nama.

Khoekhoe is a national language in Nambia and is used in education at all levels, as well as on the radio. There are also Khoekhoe radio programmes in South Africa.

In the past the term Hottentot was used to refer to the Khoekhoe language and those who spoke it. This name was coined by early Dutch settlers, who, upon hearing the language spoken, thought that all the natives were saying was 'hot' and 'tot'. It is now considered rascist and is no longer used.

The first European to study the Khoekhoe language was Georg Friedricj Wreede, who arrived in Cape Town in 1659."....

****
Excerpt #3
From http://www.omniglot.com/language/time/days.htm
"Khoekhoe (Nama)

Mantaxtses, ǂgurotses (Monday)
Denstaxtses, ǀgamǀîtses (Tuesday)
Wunstaxtses, !nonaǁîtses (Wednesday)

Donertaxtses, hakaǁîtses (Thursday)

Fraitaxtse, koroǁîtses (Friday)
Satertaxtses, !naniǁîtses (Saturday)
Sontaxtses, hûǁîtses (Sunday)"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: KhoeKhoegowab Lesson No:1



Easy Languages, Uploaded on Dec 28, 2006

KhoeKhoegowab is the most populous and widespread of the Khoisan languages. It belongs to the Khoe language family, and is spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa by the Namaqua, Damara, and Haillom, as well as smaller ethnic groups such as the #Khomani. The name for Nama speakers, Khoekhoen, is from the Nama word khoe "person", with reduplication and the suffix -n to indicate the plural.
Thusnelda Dausas and Gabriel /Khoeseb are two young teachers from the primery school, a small school vilage called Baumgartsbrunn in Namibia.
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread
Gladys Baya, 2007
"I can't even hear the diference between the four of them! :-( Next time someone tells me English sounds are difficult, I'll send them to study KhoeKhoegowab!

Thanks for the lesson!"

**
pusifut, 2007
"they dont speak with the clicks because they want to, they speak because its part of their language. its just like how english speakers are perhaps one of the only peoplep to use th certain words
2007"

**


Stephen Blake. 2012
"Thank you for posting these lessons. I teach high school human geography in Tennessee USA and my classes had a lot of fun trying to speak Khoisan. They asked me to find out the name and artist of that very catchy tune you play at the end. Could you please tell me if you can?
Kindest regards
Stephen"

**
Reply
Easy Languages, 2012
"The name of the artist is: The Dogg
I don't remember the name of the song but you find a lot of his stuff on youtube. He is a very well know Namibian Kwaito - Style musician.

Last year he let us to make a video clip with him to advertise the idea of using digital media on internet by high school students. If you search for "The Dogg" on my channel you could see it. Most of it was done in our partner school in Windhoek.

Thank you for your interest. Namibia is unbelievable beautiful country. "

**
Анастасия Юрь Ева, 2013
"Khosa and Zulu are easier, because the clicks are different and easier to make. I need a better description of how to place the tongue to make the clicks for KhoeKhoegowab."
-snip-
Another commenter wrote that the correct spelling is "Xhosa".

**
Jonathan Canfield, 2016
"Those sounds are pretty hard to distinguish, for beginners. Thanks for the lesson. It was informative and clear."

****
Example #2: KhoeKhoegowab Lesson No:3




Easy Languages, Uploaded on Dec 31, 2006

KhoeKhoegowab is the most populous and widespread of the Khoisan languages. It belongs to the Khoe language family, and is spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa by the Namaqua, Damara, and Haillom, as well as smaller ethnic groups such as the #Khomani. The name for Nama speakers, Khoekhoen, is from the Nama word khoe "person", with reduplication and the suffix -n to indicate the plural.

Thusnelda Dausas and Gabriel /Khoeseb are two young teachers from the primery school, a small school vilage called Baumgartsbrunn in Namibia.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
"AdmiralXolo, 2012
"Lol this is easy for Zulu and Xhosa speakers like myself.Althou we don't have as many clicks as the khoi but this is kinda fun"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Ten Video Examples Of African Women Wearing Tied Head Scarfs (in various nations other than Nigeria)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part series on tying head wraps (head scarves). Part III showcases ten video examples of women from African nations other than Nigeria wearing tied head wraps. The featured African nations, in alphabetical order, are Benin, Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Zambia.

Unlike the other two posts in this series, this post doesn't feature how-to videos. Instead, it showcases music and dance videos that happen to show a woman or women wearing a tied head wrap.

This post doesn't purport to provide a comprehensive description of tied head wrap styles in those featured nations or in the African continent as a whole.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/how-to-tie-yoruba-geles-womens-head.html for Part I. Part I focuses on the Yoruba (Nigeria) custom of women wearing geles (head wraps). Examples of Igbo women wearing headwraps (ichafus) can be found in the Addendum to this video.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/african-american-wearing-head-scarves.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents some information about the history of African American women wearing head scarves and presents several video examples of some of the ways that contemporary Black women in the United States tie head scarves (head wraps).

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks to those featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
FEATURED VIDEO EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first. The source nation for these videos is given in parenthesis.

It's difficult to find online information about traditions and contemporary customs associated with females tying head scarves in these featured nations. However, it's likely that women wearing tied head wraps served and continues to serve as expressions of a person's creativity and individuality and also served/serves ornamental/beautification purposes. That said, the video given as Example #4 below suggests that woman wearing tied head wraps may sometimes have served and continue to serve a religious purpose, perhaps similar to the custom/injunction in some Christian churches that females must cover their hair while they are in church.

Example #1: Liberia Zaye Tete [Liberia]



ROWLIN WHITE, Uploaded on Aug 17, 2008

Liberia Zaye Tete latest Music Video

****
Example #2: Benin music- Don Metok : Gnonnou [Benin]



Bill Emile Davolk, Uploaded on Dec 31, 2008

benin Music: "Yonnu" by Don Metok

****
Example #3: Traditional Akan funeral - Ghana, West Afrika [Ghana]



Adiama Uploaded on Jun 17, 2009

Scenes from Adiama Sankofa Journey 2008 in Ghana, West Afrika. In this clip participants make an impromptu visit to a traditional Akan funeral in the Asante region and are graciously received by the community. http://adiama.com

****
Example #4: Zambian gospel music (Samfya catholic church Zambia) [Zambia]



nkandu81, Uploaded on Jul 24, 2009

sounds en voices of a zambian catholic choir
By emmanuel Banda
Belgium

****
Example #5: Beautiful African Woman Plays Guitar In A Slightly Non-Traditional Manner [Botswana]



gopro25, Uploaded on Jun 24, 2010

This African woman plays a strangely tuned guitar in a language that we can all understand.

Utterly Breathtaking Guitar Performance AFRICA

****
Example #6: soninke festival, suduwol [Gambia]



soninke1000, Uploaded on Feb 16, 2012

soninkara cultural festival at suduwol the gambia. it was organised by sydo soninkara

****
Example #7: Fulani nation's music [Senegal]



νταλικέρης Uploaded on Feb 23, 2012

Traditional Fulani's music from Senegal.

****
Example #8: Mama Korowa - Dama Mamo (malematauas.blogspot.com) [Mozambique]



Edgar P. Cadir Uploaded on Feb 28, 2012

****
Example #9: Sierra Leone Temne Culture [Sierra Leone]


Jacob Conteh, Published on Apr 24, 2012

Dressed in colorful attired, these Temne women are part of the Digba Society of Patfu Mayawa in Central Sierra Leone. This ceremony marks their 'graduation' taken with my iPad

****
Example #10: Somalia in the 80s | Somali Folk Dance



SomaliArchive Published on Jun 6, 2012

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

All African Dances Aren't About Shaking Your Booty

Edited by Azizi Powell

All Black African dances aren't about hip shaking or butt shaking. This post features videos of eight African dances that either don't include any hip or butt shaking or only include a little of those dance movements. I'm focusing on these styles of African dances because it seems to me that most Black African dances do emphasize hip and/or butt shaking movements. But I might be wrong about that.

By no means are these the only videos I found on YouTube of African dances which don't include or emphasize hip or butt shaking. Nor are these featured videos from the nations indicated the only types of non-hip & butt shaking traditional dancing from those nations. Enjoy!

FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: "Sora Sora" [Ethiopia]



Uploaded by GilaGilaGilaGilaGila on Oct 19, 2009

Summer hit of 2009 in Ethiopia; featuring great singing, shoulder dance, pretty girls and funky boys.
The music video was shot in and around Lalibela. Enjoy.

-snip-

From http://ethiopianadventures.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/eskista/ "The dancing style, known as ‘eskista’, involves a lot of vigorous head jerking and shoulder bopping."
-snip-
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake
the Eskista dance is source of the Hip Hop dance "The Harlem Shake" and another Hip Hop dance, "Chicken Noodle Soup", evolved from "The Harlem Shake".

**
Example #2: Tshwane Traditional Dancers [South Africa]



Uploaded by RooneyProductions on Oct 15, 2008

Tshwane cultural troupe - Temba, South Africa

**
Example #3: Pretty Zulu Girls show their Wedding Dance [South Africa]



Uploaded by GlobalDVC on Apr 28, 2008

...Beautiful Zulu girl Mafuthi Mathenjwa works at the Simunye Community Tourism Association Office (sponsored by DaimlerChrysler) based at the entrance of Khula Village a small rural settlement next to the Dukuduku Forest on the fringes of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in Zululand...This tourism office is the first in South Africa to be entirely owned and operated by members of the local community.

**
Example #4: Makhirikhiri - "Tsabana" [Botswana]



Uploaded by TheUwazi on Jun 6, 2010

"Tsa Bana is a Botswana phrase meaning For Children It's a name for a supplementary feeding product supplied by the Botswana Government Once a month you carry your under 5 kid to the clinic for checkups and you get a 5kg bag.It was meant for low income families who cannot properly feed their babies. The product is made of Soya beans, maize meal and fortified powdered cow milk.It was meant for children, BUT it has been a big hit with ADULTS too. That is the story behind the song."
- alecshapiro; October 2011

**
Example #5: Kessia & Marvella - Yoronimu [Burundi]



Uploaded by idamawatu on Jun 30, 2008

**
Example #6: Mbute Pygmies Tribal Dance [Democratic Republic Of The Congo]



Uploaded by PilgrimReliefSociety on Jan 19, 2010

Rare footage of Mbute pygmies (forest people) of central Africa performing a traditional dance. The Mbute forest people have been the victims of unspeakable atrocities. They are still discriminated and persecuted today. Yet the beauty of their culture still lingers. Help us keep it alive.

**
Example #7: Intore Dancing [Rwanda]



Rutembesa Guillaume,Uploaded on Dec 23, 2011
-snip-
From http://www.rwanda-direct.com/rwanda-intore-dancers/
"There are three main components to Rwandan Ballet, and a standard performance by a group will contain all three. These are the songs/dances that are the essence of the art form (and are referred to here as 'the Ballet'), Intore (dance of heroes) and Ingoma ('drums').

The 'Dance of Heroes' is performed by men wearing grass wigs and carrying spears. The background is a dance performed by returning warriors, celebrating victory in battle. The dancers move from side to side combining grace and complex choreography with a raw aggression. At certain stages the dancers stop, with arms outstretched and make blood-curdling battle crys.

These calls are individual to each dancer and represent warriors declaiming the details of how many he had slain in battle. Battles traditionally involved Hutu, Tutsi and Twa fighting alongside each-other against a common enemy. The performance of Intore therefore has always consisted of warriors of all groups dancing together.
**
Example #8: Masai Dancing [Tanzania]



Uploaded by bingwa90 on Feb 23, 2008

This is footage filmed in Tanzania of Masai dancing prior to a special ceremony which takes place in the bush once every 18/20 years or so. This ceremony is attended by 2,000/3,000 people from all over Tanzania, and is specially for the initiation of the young 'Morani' into becoming 'keepers of the village' with all the prestige this position carries with it. It is also time to bid goodbye to the outgoing Morani, who become elders, and are not happy about this, which creates hostilities. Spectacular displays of colour, traditional dress, and dancing are seen at the event. A later video shows the upset Morani 'thrashing about' in distress at losing their status. In the meantime, the dancing continues......

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.