Health and the body.

IsiXhosa lesson 3:

They fulfil different social and political roles in the community, including:prophecyhealing physical, emotional and

spiritual illnessesdirecting birth or death ritualsfinding lost cattleprotecting warriorscounteracting witches narrating the history.

Traditional healers of South Africa

Sangoma: (the diviner) relies primarily on divination for healing purposes and might also be considered a type of fortune teller

Inyanga: (the herbalist ) concerned mainly with medicines made from plants and animals

Today, due to all the social changes which occurred in South Africa’s past, the difference between a sangoma and inyanga has become less defined.

Traditional healers can alternate between these roles by diagnosing common illnesses, selling and dispensing remedies for medical complaints, and divining cause and providing solutions to spiritually or socially centred complaints.[

Two main types of traditional healers

It is estimated that there are as many as 200,000 indigenous traditional healers in South Africa

Compared to 25,000 Western-trained doctors.

Traditional healers are consulted by approximately 60% of the population (usually in conjunction with modern biomedical services).

Facts and figures:

An ancient isiXhosa custom of amputating the joint of the little finger, or of the ring finger on babies.

It is only practiced amongst certain tribes.

Usually ingqithi is performed on babies.

It is currently a very rare practice.

What is ‘ingqithi’?

It may be performed later in life if the child develops defects, e.g. bedwetting, mental illness or self mutilation.

If inqgithi is performed later in life, the surgeon will tear off the only the top part of the little finger.

The child is taken outside to the kraal

They are tied carefully. Then a black cloth is wound around

their face to cover their eyes. A specialist surgeon is used -

different from the one who circumcises boys.

How is inqgithi performed?

Avery sharp knife is used to remove the joint of the little finger.

Soil taken from a mole-hill is put on the wound.

Other families put fresh cow dung on the wound

Healing time is between three to five weeks.

Today the practice of inqgithi is falling away.

Some amaXhosa people view it as a form of torture.

Some resent their lack of choice.Others uphold this ritual as they are proud of their cultural practices and dislike the judgement placed on this practice.

Inqgithi is a controversial issue:

Many amaXhosa people see the value in inqgithi because it gives results.

Certain amaXhosa people feel that it goes against their religious beliefs.

It is argued that not performing inqgithi may anger the ancestors.

What are your views on inqgithi?

isiqubluba

iqathu

isithende

isihlahla

uzipho

ubhontsiuzwane

Ukhakayiintamo

igxalabaingqosha

iimbamboihlezaingalo

isandla

ithangaidolo

uxhongo

unyawo

ishiya

imisebe

iliso

ummizo

isibindi

umphunga

intliziyo

isisu

Amathumbu amancinane

Ithumbu elikhulu

amathumbu

The recent past tense indicates an action which has just been completed.

In isiXhosa there is a difference between the near past/recent past and remote past.

The near past has two forms just like the present tense.

There is the long form and the short form.

The Recent Past Tense/Perfect Tense

The short form is formed by:Subject Marker -> verb root -> -eNdi fik e

The short form is used when there is a word following the verb. As in the present tense the long form does not need to be followed by a word it is an independent verb that can stand on its own.

The long form is formed by: Subject Marker -> verb root -> -ileNdi fik ile

The structure of the past verb in isiXhosa

The stative verbs are verbs that depict the state the subject is in.

These verbs are formed exactly the same way as with the perfect tense.

Its equivalent in English is in the present tense and its meaning is also in the present tense.

Example:Ndiphilile – I am well.

The stative verb

The negative of the near past tense and the stative verb is formed by:i. Negative formative a-ii. Negative subject concordiii. Verb rootiv. Negative suffix –anga

a- -> neg SC -> verb root -> angaA -> ndi -> phil -> anga

The negative of the near past tense and the stative verb

Positive Negative

Ndiphilile Andiphilanga

Write the following sentences in the short and long form of the past tense, as well as the negative form. (So you should have three versions of each sentence.)

uXolile uhamba ukugqirha.-Xolile goes to the doctor.

Umlenze waphuka. – The leg is broken.

Le ndoda iphethwe yiRumathiki. – This man suffers from Rheumatism.

uPhinda utya ukutya okwakhayo. Phinda eats food that strengthens the body.

Task: