African value...

hello Good people!

i would love to share with u another important aspect of life in Africa... that is SURNAME..
Yah... its very important even today.
A surname carries with it a lot of societal values..
It gives family identity and values. For example, we are Called Ncube hence what we value most in our family can not be of value in Ndlovu family.,
Another thing, surname itself helps or was used to conserve our proudly African environment. For instance, Dube people they are not allowed to eat a zebra becoz its their totem. Meaning to say fewer animals were slaughtered in our environment.
Also surname plays a vital role in marriages. People of the same surname cant marry each other.....WHY? Is LOVE should determine? A very big NOOO... chances are high that when u mate you will give birth to a weak baby...?? but WHHHHHY?

Lets get talking more would be revealed...

dont lose it..its still vital

hello good friends..

today i would love to look at another important element of life in Africa which was and even today is used to store very important information.
POEMS...
This is a very important element of life in an African society. it was formulated to store a very critical issues... poets uses poems to keep individuals experiences and even some strategies they used to over come challenges.
The poem is also used to communicate with leaders..for example ruthless leaders which can not accept direct challenge...



what else do u think poems are used for?

meanings of names and their impacts in our African societies

Heloo  friends. I hope u all well. Today I would love to deliver another aspect of our culture which was/is mainly used by our African mothers to preserve important information.  You will discover that most African names carries with it vital message either for the family or it encourages the owner to be an upright person. Besides having individual impact, names were concerned with building a peaceful environment in the society. However the so called ‘globalisation’ and civilisation has washed away our pride. We want to be identified by English names is it? But should we forsake our culture? Here are some of the names I managed to get n discover their meaning…  if you have one please share with me the meaning and how you were given..

Ntandoyenkosi/Kudakwashe - means "Will of God"  for Boys. In most cases the family would be struggling to get a girl child and by this name they will be accepting the unchangeable gift.

Sizwe- means nation "for boys" this name is historically pregnant. May be the mother gave birth to this child whilst the country was struggling to get its independence or the parents were facing economic challenges or it is during that time when everything appeared fantastic.  

Mqondisi - means director for Boys. This name can mean that that God is the only person who gives the direction to the family or the boy child will deliver the family from all challenges by directing them to where there is joy and happiness.

Siqondile - means "we are straight"  for girls. Siqondile can also mean “ His decision is correct” in this instance may be the family will be appreciating a decision which was taken by a certain member of the family when the child was born.

Lungile-  means "one who is well behaved"  mainly for girls.  This name encourages the child to be very disciplined child. This name is usually given to a first born child so that she can lead by example to her younger sisters and brothers.

Mlungisi - means (one who fixes things, or make things right) for boys. This name is usually given to a child who came to rescue the relationship that was falling apart. Either due to failure of giving a boy child( ingqabutho) or to have a child for the family at all.

Ayanda- means (Boys are increased) for boys. Appreciation of God’s gift. Mostly the family will be having a boy after a boy and no girl child.

Methembe- means "Trust him, normally refer to God" for both boys/ girls. This name is also given by aunties to a new born baby to communicate with their muroora/makoti that she should trust their brother who is working in a faraway place. It installs peace and patience that he will come back to her.

Jabulani/Farai- means "Be happy" In Ndebele (Zim) its for boys. It’s a name which is communicating to either to the family members or to the ancestors to be happy that there is a new member joining the family.

Following the foot prints of our forefathers.

How have folktales been rejuvenated in order to fit into the morden society…realising they were playing crucial role back then.

 Folks have been used by our elders in delivering certain information containing different life lessons. These folks varied with age group, children had their own stories, teenagers and so on. The teller in most cases was someone with a gift of voice projection( can make any sound of any animal). Life experiences also made it easy for one to deliver the message in this disguise manner. However with the coming of technology we lost all these African values. OHHHH thanks to actors and writers who have revived some of precious values. Although it is not as original as it was but they persevered because oral stories can lose some of their colour and liveliness when put in writing, there is a gain that makes the change worthwhile. In the past, oral stories, and the identities of their tellers, were often lost to future generations because there were no written records. Now, storytellers yet unborn will be able to breathe new life into our tales and adapt them to the needs of listeners and readers of their time.

Since the beginning of time folks have always wanted to spread the word. The ones who can spread the word most effectively have the ability to �talk dat talk� and �walk dat walk�. In other words they can grab the imagination of the listeners and hold on to it for as long as they like, conjuring up images of the good and the bad, the weak and the strong, and the trickster and the fool. They have the ability to make you laugh until you cry, cry until you laugh, stand up and shout, or stare in amazement at their gestures and characterizations. Besides these, they carry with them the societal values which everyone is expected to follow.

In the African culture, past and present, these folks have gone by many names. Today, they are called preachers, healers, teachers, comedians, blues singers, poets, dancers, rappers, liars, painters, and historians. In a performance, all storytellers will use whatever it takes to get the story across. To hear them is to hear the drum, the heartbeat of Africa. To see them tell the story is to experience highlights of an African ritual at its best, a total theatrical performance. People can easily understand a certain concept when delivered in a dramatic manner.

The storyteller, the story and the audience are of equal importance. The drummers or musicians set the tone. The dancers or singers warm up the audience. The audience gives their approval by clapping their hands, swaying to the beat, and shouting comments or praises. The storyteller enters, dressed for the occasion in attire that may be colourful and exciting to arouse the curiosity or formal to create a serious mood. The storyteller senses the vibrations of the audience and begins to deliver the story, using his or her voice to mimic the characters. The storyteller may chant or scream. The storyteller sweats, and the audience loves it, because this means that the storyteller is doing all that he or she possibly can to please them. The story is full of emotions, full of humour, full of rhythmic language, and full of wisdom.

The storyteller and the audience are flexible. No one worries about making a mistake. No mistakes are made. Something new is being created. The story has fired up the audience. The storyteller has succeeded, and he or she exits in a fashion that will be remembered. The story has not ended. The audience has taken it home with them, and the next day they spread the word to the ones who were not there to witness the event. The spirit of sharing is cultivated as information is shared from one person to another.

Thnx to the internet which tried to stop our African ways of passing information because it opened platforms liked Youtube, facebooks where we care share our African indigenous orature.  

Tracing back our roots..

Impact of indigenous games…

These days, “child’s play” seems to be about online gaming, from Playstations to Nintendos. But many might recall the days when children congregated outdoors, playing their favourite games in the street. They were free and required little or no equipment. Apart from being fun, they also helped build fundamental skills, from social interaction to physical hand-eye co-ordination and even basic maths and strategic thinking. These games did not only entertain children but it played different roles in shaping the character of the participants.  Here’s our list of some of the most popular traditional African games played by children across the continent. How best can we take them back to our African society and help shaping our only PROUDLY African children? how can the technology help us liberating our traditional games?

1.KUDODA (ZIMBABWE)

There’s a few variations of this game, all which need at least three players to make it fun. In Kudoda, players sit in a circle around a wooden or metal bowl filled with 20 to 30 small stones or marbles. The first player picks up one of the stones and throws it up in the air. It’s all about quick fingers. Before it drops down, the player tries to pick up as many other stones in the bowl as he/she can. Once all players have had a chance, the stones are counted and the one who collects the most is the winner. From this game children were being taught to be clever. To manage to calculate events and foretell the future as well as planning before its too late.

2. MANCALA (THROUGHOUT AFRICA)

Mancala is believed to be the oldest game in the world. It was played in as many countries on the continent as there is variations of it. So if you don’t recognise the name, it’s probably because its been called everything from kigogo in Kenya to oware in Ghana. How does it work? First you need a mancala board, with holes arranged in either two or four rows. Small stones or seeds were used in earlier days; today, using marbles is common. The name mancala literally means “to transfer” in Arabic, so the aim is to move your stones around so that you can capture more than your opponent. It’s fun, but strategic, much like chess. The game is still played today, enjoyed by both children and adults across the globe. It sharpens the minds of the children, make them think critical e.t.c

3. AMPE (GHANA)

This is a game best played with a group of four or more, but just two people will do, too. It’s an active game, with so much clapping, singing, and jumping involved that it almost looks like a dance. It’s a game that’s been passed down from generation to generation. A leader is chosen and the rest of the group either stand in a semicircle or split into groups of two. The leader begins by jumping, and when you land from your jump, you place one leg forward. Points are earned depending on which leg (left or right) meets the opposite leg of your opponent first. Everyone gets a chance to be the leader and usually the first person to reach 10 points wins! The game was not only meant for entertainment but it carries with it the ideology of hierarchy. In other terms leadership is passed from one person to another. It also promoted respect of the elders despite his age, financial status, back ground what so ever.  

4. NYAMA-NYAMA-NYAMA (KENYA)

“Nyama!” is what you have to shout out when the leader in the game mentions an animal that can be eaten. The word literally means “meat” in Swahili. In nyama-nyama-nyama you stand in a circle, with a leader in the middle. The group jumps up each time an animal is named. This game is still played across East Africa and is popular among children of all ages. This games was meant to teach children the types of meat they should it as well as conservation of natural resources indigenously.

5. STOCKINGS (ACROSS AFRICA)

This game starts from the ankle, working all the way up to the neck. It’s played by girls across the continent—and all over the globe. All you need is a skipping rope, but many use stockings as an alternative to the ones you can buy at the store. Two players stand on each end of the rope, swinging it in a circle motion often while singing a song. A third player jumps in the middle, skipping as the rope turns. The two players on each end start swinging the rope low, which is easy for the jumper, then gradually progress by lifting the rope higher and higher – to the knee, the thigh, then waist, until the third player can’t jump high enough. A fourth player can also be introduced, which makes it more challenging. This game promoted friendship from the girls side but it has tried to make sure that girls remain active. In most cases ladies do not exercise, they normal do indoor tasks which limits them from working they body. In order to avoid unnecessary diseases like high blood pressure(BP) heart attacks e.t.c they had to engage in those games.

All these games had a very important role from different societies in the African societies. This is why they were adopted by their fellow Africans…they made it easy to educate children important aspects of life by inserting the ideology in games. They learnt while playing.