Imbongi

Quick meaning: Imbongi is a noun meaning (chiefly South Africa) A praise singer, a traditional bard in Zulu culture.

Meaning

(chiefly South Africa) A praise singer, a traditional bard in Zulu culture.

Example Sentences

In the national figures this bawdy laughter seems hardly ever to be present; it is only slyly winked at once in the King's praises in the "pillow" reference, but on the whole it is suppressed or censored out by successive izimbongi.

Mandhlakazi provided a description of the dress and actions of izimbongi (praise singers) as they recited and performed praises and told Stuart, / I, Mandhlakazi, once asked a son of Magolwana how it was that the Zulu izimbongi were able to remember the praises of kings to so extraordinary a degree[…]. He said it was because they were given always tripe to eat. Moreover, they used to eat the drug umklele, […]

Modern South African film directors and performers as bards, izimbongi or storytellers have only residues of existing 'traditional societies' to bring to the surface. Where primarily oral cultures elaborate their stories within the epic form, fables and extraordinary heroes and fantasies, the izimbongi in The People's Poet and Songololo are more concerned with cultural loss, oppression, colonisation and emancipation.

Sunday Times Managing Editor, Ray Hartley – a former political correspondent – is brutal about the state of political journalism. He questions the lack of analysis and debate about government policy and dismisses a lot of the writing about President [Thabo] Mbeki and the government as 'hagiography'. While the government may have its media imbongis (praise singers), much of the problem lies with inexperienced political reports and poor newsroom leadership.

Word Forms

• imbongis

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include izibongo, mbube, inyanga, sangoma, mbila, indaba.

Related Dictionary Tools