Imbumba yamaNyama

This book brings together a series of Xhosa studies focused on four interrelated areas: the annual Ntsikana commemorations observed in the Cape Province; the clan names of the Xhosa people; the praise names associated with these clans; and a historical account of the Intlangwini tribes of South Africa. The studies are the outcome of more than thirty-five years of intermittent research and are published here for the first time. By documenting and analysing these cultural, historical, and linguistic traditions, the book seeks to preserve knowledge that has been insufficiently explored and is at risk of neglect by the present generation. The work draws on, and acknowledges, key scholarly contributions, including Dr R. H. W. Shepherd’s article on Ntsikana, which provides essential historical context, and Mr C. A. W. Sigila’s study of the Fingo celebrations. Overall, the volume aims to stimulate further research into Xhosa history, identity, and oral tradition, and to encourage renewed scholarly engagement with related, under-researched topics.