Author: Muzi Matfunjwa (SADiLaR Siswati Researcher)
This blog highlights the importance and functions of clan praises among Swati communities and what they entail. In Swati culture, every clan name/ surname has a clan praise. The clan praises are part of Swati culture and historical norms. Thwala (2018:1) reaffirms that clan praises are predominantly used in all fields of social discourse in Swati communities. The praises depict the history of the people, related surnames, clan heroes, and clan totems. These clan praises are mainly used in formal greetings between people who know each other, in thanksgivings, in making requests, when consulting ancestors and when one seeks permission to enter in a particular homestead.
TINANATELO TEMASWATI
Tinanatelo tiyincenye yemihambo nemasiko eSiswati. Tingumlandvo nendlela yekuphila yesive semaSwati. Nguleso naleso sibongo siba nesinanatelo saso, bantfu baleso sibongo baye batichenye ngesinanatelo sabo.
Vilakati naSibanda (1997:42) uchaza tinanatelo kanjena:
Tinanatelo tingemagama ebantfu labatsite lakhombisa kwenaba nekukhula kwelusendvo. Tilandzela ligama lekucala lesitsi sibongo. Tingumlandvo waleso sibongo. Tikhombisa kutalana kwebantfu baleso sibongo kusukela kubokhokho kute kufike esitukulwaneni. Kunanatela-ke kwehlukene kuya ngendzawo bantfu labahleti kuyo.
Imsebenti nebumcoka betinanatelo esiveni semaSwati
Tinanatelo tisetjentiswa kwenta lokunyenti esiveni semaSwati. Leminye yalemisebenti ngulena:
- Tinatatelo siyatisebentisa uma sikhulekela ekhaya, lapho sisuke sibonga inhloko yalelokhaya siphindze sicela kwemukelwa kuloyo muti.
- Tinanatelo tiyasebenta kakhulu uma sibingelelana siphindze sivuselana njengabantfu labatanako.
- Tinanatelo tiyasebenta uma sibonga noma yini labasiphe yona noma lokuhle labasentele kona.
- Tinanatelo tiyasetjentiswa uma sicela, lapho siyambonga lona lesicela kuye kute asiphe loko lesikudzingako.
- Tinanatelo tiyasebenta uma siphahla, lapho sisuke sikhuluma nalabaphasi, lekungemadloti alelo khaya, lesiwabikela kukuhle noma kukubi.
Lokutfolokala etinanatelweni
Uma uhlatiya tinanatelo letinyenti temaSwati utfola loku lokulandzelako:
- Emachawe aleso sibongo
- Imvelaphi yebantfu baleso sibongo kanye nemlandvo wabo
- Tinanatelo tiphindze tivete buhlobo emkhatsini wetibongo letitsite
- Similo sebantfu baleso sibongo siye sivele kuleso sinanatelo
- Lokutilwa bantfu baleso sibongo
- Indlela labangcwatjwa ngayo bantfu baleso sibongo
Siphetfo
Imisebenti yetinanatelo minyenti njengoba sitisebentisa malanga onkhe. Tiyasebenta uma sibingelela noma sivuselanana, uma sikhulekela ekhaya, uma sibonga nona sicela lokutsite. Tiphindze tisebente uma siphahla lapho khona sikhuluma nemadloti. Tinanatelo ticuketse lokunyenti lokuphatselene nemihambo nemasiko emaSwati. Tingumyombo wemvelaphi yesive semaSwati. Tisivetela emachawe aleso sibongo, imvelaphi, similo sebantfu balesibongo, tintfo labatitalako kanye nendlela lebangcwatjwa ngayo.
References
Dlamini, M. et al. 2008. Umtfombo weSiswati. Manzini: Macmillan Boleswa
Thwala, J.J. 2018. A Study of Clan Names and Clan Praises in Khumalo and Msogwaba Settlements. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, (9)1: 1-9
Vilakati, T.S and Sibanda, E.S. (eds) 1997, Chaza Ngive. Manzini: Macmillan