Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
-Zulu saying translating into “A person is a person because of other people.”
I have been accused, of late, of posting cryptic status updates on my Facebook page. My enigmatic phrases aren’t necessarily meant to exclude. Sometimes my updates make sense to everyone. Sometimes they make sense to one continent, but not another. Sometimes they make sense to a few. Sometimes they make sense only to me. It’s my personal outlet of expression and I choose to express myself as I see fit…whether it’s understood or not.
The status update is an extension of whatever random thoughts are popping around my brain or a concise way of sharing a snapshot of my physical momentito. I’m not always thinking in American English and if that’s all you speak…you may be assed out from time to time. Sometimes, due to the public nature of Facebook, it is prudent to speak in code so that one can express one’s true “status” without directly busting out the person/people/situation in question. But mostly the words that pop up in your news feed from me are just the fleeting thoughts of another person in your web.
Yes, I do think in status updates sometimes. It’s embarrassing and strange sign of the times, for better or worse. Plus, now I have a lot more ways of thinking and expressing myself as I daily increase my language palette and vocabulary. There are some days when I want to talk South African, but don’t because I know that my conversation contributions will fall on deaf ears. Sometimes even “normal” sounding phrases are met with confusion here at home. The other day I tacked on an “as well” to my sentence to mean “too” or “also.” “As well” is a SAn relic that lingers on my tongue. I was in a high school classroom when I said this and the kids were not used to this expression. The student I was directing the sentence to thought I was calling him an asshole. It was a hilarious misunderstanding. Sometimes American English just isn’t enough. Not when there are so many wonderful expressions available!
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” is constantly floating around my brain. I think it’s one of the best phrases I’ve ever learned. If I was forced at gunpoint to get a tattoo these are the words I would prick permanently into my skin. Where did I learn these words? The answer is simple…beer. Homer Simpson told us that beer is the cause and solution to all life’s problems. Again his words ring true.
In South Africa there is a beer called Castle Milk Stout. It is the only commercially available dark beer in South Africa. It’s something along the lines of Guinness, but better. Its nickname is “inkunz emnyama” or “black bull” in Zulu. It also happens to be mostly consumed by older black men…and me. The mamas of Onderstepoort used to tease me so much about my love of this beer and if I went to go see them right now they would ask if I was still drinking inkunz emnyama. My love of this beer strikes a chord of hilarity in most South Africans that I just can’t explain enough.
Recently the brewers had a marketing campaign directed, presumably, toward the major demographic purchasing their product. It was called “Amasiko amanje” or something like that. I am probably not spelling that correctly, but it translated into something like “our culture now.” Each label featured a phrase either in Sotho or Zulu with an English translation. Frankly, this is the shit. I kept a couple of them, but my favorite was “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.”
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| Wise words tucked into my jewelry box |
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| More wise words in my wallet |
After I learned this phrase, I started to see it in other places. Like on posters at the Department of Home Affairs. Apparently Home Affairs (something similar to the INS in the USA) was using this phrase as its marketing campaign too. Being able to recognize this phrase in other places cemented its placement in my brain even further. I may one day forget all the Zulu words I know, but I guarantee that this phrase will always be burned into my memory.
Say it: UMUNTU NGUMUNTU NGABANTU
(oo-MOO-ntoo ngoo-MOO-ntoo ngah-BAH-ntoo)
These days the phrase is so important to me (and thus frequently appears in my status updates) because it is probably the one concept that is keeping me afloat right now. It is most certainly the phrase that best defined my 2010. And it looks like it will make a strong showing in 2011 too.
Right now, specifically financially, but in some other ways too, feels like a very low point in my life. This is easily the most consistently broke I have ever been. I’m super confused about what to do with my life. I don’t have that many friends in Waukegan. It’s cold outside!! And on and on. It’s been really stressful and continues to be stressful as I build myself up. Please take my words with a grain of salt because I realize that my actions have gotten me here. I only worked 4-5 months of 2010…namely because I was dicking around in South Africa for the other 7 months of the year. My choice. There are many other examples and explanations required to qualify why I have no right to complain or be a baby right now, but they are boring and you can spend your own time thinking them over. I know these things, but I still get stressed out. I can’t help it. I’m a human and I can be weak. I’m also an impatient person and, although things are moving slowly in a positive direction (or at least into the future), sometimes things just don’t move fast enough for my liking. Boo hoo, right?
I’ve been trying hard to think about the reality of my situation instead of falling into martyrdom. The positives. It’s not easy. I fail at it all the time. I act out and treat people mean because I am so freaked out. I’m sorry.
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” is one thing that snaps me back. My situation would be infinitely worse if it were not for the kindness of those around me. For people like Helen and Ross that tolerated me in their house in Pretoria for 7 months and brought me treats from SA when they visited the USA. For Edwin. For Surprise who took care of me in the wilds of Sunnyside. For my mom, who is constantly taking me out and getting me things I need but can’t afford, like new underpants. For my 2nd family who pick me up and take me out and do a million other things for me. For Dave who lets me get behind on my rent and still buys me beers even though I owe him the national debt of a small Baltic state. For my brother who keeps the nicotine flowing and helped me buy a car. For Big C who texts me stanky treats and keeps up my spirits. For Nick who always shows up with random gifts from the dollar store. For for for…there are a million people to mention here. A million kindnesses paid my way. A million reasons to be grateful. All wrapped up in 3 little words that I promise even you can pronounce: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu…
So…thanks. I would be dead without you. Nothing without you. All of you…wherever you are.
And next time you see some crazy words in another language up on my facebook thing…don’t be shy. Ask me wtf I’m talking about. I promise in some reality it makes sense. Maybe not in your reality but if you ask me I’ll open the door. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu is just the beginning.
Happy 2011 and may you have the good sense in the upcoming year to see and be grateful for all the people that make you a person.
