Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Plural form of
isibongo . - noun A form of
Zulu praise poetry thatextols somebody's fame.
Etymologies
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Examples
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In traditional Zulu society the biggest marker of one's individuality was one's set of praises - izibongo.
ANC Today 2007
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Drawing largely on Liz Gunner's important work on Zulu izibongo, Isabel Hofmeyr points out in a recent review article on oral literature in South Africa that women's praise poetry from other African contexts shares this articulation of feminine identity as "fluid ... labile ... shifting, decentred."
Where Women Make History: Gendered Tellings of Community and Change in Magude, Mozambique 2005
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But one seldom composed their own izibongo; this being left to the discretion of others, who compose their praises based on their known and accepted achievements.
ANC Today 2007
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But one seldom composed their own izibongo; this being left to the discretion of others, who compose their praises based on their known and accepted achievements.
ANC Today 2007
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Like the Nguni izibongo, the most elaborate Shangaan swivongo are those of chiefs, whose praises were traditionally sung by a mbongi (court poet-historian).
Where Women Make History: Gendered Tellings of Community and Change in Magude, Mozambique 2005
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In traditional Zulu society the biggest marker of one's individuality was one's set of praises - izibongo.
ANC Today 2007
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Ziyafa izinsizwa, Ayafa amaqhawe, kodwa ziyasala izibongo!
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Ziyofa izinsizwa kusale izibongo, kunjalo naseqhaweni eselikhotheme.
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Ziyafa izinsizwa, Ayafa amaqhawe, kodwa ziyasala izibongo!
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I used to teach praise poetry … you can learn a hell of a lot about techniques of ellipsis and parallelism from izibongo.
Black Looks 2009
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