The following is a list of timekeeping terminology in the Xhosa language.
Month names Traditional
The traditional isiXhosa names for months of the year poetically come from names of stars, plants, and flowers that grow or seasonal changes that happen at a given time of year in Southern Africa.
The Xhosa year traditionally begins in June and ends in May when the brightest star visible in the Southern Hemisphere, Canopus, signals the time for harvesting.
In urban areas today, anglicized versions of the months are used, especially by the younger generation, but in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, the old names still stand.
Month by month they are, in relation with:
Gregorian
English Xhosa Explanation of the months January month of the tambuki grass February month of the swelling grain March month of the Autumn April month of the Drying leaves May month of Canopus June month of the Pleiades July month of the aloes August month of the buds September month of the coast coral tree October month of the lilypad or yet tall yellow daisies November month of the small yellow daisies December month of the acacia thorn tree
Seasons Autumn - Winter - Spring - Summer -
Days of the week Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday -
See also Xhosa language Xhosa people Xhosa clan names Zulu calendar
Further reading
Kirsch et al., Clicking with Xhosa, David Phillip Publishers, Cape Town, 2001, p. 43f.
References