Fire and wood vocabulary in Luchazi
Fire and wood vocabulary in Luchazi
Fire plays an important role in most of the traditional rituals especially during the funerals and the mungonge rituals. Here is a list of common fire and wood vocabulary in Luchazi and their meanings in English:
Fire terms and phrases in Luchazi
- Macesi = matches.
- Fofo = matches.
- Muhotolo = Ferro rod; fire steel; fire striker.
- Suameka = light or ignite.
- Vueka = kindle or cast fire.
- Tuhia = fire.
- Suameka = light or ignite.
- Vueka = kindle or cast fire.
- Taka = hand drill to ignite a fire; ignite fire by hand drill friction.
- Ku taka tuhia = to ignite a fire by hand drill.
- Mulengi = flame.
- Sukuma = burning.
- Tsimika = burn; incinerate.
- Uema = char; burn; scorch.
- Kuuema = to be charred; burned; scorched.
- Lolovoka = flickering; burning unsteadily.
- Citenga ca tuhia = hearth of fire.
- Luhila = firestorm.
- Mahila (plural) = firestorms.
- Ntsindo ya mulengi ua luhila = sound of the flame of a firestorm.
- Muisi = smoke.
- Lukongolo lua muisi = columns of smoke.
- Makongolo a muisi (plural) = columns of smoke.
- Ku tsima muisi = to release smoke or pour out smoke.
- Muyengo = chimney; pipe.
- Lutengo = furnace.
- Huzila = puff.
- Linungu = piece of charcoal.
- Manungu = charcoal.
- Mazokozoko = coals.
- Ntsasi = spark.
- Zintsasi (plural) = sparks.
- Muto = ashes.
- Zima = put out, quench, extinguish.
- Zima tuhia = put out or quench or extinguish a fire.
- Luhuila = ground burned down by fire.
Firewood terms and phrases in Luchazi
- Savitiava = lumberjack.
- Timba = chop.
- Pakula = cut down; hew down.
- Salula = cut off; hack; slash.
- Tiava = cut logs or wood.
- Cikuni = firewood.
- Vikuni (plural) = firewood.
- Cikuni ca ku-uma = dry firewood.
- Vikuni via ku-uma (plural)
- Cikuni ci tontola = fresh firewood.
- Ku tiava vikuni = to cut firewood.
- Citetele = twig.
- Vitetele (plural) = twigs.
- Vitetele via ku-uma = dry twigs.
- Ku pokola Vitetele = to break twigs.
- Salula mitango = cut off branches.
- Lakumuna mefo = shake off the leaves.
- Cimbundi = stump.
- Vimbundi (plural) = stumps.
- Masila = big fresh wood that are used as supports at a fireplace.
- Coto = a space where a domestic fire is lite for cooking or heating.
- Vioto (plural) = spaces where domestic fires are lite for cooking or heating.
- Sambeya
- Ota = warm oneself at the fireplace.
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Fire terms in Luchazi |
Fire symbolise the inextinguishable spirit and energy of the Luchazi people. They have a saying, "VaLuchazi vavuekele tuhia mungongo"; they say the fire energizes them during the difficult times, flashes the light during the times of darkness, gives meaning to the tribe when it is threatened and challenged. It is fire that delivered extraordinary performance and achievements through their Lutengo (smelter).
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