Umkhosi, noun

/ʊmˈkɔːsi/
Forms:
Also Umkosi.
Origin:
IsiZulu.
A festival kept by certain Nguni peoples, especially the Zulu people, to celebrate the first harvest of a new season. Cf. ingcubhe. Also attributive. See also letsemma.
1887 J.W. Matthews Incwadi Yami 39The Umkosi, or dance of first fruits, a festival before the celebration of which, at the chief’s kraal, the first fruits of the season cannot be eaten.
1949 O. Walker Proud Zulu (1951) 63‘Wasn’t there a dust-up at the Umkosi, First-Fruits ceremony this year?’
1955 E.A. Ritter Shaka Zulu 155He had..held the annual little Umkosi, or first-fruits festival...The little Umkosi had been held as usual at the full moon about Christmas.
1979 C. Endfield Zulu Dawn 29The excess of rain..had delayed the crops. The Great King had decided that the umKhosi, the ingathering of the warriors for the First Fruits Ceremony, would not be delayed because of nature’s intransigence.
1991 B. King in Sunday Tribune 19 May 9Bishop Colenso..was told..that at the great annual Umkhosi (first fruits) ceremony..the regiments only carried sticks...‘The Umkhosi lasts one day only, all the regiments dancing before the king. No weapons are carried at the Umkhosi for fear of accidents.’
A festival kept by certain Nguni peoples, especially the Zulu people, to celebrate the first harvest of a new season.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18871991

Browse Related Words

By Category

Occasions
Traditional African Religion and Culture

By Origin

IsiZulu
Umkhonto we Sizwe, noun phrasen. phr.umkhuhlu, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English