indoda, noun

/inˈdɔːda/
Forms:
idoda, indodaShow more singular idoda, indoda, mdoda, ndoda, umdodi, umdodie; plural amadoda, amadodas, amadodo, amatontos, indodas, madoda.
Plurals:
usually amadoda.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, isiZuluShow more IsiXhosa and isiZulu (plural amadoda); vocative ndoda (plural madoda). For notes on plural forms, see ama- and in-.
Note:
Occasionally in diminutive form ndodana, amadodana [IsiXhosa and isiZulu, diminutive suffix -ana].
1. A man; one who has been initiated into manhood; in some traditional African societies, especially one who has undergone ritual circumcision.
1835 A. Smith Diary (1940) II. 67The nation is divided into three classes — amadodo or amatontos, machaha and..boys who take care of cattle.
1837 F. Owen Diary (1926) 8A Kafir youth, having gone thro’ this ceremony is now reckoned an ‘indoda’ or man and is permitted to acquire cattle, or to possess a kraal for himself.
1855 G.H. Mason Life with Zulus 121An old greyheaded Caffre (an Umdōdie) pointed his finger towards me.
1855 R.J. Mullins Diary. 11 JuneOne old man asked me to play [the harmonium] very low and then very high, and then said ‘It is like Indodas (men) and Intombis (girls)’.
1857 J. Shooter Kafirs of Natal 47No man can marry until he belongs to the class of ama-doda or men, the sign of which is the head-ring.
1866 W.C. Holden Past & Future 322The regiments consisted of three divisions. The first, amadoda men; these were veterans, — tried men — the men on whom chief reliance was placed to bear the shock of battle, and bravely win the victory.
1875 J.J. Bisset Sport & War 53The rite of circumcision is performed on all the young men at the age of sixteen who are thus made men or amadodas.
[1920 S.M. Molema Bantu Past & Present 265On that lavatory you see written ‘Gentlemen,’ and there only white men may go. On that other lavatory you see written ‘Amadoda’ (men), and this is meant for black men.]
1939 N.J. Van Warmelo in A.M. Duggan-Cronin Bantu Tribes III. i. 32They are now young men, abafana, who will shortly look out for wives; having secured whom, they become amadodana, and finally family men, amadoda.
1949 C. Bullock Rina 25If they looked for gold as well as elephants, as did Hartley, they were never free from the amadoda sent with them by the King.
1971 Drum July 5Here and there behind some backstreet bush there will be ‘White Amadodas this way’ and ‘White Abafazis the other way.’
1983 Drum Jan. 40When he graduated from piccannin to ndoda I was the best man at his wedding.
c1985 M. Strachan in Eng. Academy Rev. Vol.3 138So baas, this mdoda, he too wants to sell shimyane.
1988 Frontline Aug.–Sept. 12The respect youth are expected to pay the fathers or amadoda.
2. Usually in the form ndoda (plural madoda): a form of address, ‘man’.
1976 Drum June 2Mlungu approaches a man and says — ‘Hey ndoda are you a Bantu or are you a Transkei citizen?’ Funny?
1976 Drum July 26Hey madoda, it is bad.
1976 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo (1980) 60The black policeman said, ‘Ai indoda, where are you going?’
1980 M. Matshoba in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 119Somdali, is right, ndodana (son).
1980 M. Matshoba in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 122Yes, ndoda, I should be running away before my people decide to go looking for me at the police-stations.
1982 Pace Apr. 158This, madoda, would be quite normal, if Mr Goldberg could also come around and enjoy beer with me at my township concrete slab.
1985 Pace Aug. 4There are many examples like ‘Aimbabane’ for Mbabane and ‘Ensumalo’ for Nxumalo. Phew! Madoda!
1994 [see hau].
A man; one who has been initiated into manhood; in some traditional African societies, especially one who has undergone ritual circumcision.
Usually in the form ndoda (plural madoda):a form of address, ‘man’.
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