Mayibuye, verb intransitive

Forms:
Also Mayebuye, Mayibuya.
Origin:
A sentence common to Nguni languages: hortative prefix ma- ‘may’ + linking phoneme y + subjectival concord i- + buye, subjunctive form of buya come back, return.
A rallying-cry of the African National Congress (see ANC noun1), especially in the phrases Mayibuye Afrika, Mayibuye iAfrika or Afrika Mayibuye, ‘Come back Africa’, ‘Africa, may it return’. See also Operation Mayibuye. Cf. Afrika interjection.
1949 E. Hellmann Handbk on Race Rel. 491It was this paper..that was largely responsible for popularizing the stirring slogan, Mayibuy’iAfrika (Let Africa Come Back).
1956 A. Sampson Drum 131As the last harmonies of the song died down, Moroka lifted up his thumb and shouted: Mayibuye! the crowd shouted: Afrika! — pronouncing the word in the the African way, with long a’s. ‘Mayibuye Afrika — that means “Come back, Africa”...It’s one of the slogans of Congress; it means back to the old days of freedom before the white man came.’
1956 A. Sampson Drum 134‘Mayibuye — Afrika,’ with thumbs up, became a greeting in the street.
1960 Rand Daily Mail 31 Mar. 5There were shouts of ‘Afrika mayibuya’ (Africa return) after the treason trial hearing yesterday when all the accused were arrested.
1961 T. Matshikiza Choc. for my Wife 60She said, ‘Heil’, each time she raised her glass then she sipped slowly...She said, ‘Heil, Gesondheid, Mayibuye.’
1964 M. Benson Afr. Patriots 173As the singing died away, Moroka, immaculate as always, rose quietly, lifted his hand in the Congress salute, and shouted ‘Mayibuye’ with a long rumble on the last sound ‘Boo-Yáa’ and the crowd roared back — ‘Afriká’.
1974 A.P. Brink Looking on Darkness 226A single word — Mayebuye! — could lead to imprisonment on Robben Island. And they were prepared to take the risk.
1976 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo (1980) 114In 1948,..people had spirit — umoya. It was the ‘Let’s get Africa back’ movement — Mayibuye iAfrica. You could be arrested just for saying that.
1982 M. Mzamane Children of Soweto 218An old Congress warrior from our street, old man Kumalo (everybody called him ANC), who had marched in the Defiance Campaign, called ‘Afrika!’ and the people responded, ‘Mayibuye!’ (May it come back).
1986 Rhodeo (Rhodes Univ.) May 20Mayibuye! is more than a word which is shouted with jubilation at mass rallies and funerals. It’s a vibe, a spirit of liberation.
1990 Pace May 4As the whole world cheers, black, white and yellow say in unison, ‘Mayibuye I Africa’.
A rallying-cry of the African National Congress (see ANC noun1), especially in the phrases Mayibuye Afrika, Mayibuye iAfrika or Afrika Mayibuye, ‘Come back Africa’, ‘Africa, may it return’.
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