Modjadji, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also Madjadja, Mjanji, Mjantshi, Mochache, Modjadge, Modjadje, Mujaji.
- Origin:
- Northern SothoShow more In Northern Sotho, the name of the woman who became the first rain queen; perhaps from personal prefix mo- + tšatši day, sun.
I. A personal name.
1.
a. The hereditary name adopted by the Rain Queen of the Lobedu people.
1897 C.W. Mackintosh tr. of F. Coillard’s On Threshold of Central Afr. 77I had set off with two of the evangelists to Mochache’s...Mochache, you must know, is the high priestess of the neighbouring tribes. She has her sanctuary in a wooded gorge.
b. Followed by a numeral: a particular Rain Queen, identified by her position in the succession.
1943 E.J. & J.D. Krige Realm of Rain-Queen 11A cheerless panorama unfolds before us as Mujaji III ascends the throne...When the white man, coming to arrange for the recognition of the new queen, sees old Mathogani, who had impersonated Mujaji II, the proceedings are stopped.
1982 Sunday Times 21 Feb. (Mag. Sect.) 1When she is installed as Modjadji V, Mokope will be expected to live out her years in seclusion in her village — also called Modjadji, the headquarters of the 100 000 strong Balobelu tribe.
II. A common noun.
2. Plural Modjadjis, or unchanged. Rain Queen sense a.
1943 E.J. & J.D. Krige Realm of Rain-Queen 1Amid the convulsions..the kingdom of the Mujajis arose to prominence.
1982 Sunday Times 5 Sept. (Extra) 2This Queen is said to have died childless and to have nominated her successor...They accepted the black girl as the true Modjadji.
3. Usually in the phrases Modjadji palm, Modjadji's palm, or (less commonly) Modjadji cycad. The cycad Encephalartos transvenosus, protected by and sacred to the Rain Queen; also called bread tree. Also attributive.
1988 H. Goosen in S. Afr. Panorama Mar. 36 (caption)Rain queen territory. Modjadji cycads (E. transvenosus) can grow 13m tall, with a stem diameter of 45 cm.
The hereditary name adopted by the Rain Queen of the Lobedu people.
Followed by a numeral: a particular Rain Queen, identified by her position in the succession.
Plural Modjadjis, or unchanged. Rain Queen sense a.
Usually in the phrases Modjadji palm, Modjadji's palm, or (less commonly) Modjadji cycad.The cycad Encephalartos transvenosus, protected by and sacred to the Rain Queen; also called bread tree. Also attributive.
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