sangoma, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also insangoma, isangoma, isongoma, sangome, songoma, umungoma, and with initial capital.
- Plurals:
- sangomas, ‖izangoma, or (rarely) abangoma.
- Origin:
- IsiZuluShow more IsiZulu isangoma (plural izangoma) diviner, from -ngoma sacred song; the stem -ngoma is found in some other Sintu (Bantu) languages in the sense of ‘drum’. Forms with umu- and aba- are derived from less-frequently used isiZulu forms of the word (see um- and aba-). For notes on the use of singular and plural forms, see isi- and izi-.
Especially among isiZulu-speakers: a traditional healer or diviner who employs music, dance, and the throwing of bones to discover evil and diagnose disease; also used as a title. Also attributive, and combination sangomaland nonce, see quotation 1978. See also witchdoctor.
1870 H. Callaway Religious System of Amazulu 280The doctor of divination is called Isanusi, or Ibuda, or Inyanga, or Umungoma: for when people are inquiring of a diviner, they say, ‘True, Umungoma.’ [Note] Umungoma, a diviner, but an epithet of respect. Etymology unknown.
1992 Natal Witness 9 Nov. 11Pretorius..is a sangoma, and woe betide anyone who calls him a witchdoctor.
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