umhlahlo, noun

/ʊmˈɬɑːɬɔ/
Origin:
IsiXhosa
Among the Xhosa peoples: a. A traditional ceremony during which evil-doers are discovered, named, and punished; smelling verbal noun sense 2. b. The special singing and dancing performed at this ceremony. See also smell.
1828 W. Shaw Diary. 23 Mar.It appears that Pato’s counsellors have now resolved upon..going through the ceremonies of what they call Umhlahlo, in order that the wise woman may explicitly name the persons, who have bewitched Pato & his son.
1835 W.B. Boyce in A. Steedman Wanderings II. 277The messengers brought word that the brother-in-law of the sick girl, in the absence of Jama, the father..had held an umhlahlo, that is a witch-dance, in order to find out the person guilty of bewitching the sick girl, and the stepmother was accused, and was in confinement.
1866 W.C. Holden Past & Future 309He does not hesitate to declare that Sorcerers are exerting an evil influence, to prevent the rain from falling; and recommends the chief to have the umhlahlo, or ceremony of ‘smelling out’, performed...Sometimes the rainmaker himself names them; in which case the umhlahlo is dispensed with.
1891 T.R. Beattie Pambaniso 25This was a dance that could only be performed by the doctor alone when engaged in smelling out, and was known by the name of umhlahlo.
1937 B.J.F. Laubscher Sex, Custom & Psychopathology 99The preparations include hand-clapping, dancing and the singing of a special song called Umhlahlo.
1956 F.C. Metrowich Valiant but Once 179The superstitious tribesmen found it impossible to believe that a man of his rank and position could possibly have died a natural death. They therefore demanded that there should be an umhlahlo (a smelling-out) and that the Fingo witchdoctor..should indicate who had bewitched the chief and where the ubuti (bewitching-matter) had been hidden.
A traditional ceremony during which evil-doers are discovered, named, and punished; smelling verbal noun sense 2.
The special singing and dancing performed at this ceremony.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18281956

Browse Related Words

By Category

Traditional African Religion and Culture
Occasions

By Origin

IsiXhosa
umfundisi, nounn.umkhonto, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English.