Well, many of you have been asking us to give you the Shangaan names for the animals at Djuma, and after Karen in Virginia would no longer take no for an answer, Rex and Siphiwe sat down and went through the list.
When I first looked at it I was surprised to see that some of the words are different to what I had expected. For example the word for leopard is yingwe and i had always thought it was ingwe. Rex and Siphiwe explained that these words on this list are the pure Shangaan names and that many of the terms that WE use on the radio are a sort of Safari slang that is part Shangaan and part Zulu, with a bit of who knows what thrown in. WE live and learn … its in our nature.
In any event, we will add to this list and the team have promised to give us the Safari slang names as well. Enjoy …

Mammals
Aardvark = xiwabana
African Wild Cat = xikatsi
Baboon =mfenhe
Buffalo = nyarhi/nyathi
Bushbaby = nwana kahina
Bushbuck = mbavala
Caracal = nandzana
Cheetah =xikakaka
Civet = mfungwe
Duiker = mhunti
Eland(even tho not seen here) = mhofu
Elephant = ndlopfu
Genet = nsimba
Giraffe = nhutlwa
Hippo = pfuvu
Honey Badger = xinzele
Hyaena = mhisi
Impala = mhala
Jackal(blacked back) = mangawana
Jackal(side striped) = mhungubya
Kudu = nhongo
Lion = ngala
Leopard = yingwe
Mongoose(white tailed) = tlholodwa
Mongoose(dwarf) = matsikitsorho
Mongoose(banded) = nkala
Mongoose(slender) = mangovo
Nyala = nyala
Pangolin = qwarhi
Porcupine = jelwana
Reedbuck = nhlangu
Rhino(Black) = mhelembe
Rhino(White) = mkhumbi
Scrub Hare = mpfundla
Scrub Hare Baby =
Serval =
Squirrel = macindana
Steenbok = xipene
Vervet monkey=nkawu
Warthog = honci
Waterbuck = pivha
Wild Dog = mahlolwa
Wildebeest = hongonyi
Zebra =mangwa

Other Terms Used
Male = nuna/madoda
Female = nsati/mfasi
Cub = n’wana/mapipana
Predator’s Kill = nyama ya swi vandanza
Dead animal found/not from predator = ku ngari hi xivandzana
Animal laying down = etlela hansi/lala phasi
Animal moving = famba famba /jika jika
You snooze you lose(from Rex) = walala wa sala
Waterhole = qivi
Dam = damu

Reptiles
Crocodile = ngwenya
Monitor Lizard(rock) = ngwahle
Monitor Lizard(water) = ngwehle
Terrapin = xigamba
Tortoise(leopard) = futsu

SNAKES
Black Mamba = mamba
Blind Snake = rikhurhi
Cobras = mfezi
Puff Adder =mbuyuya
Pythons =nhlarhu

BIRDS
Buzzard = ngama
Duck = dada
Eagles = ngama
Goose = dada
Ostrich = yinca
Owls = xikhovha
Pigeon = ngwamba
Spoonbill = ngumba
Storks = ngumba
Vulture = koti
Woodpecker = gogoswana