Mother to Mother Terms

A shack or small shelter. read analysis of Hokkie

The Xhosa word for a white person. Often Mandisa refers to her “Mlungu Woman,” meaning her white employer. read analysis of Mlungu

A township outside of Cape Town where most of the events of the novel take place. Mandisa and her family are forcibly relocated to Guguletu after they are made to leave Blouvlei. read analysis of Guguletu

Mandisa’s hometown, a town located several miles inland from Cape Town. read analysis of Blouvlei

Fried bread. The name literally translates to “fat cake.” read analysis of Vetkoek

Informers or traitors, specifically those called out by politically active youths. read analysis of Iimpimpi

A type of murder, often carried out by youths, in which a tire is put around the neck of a victim and lit on fire. read analysis of Necklacing

White South Africans of Dutch decent. Sometimes used by Mandisa and others as a synonym for all white people in South Africa. read analysis of Boers

A social and political system of institutional racism adopted by the South African government. It divided black South Africans from white ones, forcing black South Africans to live in worse conditions and depriving them access… read analysis of Apartheid

Congress of South African Students. read analysis of COSAS

A campaign of schoolchildren, organized by COSAS, ostensibly to support teachers striking for better schools and working conditions. In reality, many students became violent, burning cars and harassing adults. read analysis of Operation Barcelona

A period after a woman becomes married during which she acts as a servant to her in-laws. Often this period lasts from marriage to the birth of a couple’s first child, a year or so… read analysis of Ukuhota

A healer or medicine woman. read analysis of Sangoma

An indigenous South African language and people group. read analysis of Xhosa / UmXhosa

A South African youth movement, a group of students initially glorified by the black South African public as advocating for better education and calling out the white government, but which became increasingly violent even towards… read analysis of Young Lion

Money or goods given to a bride’s family from her husband’s family (or the other way around) around their wedding. read analysis of Dowry

A rallying cry and chant passed down through generations of black South Africans. The phrase is a call to kill the white settlers, now the white ruling class. read analysis of “One settler, one bullet!”

A rallying cry and chant passed down through generations of black South Africans. It translates to “whites are dogs” or “boers are dogs.” Like “one settler, one bullet!” it represents the rage… read analysis of “AmaBhulu, azizinja!”