Madiba
Alitshonanga lingenandaba
The sun never sets without fresh news.
And they are still coming and coming from everywhere
Yinkungu nelanga
The mist and the sun are together.
Sova singasemoyeni
We shall hear, we are on the side towards which the wind blows.
Uhambe kakuhle
Goodbye.
Other accounts translate Rolihlalhla to mean “to pull a branch from a tree,” which, of course, is something only a troublemaker would do. It was his teacher, Miss Mdingane, who gave him the English name “Nelson,” much to the relief of journalists everywhere when he became famous.
2. Mandela was expelled from university after less than a year.
After finishing boarding school, Mandela headed to Fort Hare Missionary College. Less than 12 months later, he was expelled from college for helping to organize a strike against the white colonial rule of the institution. One might call this foreshadowing.
3. The United Nations decreed his birthday as Mandela Day.
In 2009, the U.N. declared Mandela’s birthday, July 18, as Mandela Day to mark his contribution to world freedom. The holiday calls on individuals to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others, reflecting the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the anti-apartheid movement.
4. Mandela is often referred to as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name
Mandela is a member of the Thembu, a Xhosa clan, and is often referred to by his clan name, Madiba. It is a sign of the incredible diversity of people and languages in South Africa. The country has 11 different official languages.
5. Mandela’s father had four wives, and Nelson is one of 13 children.
Mandela’s father, a local chief and councellor to the Thembu king, died from tuberculosis when his son was 9. Before that, he fathered 13 children by four wives, four boys and nine girls. After his father’s death, Mandela was put under the guardianship of Jongintaba, the Thembu regent.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/6/#sthash.IaBdshDU.dpuf
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