The Xhosa People of Khayelitsha

The Xhosa people are one of the dominant groups in Khayelitsha Township. They speak   a “click” language, consisting of three basic clicks, that they borrowed from the Bushmen. The Xhosa language is one of several official languages of the Republic of South Africa. A mixture of Christianity and ancestor worship is practiced by most Xhosa. Their traditional foods include beef, mutton, goat meat, maize and fermented milk called amasi. The Xhosa used to be cattle herders who lived in beehive shaped huts. Today they number about 7 milliion. They are among the poorest people in South Africa and live below the poverty line in Khayelitsha.

Two of the characters in my next novel are Xhosa.

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