mzungu

File:Russian traveller Viktor Pinchuk (in Africa).jpg

{{lang|sw|Mzungu}} ({{IPA|sw|m̩ˈzuŋɡu|pron}}), also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally pertaining to the first European explorers to the East African region whom the local ethnic groups thought were traveling aimlessly with no goals to settle, conquer or trade, like restless spirits – the initial explorers who unbeknownst to the local tribes, were tasked with mapping the area, travel and trade routes, key landmarks like the source of the river Nile as well as documenting dominant kingdoms and forging some alliances that were then later used by missionaries and colonialists in their conquest.

The term is currently used in predominantly Swahili speaking nations to refer to foreign people dating back to 18th century. The noun {{lang|sw|mzungu}} or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Comoros, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mayotte, Zambia and in the north of Madagascar (the word changed to {{lang|mg|vozongo}} in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word {{lang|sw|mzungu}}) dating back to the 18th century.

Etymology

Literally translated {{lang|sw|mzungu}} meant "someone who roams around" or "wanderer".{{cite web |last=Che-Mponda |first=Chemi |date=5 February 2013 |title=The Meaning of the Word Mzungu - Maana ya Mzungu |url=http://swahilitime.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-meaning-of-word-mzungu-maana-ya.html |website=Swahili Time |access-date=23 September 2015 |via=Blogger}}{{unreliable source?|sure=y|reason=Copy-paste from Wikipedia|date=November 2024}} The term was first used in Africa to describe Arab, Indian and European traders and explorers in the 18th century, apparently because they moved around aimlessly. The word {{lang|sw|mzungu}} comes from Swahili, where {{lang|sw|zungu}} or {{lang|sw|zunguka}} is the word for spinning around on the same spot. {{lang|sw|Kizunguzungu}} is Swahili for dizziness.{{cite web |last=Beauvoisin |first=Charlotte |date=26 February 2013 |title=What is a Muzungu? |url=http://muzungubloguganda.com/about-the-muzungu/muzungu-definition/ |website=Diary of a Muzungu |access-date=23 September 2015 }} The term is now used to refer to "someone with white skin" or "white skin", but can be used to refer to all foreigners more generally. The word {{lang|sw|mzungu}} in Swahili can also mean someone who speaks English.{{cite journal |last=Githiora |first=Chege |date=December 2002 |title=Sheng: peer language, Swahili dialect or emerging Creole? |journal=Journal of African Cultural Studies |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=159–181 |doi=10.1080/1369681022000042637 |jstor=3181415 |s2cid=144446766 |s2cid-access=free}}

The possessive {{lang|sw|kizungu}} (or {{lang|sw|chizungu}}) translates as "behaving rich".{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} However, in some areas, such as in Rwanda and Burundi, it does not necessarily refer to the colour of one's skin. Traditionally, Europeans were seen to be people of means and rich and so the terminology was extended to denote affluent persons regardless of race.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} It would therefore not be unusual to find any employer being referred to as {{lang|sw|mzungu}}.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} In the Bantu Swahili language, the plural form of {{lang|sw|mzungu}} is {{lang|sw|wazungu}}.{{cite web |last=Igoe |first=Jim |editor-last=Gebissa |editor-first=Ezekiel |date=2002-09-19 |title=Etymology of the term muzungu: reply |url=http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=H-Africa&month=0209&week=c&msg=uECVFD0d2hUUL52mu7rZqg&user=&pw= |website=H-Net Discussion Networks |access-date=2011-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709083820/http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=H-Africa&month=0209&week=c&msg=uECVFD0d2hUUL52mu7rZqg&user=&pw= |archive-date=2013-07-09 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last=Griffith |first=Tom |date=2007-10-20 |title=The Wandering Wazungu |url=http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zanzibar-City/blog-209050.html |website=TravelBlog.org |access-date=2011-05-28}}{{cite web |title=Notes on the Songs & Instruments, plus Acknowledgments & Thanks |url=http://www.janissarystomp.com/stomp/notas.html |website=The Janissary Stomp |access-date=2011-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190357/http://www.janissarystomp.com/stomp/notas.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead}} The plural form may be used to confer a respect, such as the use of the term {{lang|ny|azungu}} to refer to individual foreigners in Malawi's Chichewa language.{{cite web |last=Fraley |first=Austin |date=29 January 2018 |title=The 12 Words You'll Hear in Malawi |url=https://www.peacecorps.gov/malawi/stories/12-words-youll-hear-malawi/ |publisher=Peace Corps |access-date=14 July 2018}}{{cite book |last=Mchombo |first=Sam A. |editor-last1=Spencer |editor-first1=Andrew |editor-last2=Zwicky |editor-first2=Arnold M. |editor-link2=Arnold Zwicky |year=2001 |orig-year=1998 |chapter=Chichewa (Bantu) |chapter-url=http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/BPL_Images/Content_store/WWW_Content/9780631226949/27Chap25.pdf |title=The Handbook of Morphology |location=Oxford |publisher=Blackwell Publishing |pages=500–520 |isbn=978-0-631-22694-9 |access-date=14 July 2018}} The possessive {{lang|sw|kizungu}} (or {{lang|ny|chizungu}}) translated literally means "of the wanderers". It has now come to mean "language of the wanderers" and more commonly English, as it is the language most often used by {{lang|sw|wazungu}} in the African Great Lakes area. However it can be used generally for any European language. {{lang|sw|Wachizungu}}, {{lang|sw|bachizungu}}, etc. – literally "wandering people" – have come to mean people who adopt the Western culture, cuisine and lifestyle.

Everyday use

{{lang|sw|Mzungu}} can be used in an affectionate or insulting way. It is used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Burundi. It is often called out by children to get the attention of a passerby.{{cite news |last=Harrisberg |first=Kim |date=24 December 2013 |title=A Mzungu's thoughts on Justine Sacco |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/101825/a-mzunguas-thoughts-on-justine-sacco |newspaper=The New Times |access-date=19 November 2024}}{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Mary |date=27 December 2013 |title=Mary Walker: Christmas in Kenya |url=http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/dec/27/mary-walker-christmas-kenya/ |newspaper=Steamboat Pilot & Today |access-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230232330/http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/dec/27/mary-walker-christmas-kenya/ |archive-date=30 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{cite book |last=Finke |first=Jens |year=2003 |title=The Rough Guide to Tanzania |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=16--sm53nX4C&pg=PR2 |location=London; New York |publisher=Rough Guides; Penguin Putnam |page=vii |isbn=978-1-85828-783-6 |access-date=23 September 2015}} For example, in Malawi, it is common for people to use the casual greeting {{lang|sw|Azungu boh!}} to individuals or groups of foreigners.

class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto" \|+ Regional variations ! scope="col" \| Language ! scope="col" \| Singular ! scope="col" \| Plural ! scope="col" \| Possessive
scope="row" \| Swahili in the African Great Lakes \| {{lang\|sw\|Mzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|sw\|Wazungu}} \|\| {{lang\|sw\|Kizungu}}
scope="row" \| Shikomori in the Comoros \| {{lang\|swb\|Mzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|swb\|Wazungu}} \|\| {{lang\|swb\|Chizungu}}
scope="row" \| Luganda in Uganda \| {{lang\|lg\|Omuzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|lg\|Abazungu}}\|\| {{lang\|lg\|Kizungu}}
scope="row" \| Chichewa in Malawi \| {{lang\|ny\|Mzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|ny\|Azungu}} \|\| {{lang\|ny\|Chizungu}}
scope="row" \| Chinyanja in Zambia \| {{lang\|ny\|Mzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|ny\|Bazungu}} \|\| {{lang\|ny\|Chizungu}}
scope="row" \| Kikuyu in Kenya \| {{lang\|ki\|Mūthūngū}} \|\| {{lang\|ki\|Athūngū}} \|\| {{lang\|ki\|Gīthūngū}}
scope="row" \| Kinyarwanda in Rwanda / Kirundi in Burundi \| {{lang\|rw\|Umuzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|rw\|Abazungu}} \|\| {{lang\|rw\|Ikizungu}}
scope="row" \| Bemba in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo \| {{lang\|bem\|Musungu}} \|\| {{lang\|bem\|Basungu}} \|\| {{lang\|bem\|Chisungu}}
scope="row" \| Gusii in Kenya \| {{lang\|guz\|Omusongo}} \|\| {{lang\|guz\|Abasongo}} \|\| {{lang\|guz\|Ebisongo}}
scope="row" \| Sena in Mozambique \| {{lang\|seh\|Muzungu}} \|\| {{lang\|seh\|Azungu}} \|\|
scope="row" \| Shona in Zimbabwe \| {{lang\|sn\|Murungu}} \|\| {{lang\|sn\|Varungu}} \|\| {{lang\|sn\|Chirungu}}
scope="row" \| Zulu in South Africa \| {{lang\|zu\|Umlungu}} \|\| {{lang\|zu\|Abelungu}} \|\| {{lang\|zu\|Isilungu}}
Luguru in Tanzania \| {{lang\|ruf\|Imzungu}} \| {{lang\|ruf\|Iwazungu}} \|

class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto"

|+ Regional variations

! scope="col" | Language

! scope="col" | Singular

! scope="col" | Plural

! scope="col" | Possessive

scope="row" | Swahili in the African Great Lakes

| {{lang|sw|Mzungu}} || {{lang|sw|Wazungu}} || {{lang|sw|Kizungu}}

scope="row" | Shikomori in the Comoros

| {{lang|swb|Mzungu}} || {{lang|swb|Wazungu}} || {{lang|swb|Chizungu}}

scope="row" | Luganda in Uganda

| {{lang|lg|Omuzungu}} || {{lang|lg|Abazungu}}|| {{lang|lg|Kizungu}}