'{{Short description|African term for a white person}} '''{{lang|sw|Mzungu}}''' ({{IPA-sw|m̩ˈzuŋɡu|pron}}), also known as ''muzungu'', ''mlungu'', ''musungu'' or ''musongo'', is a [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] word that means "wanderer" originally pertaining to the first European explorers to the East African region whom the local tribes thought were traveling aimlessly with no goals to settle, conquer or trade, like restless spirits - the initial explorers mapped the area, key land marks and made some alliances that were then later used by missionaries and colonialists. The term is currently used in predominantly [[swahili language|Swahili]] speaking nations to refer to foreign people dating back to 18th century. The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]], [[Uganda]], [[Malawi]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Comoros]], [[South Africa]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Mayotte]], [[Zambia]] and in [[Madagascar|Northern Madagascar]] (the word changed to "vozongo" in [[Malagasy language|Malagasy]], but locals will still understand the word mzungu) dating back to the 18th century. == Etymology == Literally translated {{lang|sw|mzungu}} meant "someone who roams around" or "wanderer."<ref name="chemiche-mponda">{{cite web |url=http://swahilitime.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-meaning-of-word-mzungu-maana-ya.html |title=Swahili Time |author=Chemi Che-Mponda |work=swahilitime.blogspot.com |access-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref> 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 ''mzungu'' comes from [[Kiswahili]], where {{lang|sw|zungu}} or {{lang|sw|zunguka}} is the word for spinning around on the same spot. {{lang|sw|Kizunguzungu}} is Kiswahili for dizziness.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://muzungubloguganda.com/about-the-muzungu/muzungu-definition/|title=What is a muzungu? Definition. |work=Diary of a Muzungu - Uganda travel blog |access-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://muzungubloguganda.com/about-the-muzungu/muzungu-definition/]. What is a muzungu?. Retrieved on 2018-07-14.</ref> The word {{lang|sw|mzungu}} in Swahili can also mean someone who speaks English.<ref>{{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|s2cid=144446766|issn=1369-6815|url=http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/12147}}</ref> The possessive {{lang|sw|kizungu}} (or {{lang|sw|chizungu}}) translates as "behaving rich". 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. It would therefore not be unusual to find any employer being referred to as {{lang|sw|mzungu}}. In the Bantu [[Swahili language]], the plural form of {{lang|sw|mzungu}} is '''{{lang|sw|wazungu}}'''.<ref>[http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=H-Africa&month=0209&week=c&msg=uECVFD0d2hUUL52mu7rZqg&user=&pw= H-Net Discussion Networks – Etymology of the term muzungu: reply] {{Webarchive|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= |date=2013-07-09 }}. H-net.msu.edu (2002-09-19). Retrieved on 2011-05-28.</ref><ref>[http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zanzibar-City/blog-209050.html The Wandering Wazungu]. Travelblog.org. Retrieved on 2011-05-28.</ref><ref>[http://www.janissarystomp.com/stomp/notas.html Notas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190357/http://www.janissarystomp.com/stomp/notas.html |date=2016-03-03 }}. The Janissary Stomp. Retrieved on 2011-05-28.</ref> 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.<ref name="Peace Corps">{{cite web |url=https://www.peacecorps.gov/malawi/stories/12-words-youll-hear-malawi/ |title=The 12 Words You'll Hear in Malawi |publisher=[[Peace Corps]] |access-date=14 July 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/BPL_Images/Content_store/WWW_Content/9780631226949/27Chap25.pdf |title=Chichewa (Bantu) |publisher=[[Blackwell Publishing]] |access-date=14 July 2018 }}</ref> 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]] Zimbabwe and [[Burundi]]. It is often called out by children to get the attention of a passerby.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Harrisberg|first=Kim|date=25 December 2013|title=Rwanda: A Mzungu's Thoughts On Justine Sacco|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201312270036.html|website=allafrica.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/dec/27/mary-walker-christmas-kenya/ |title=Mary Walker: Christmas in Kenya |work=steamboattoday.com |access-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=16--sm53nX4C&pg=PR2 |title=Tanzania |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |author=Jens Finke |date=2003 |isbn=9781858287836 |access-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref> For example, in [[Malawi]], it is common for people to use the casual greeting {{lang|sw|Azungu boh!}} to individuals or groups of foreigners.<ref name="Peace Corps"/> {| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto" |+ Regional variations ! scope="col" | Language ! scope="col" | Singular ! scope="col" | Plural ! scope="col" | Possessive |- ! scope="row" | [[Swahili language|Swahili]] in the [[African Great Lakes]] | {{lang|sw|Mzungu}} || {{lang|sw|Wazungu}} || {{lang|sw|Kizungu}} |- ! scope="row" | [[Comorian language|Shikomori]] in [[Comoros]] | {{lang|swb|Mzungu}} || {{lang|swb|Wazungu}} || {{lang|swb|Chizungu}} |- ! scope="row" | [[Luganda]] in [[Uganda]] |''o''{{lang|lg|Muzungu}}||''a''{{lang|lg|Bazungu}}||{{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 language|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 language|Bemba]] in [[Zambia]] and [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] | {{lang|bem|Musungu}} || {{lang|bem|Basungu}} || {{lang|bem|Chisungu}} |- ! scope="row" | [[Kisii language]] in [[Kenya]] | {{lang|guz|Omusongo}} || {{lang|guz|Abasongo}} || {{lang|guz|Ebisongo}} |- ! scope="row" | [[Sena language|Sena]] in [[Mozambique]] | {{lang|seh|Muzungu}} || {{lang|seh|Azungu}} || |- ! scope="row" | [[Shona language|Shona]] in [[Zimbabwe]] | {{lang|sn|Murungu}} || {{lang|sn|Varungu}} || Chirungu |- ! scope="row" | [[isiZulu]] in [[South Africa]] | {{lang|zu|Umlungu}} || {{lang|zu|Abelungu}} || {{lang|zu|Isilungu}} |- ![[Luguru language|ikiRuguru]] in [[Tanzania]] | {{lang|ruf|Imzungu}} | {{lang|ruf|Iwazungu}} | |} ==See also== * {{lang|mi|[[Pākehā]]}}, similar term in [[Māori language|Māori]] * [[Gaijin]], similar term in [[Japanese language|Japanese]] * [[Goy]], similar term in [[Hebrew]] * [[Gringo]], similar term in [[Latin American Spanish]] * [[Guiri]], similar term in European [[Spanish language|Spanish]] * [[Gweilo]], similar term in [[Cantonese]] * [[Farang]], similar term in [[Persian language]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{wiktionary|mzungu}} *[http://polishingpeanuts.com/volunteer/mzungu-mzungu-muzungu "Mzungu! Mzungu! Mzungu! Give me my money"] Ugandan experiences from Ian Anderson {{White people terms}} [[Category:Swahili words and phrases]] [[Category:European diaspora in Africa]] [[Category:Ethnonyms]]'