makamba
Papiamentu[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Bantu "makamba", plural of kamba, which has several meanings in bantu languages, such as Kikongo, Çokwe and Kimbundu. It glosses as, among other things, "a fellow member of one's group", or it can refer to a stranger one addresses as "friend".[1] [2] [3]
The word has travelled to the Americas with the transatlantic slave trade, and can be found in several countries, including Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia and others. In the Dutch Caribbean it has evolved over the years. For some it has a sense similar to "yankee", for some others closer to "redneck", but certainly nothing like "white trash" or "cheese head". For most people it simply means "person from The Netherlands". Although some Dutch people experience it as offensive, others do not. And, while some locals use it as an offensive word, most do not [4]
Noun[edit]
makamba
Usage notes[edit]
In Aruba and Curacao the term Makamba is mostly used to refer to any person born in the Netherlands, irrespective of skin color or race. Similar to gringo in Latin America when referring to people from the US. In Bonaire, it is used to refer to white immigrants. It is also jokingly used by immigrants themselves. In Curaçao it was used to indicate songs composed for harvest celebrations on different plantations. It was also used to refer to an African language spoken until early 20th century in Curaçao, and to the people who spoke it. Since early 20th century it has also been used to refer to the Dutch, which is the common meaning that has survived.
References[edit]
- ^ Haas, F. de. (2006). Makamba! Heden en verleden van een omstreden ‘Antilliaans’ begrip, de Makamba in Afrika en Latijns-Amerika. Caraïbisch Uitzicht. https://werkgroepcaraibischeletteren.nl/makamba/
- ^ Laman, K. E. (1936). Dictionnaire Kikongo-Français; avec une étude phonétique decrivant les dialectes les plus importants de le langue dite Kikongo. Falk fils. http://www.kaowarsom.be/documents/MEMOIRES_VERHANDELINGEN/Sciences_morales_politique/Hum.Sc.(IRCB)_T.II,1_LAMAN%20K.-E._Dictionaire%20Kikongo-Fran%C3%A7ais%20_1936.pdf
- ^ Cunha, A. G. da. (2003). Dicionário etimológico Nova Fronteira da língua portuguesa. Lexikon editora digitaL Ltda.
- ^ Joubert, S. (2005). Dikshonario Papiamentu-Hulandes; Handwoordenboek Papiaments-Nederlands. Walburg Pers.