Lekgoa

In Southern Africa, Lekgoa is often considered a contemporary racial slur for people of European descent. However, usage of the term actually derives from historical power relationships.

Many expatriates in Southern Africa report that they are called 'lekgoa' by the indigenous black inhabitants of certain countries, namely South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho. This is an explanation of the word.

Similar words are reported in popular discourse in other African languages, for example: mlungu (Zulu);although the origin of 'mlungu'is often disputed. In Malawi 'Mlungu' refers to God. (Mlungu dalitsani Malawi - God bless Malawi - is the national anthem of that country.)

The root of the word [http://africanlanguages.com/sdp/ 'lekgoa'] (plural 'makgoa') is the (Sotho, Pedi, Tswana) verb '(go) kgoa' which means (in ordinary terms) 'to lack decorum, to be rude, to cause embarrassment, to be disrespectful, to have no regard for other people'. The word 'lekgoa' denotes a person who is 'disrespectful' etc. by denigrating the integrity of another person. The English language talks of 'defamation of character,' and popular use of the verb '(go) kgoa' suggests a similar meaning.

If you use the verb 'kgoa' about someone, either black or white, you are saying that certain behaviour is socially unacceptable. The term 'lekgoa' means that the person is part of a class of persons who 'lack respect (for other human beings)'. The term can be used for a black person, but with a negative content - that 'the person thinks he/she is white (i.e., lacks respect for other human beings)'.

The Groot Noord Sotho Woordebook (Comprehensive Northern Sotho Dictionary) ascribes the meaning of the verb '(go) kgoa' as 'to tease, provoke, challenge.' In another sense, the word 'kgoa' when used as a noun, can refer to a fighter. A similar word is the Northern Sotho word "goa" which would mean in English 'to shout', which is sometimes offered as the root of the word 'lekgoa' with the explanation that 'whites shout instructions to black.' The word 'dikgoa' means 'the screaming of many people.'

It is logical, therefore, for someone to say of a white person who does not fit into the behavioural stereotype 'ga se lekgoa, ke motho', 'he/she is not a lekgoa, he/she is a human being'. Similarly, the comment could be made in the form of 'o tseba go hlompa', that is 'he/she shows respect (for me as a person)' i.e., 'you do not behave like lekgoa'.

The term 'sekgoa' for the English language can be explained that the colonialists in Southern Africa were English-speaking, and they were the first 'makgoa'.

In a colonial and apartheid context, the term describes accurately the relationship of domination-subordination between white and black, and has the political meaning that the 'oppressor is not human.'

In other words, the word 'lekgoa' riducules the colonialist and is an affirmation of the colonial subject's own humanity in the face of oppression. It could also be said that the term is a reversal of a negative racial stereotype.

In popular discourse the use of the word 'lekgoa' is changing to include more blacks as power relationships change in post-colonial society. For example, the expression 'lekgoa la ka', that is, 'my boss' is widely applied to both black and white. Also `makgoa a ka' in business can refer to one's clients as they are the people who will pay you.

It is not a word of neutral content. It is also not only racist speech or hate speech as the word describes a real, historical power relationship. It is also changing in popular use.

An alternative spelling² is lekgowa

ee also

Other contemporary racial slurs: Kaffir, Coolie Boesman (Bushmen)

References

1. Online Northern Sotho Dictionary http://africanlanguages.com/sdp/
2. Prinsloo D.J., Sathekge B.P., New Sepedi Dictionary
3. Zierfogel D., Mokgokong P., compilers, Groot Noord-Sotho Woordeboek, J.L. Van Schaik, 1985.