sangoma

Where does the word "sangoma" come from? It comes from Zulu isangoma, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Sangoma’s story begins in Zulu: isangoma meant “diviner, witch doctor.” From a prefix plus ngoma, 'drum', describing a healer who drums out spirits during divination. It reached English by 1900s as sangoma. South Africa has tens of thousands of sangomas, recognized as traditional health practitioners. Today, sangoma means a traditional spiritual healer and diviner among the Zulu and related peoples of southern Africa.

1. Stage 1 · Zulu · 1800s isangoma "diviner, witch doctor", from a prefix plus ngoma, 'drum', describing a healer who drums out spirits during divination.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s sangoma "a traditional diviner and spiritual healer", South Africa has tens of thousands of sangomas, recognized as traditional health practitioners.