Abstract. One sometimes wonders if all South Africans know the significance of calling Mandela Madiba. To the Xhosa people the term Madiba lends more dignity to Mandela than any other title that he has been given, because to call him Madiba is to put him in the place of his illustrious ancestor of that same name. Clan Names are one of the most important forms of identity among the Xhosa people. They are used in the everyday lives of the Xhosa men, women and children. This paper, therefore, demonstrates the various situations in which the Clan Names are used as well as their significance in those situations. The paper also illustrates the effect of such Clan Names on the recipients of clan praises as well as the authority of the user. On the whole, Clan Names are an embodiment of high culture and they are the central part of the language pertaining to ancestor reverence.

Abner Nyamende is Associate Professor in the School of Languages & Literatures here at UCT. He specialises in African Literature written in English, Xhosa Literature and African Oral Literature. Among others, he is the author of a recently published novel titled, There’s Always Tomorrow, which addresses the issue of transformation within the SA society. His life time occupation is the collection of Xhosa Folktales and Clan Names. In 2014 he was invited to China from September to November, where he gave lectures on Xhosa culture and conducted storytelling performances. This visit ended up with the publication of a book of Xhosa Folktales, titled, Folktales from Mandela’s People, narrated by him in English and translated into Chinese, which was published in China in 2015. Prof Nyamende has been teaching at UCT now for twenty-five years, since 1990 and has been seriously involved in transformation at this Institution. He cherishes the promotion of African values, Re-education of the South African society and the process of Reconstruction.