Updating Our Language - Day 21
“Mumbo Jumbo”
Example: “I don’t understand all that Mumbo Jumbo”
We may use this phrase in a lighthearted manner when something is hard to understand, but it comes from the Mandinka (a language age spoken in West Africa) word maamajomboo. This word means a masked male dancer who performs in religious ceremonies.
The way we use the adapted phrase here and now is so insulting to other cultural religious beliefs.
Throughout July we will be making posts about updating our language.
We live in a society that has normalized using many words and phrases with racist origins.
Part of the anti-racist work involves acknowledging you have used them, beginning the process of eliminating them from your vocabulary, and gently correcting others when you hear them used.
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