Jambo!

Jambo! (jam-buh!) is a Swahili greeting or salutation with an exclamation mark. It is similar in meaning to the English word Hello!.

First use

Jambo was once used as a greeting among traders of the Swahili coast of southeast Africa. While similar to the English word Hello, it really meant to come and settle ones affairs in the business sense. It was used by traders from India, China and other lands before the Portuguese Vasco da Gama visited the area in 1498. It is in current use.

It is also used as a surname in southeast Africa. For example, Zhaimu Jambo (born 23 August 1987 in Harare), aka "Jimmy", is a retired Zimbabwean footballer (soccer player).

Linguisticly

Specifically, Jambo is a Swahili language class 5-6 word which are part of the "collectives" or dialogic actions among groups of people. Jambo primarily means 'affair.' The English word "affair" not used in the sexual connotation, but in the commercial, professional, public or personal business definition.

Etymologically it is from amba (-amba) from to say, ultimately from etyl. It is a cognate with Zulu. Secondary meanings include as dealing with a thing, issue or matter.

Jambo

Jambo (April 17, 1961 – September 16, 1992) was a celebrated gorilla housed at Jersey Zoo. He is well known for protecting a young boy named Levan Merritt who fell into the gorilla enclosure in 1986.

Early life

Jambo means "hello" in Swahili. The gorilla was born on April 17, 1961, in Zoo Basel, Basel, Switzerland, to mother Achilla and father Stephi. Stephi was acquired from the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo. Stephi was captured in 1950 by Columbus resident and gorilla hunter Bill Said, with two other baby gorillas, in French Equatorial Africa. The three were sold to the Columbus Zoo for $10,000. The two which the Columbus Zoo kept, Baron Macombo and Millie Christina, became the parents of Colo, the first gorilla born in a zoo, in Columbus on December 22, 1956. She was the first gorilla born in captivity as well as the first gorilla in captivity to be raised by her own mother.

Jambo's older sister Goma, born on September 23, 1959 in Basel, was the first gorilla born in Europe and still lives in the Zoo Basel. Before Jambo was transferred to Jersey Zoo, Jambo and Goma had a son named Tamtam, who was born at Zoo Basel on May 2, 1971, and died at Wuppertal Zoo on July 23, 2009. Jambo also fathered a daughter while still at Zoo Basel by an unrelated female. Jambo had 7 siblings and 20 offspring by 5 different mates, including three stillbirths.

Jambo (disambiguation)

Jambo is a gorilla who used to reside at Jersey Zoo.

Jambo may also refer to:

Music

Other uses

See also