The following is a list of timekeeping terminology in the Xhosa language. Month names Traditionally The traditional Xhosa names for months of the year poetically come from names of stars, plants, and flowers that grow or seasonal changes that happen at a given time of year in Southern Africa. The Xhosa year traditionally begins in June and ends in May when the brightest star visible in the Southern Hemisphere, Canopus, signals the time for harvesting. In urban areas today, anglicized versions of the months are used, especially by the younger generation, but in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, the old names still stand. Month by month they are, in relation with: gregorian ones Seasons Autumn - eKwindla Winter - uBusika Spring - iNtlako hlaza/iNtwasahlobo Summer - iHlobo Days of the week Sunday - iCawa Monday - uMvulo Tuesday - uLwesibini Wednesday - uLwesithathu Thursday - uLwesine Friday - uLwesihlanu Saturday - uMgqibelo See also Xhosa language Xhosa people Xhosa clan names Zulu calendar Further reading Kirsch et al., Clicking with Xhosa, David Phillip Publishers, Cape Town, 2001, p. 43f. Calendar Calendar Specific calendars