The inclusion of many locally unique words to the story of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ made the book create an ideal scenario of Nigeria before and during the civil war.

- Sah: Sah is a pidgin word used in place of sir.
- Kedu afa gi?: Kedu afa gi is a question that translates from Igbo to English as “what is your name?”
- Akpu: Akpu is a West African delicacy made from fresh or fermented cassava. It looks like dough.
- Umunna: Umunna is an Igbo word used to address a distant relation from someone’s paternal side.
- Ugu: Ugu is a tropical vine that grows in West Africa. The vine has edible seeds and leaves made into a soup delicacy.
- Agbogho: A short version of the Igbo word Agboghobia which means “young lady.”
- Aja: The Igbo word for “sand.” It also alternatively means “appeasing the oracle.”
- Akamu: Akamu is a delicacy of pap made from corn.
- Akara: The Yoruba word for “Bean cake.”
- Aku: Winged termites that appear during the rainy season.
- Anara: The Igbo word for “Garden egg.”
- Aro festival: The word Aro translates to “spear.” Aro festival is a cultural festival held by the Aro people with their fierce masquerades.
- Oga: A pidgin word that refers to someone in a position of authority or someone wealthy.
- Biko: Translates to the English word “please.”
- Chineke: The Igbo word for “God the creator.”
- Fada: Fada is a pidgin word for father.
- Fiam: Fiam is used to express hurriedness.
- Garri: Garri is a popular West African food produced from processing cassava tubers into dried cassava flour.
- Ichie: Ichie is an Igbo word used as an honorary title for respected elders in a community.
- Ifukwa gi: Translated from Igbo to English as “look at you.”
- In ugo?: Translated from Igbo to English as “You hear?”
- Isi owu: This is a traditional Igbo hairstyle plaited with a wool attachment.
- Jollof Rice: A rice dish made combining spices, pepper, and tomatoes in the same pot with rice. It gets made during weddings or party occasions in Nigeria.
- Koboko: Koboko is a twined whip produced from rawhide.
- Moi-Moi: A steamed bean pudding delicacy made from washed and peeled beans, onions, pepper, and spices.
- Nee Anya: An Igbo word meaning “watch out” in English.
- Mmuo: An Igbo word meaning “spirit” in English.
- Nna m: A phrase that means “our father” in English.
- Nne: The Igbo word for mother.
- Nwa m: The Igbo phrase for “my child.”
- Nwanyi: The Igbo word for woman.
- Nwoke: The Igbo word for man.
- O ginidi?: A question that means “What is it really?” In English.
- Ofe nsala: Ofensala means white pepper soup. The delicacy is distinct for its colorlessness.
- Okpa: Okpa is a popular Igbo food made from dried flour of peas. The delicacy gets made into a cooked pudding.
- Okporoko: Imported dried stockfish from Norway.
- Red oil: Red oil is palm fruit oil.
- Sha: A pidgin phrase for “excuse me.”
- Yeye: A pidgin word meaning “useless.”
- Kiosk: A small shop popularly made from sheet metal or wood.
- Chin-chin: A delicacy made by rolling wheat flour into tiny puddings and frying them.
- Biko: The Igbo word for “please.”
- Biafra: The Igbo nation that was created by Colonel Ojukwu.
- Ugba porridge: A porridge made from fermented African oil bean seed.
- Tufia: A word used to declare a forbidding remark.
FAQs
What is the main indigenous language used in Half of a Yellow Sun?
The main indigenous language used in ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ is Igbo.
What is pidgin?
Pidgin is a simplified form of English that uses grammatical elements from other indigenous languages.
What is Garri?
Garri is a popular food eaten in Nigeria made by processing cassava into creamy flour.