HYPOTHESIS ON THE MEANING OF
NARMER’S NAME IN ANCIENT EGYPT
By Asar Imhotep
The MOCHA-Versity Institute of Philosophy and Research
luntu/lumtu/muntu
The initial question that spawned my research was, “Does Nhsy (the word used for Nubians) mean
‘the South’ in ancient Egyptian?” I had a problem with this definition because if it was a name used
to refer to a people, I have doubts that they would have called themselves “southerners.” We have
an ontological problem here. The term “south” is relative and only has meaning in reference to
someone who is “north.” If The Nhsy are a sovereign people, it is highly unlikely they would have
called themselves “southerners” in comparison to Egyptians who were “northerners.” A sovereign
people do not name themselves in reference to others. That puts that group’s “center” in another
place and not out of their own imagination. Trying to grapple with these dilemmas forced me to try
a different approach.
So what I did was used a language “from the south” that I know has many correspondences with
ancient Egyptian: Tshiluba. In doing this I have to set up a series of correspondences to ensure that I
have the “right” to compare Egyptian nhsy with any term I may find in Tshiluba with the same n-h-s
root. I also sought to look for a meaning of kAs “Kush” since it to be from the “south.”
I know that Egyptian h often corresponds with Tshiluba k. But let’s begin by doing a k to k
correspondence. So I began first by doing this:
Yoruba /g/
Yoruba /k/
Ogún “God of iron,
war, hunting”
Akin“bravery, brave,
valor”
Okun “strength”
akoni “brave person,
hero”
okàn “(lion) heart” –
heart
gún “to pound”
Kàn “to hammer”
kúná “to be powder
– smooth”
ogún “twenty” (cf.
Hausa gama)
Kun “to be full”
gún “finished
product”, grade1
Okan “1” – integer
1
Egyptian
kn/kni “be brave, be
strong”
kn.t “brutality,
violence, valor”
Hrw “battle, war”
khrw.yt “war”
khrw.yt “war”
khrwyw “war,
rebellion, revolt”
qny(t) “elite corps”
kn “brave man, hero,
soldier, mighty,
capable, active”
qma “to hammer out,
to create”
qm “complete, total
up to, amount to”
km “complete, total
up to, amount to”
km “finished, end,
complete”
khm “to bring to end”
ciLuba
di-kima, bu-kitu, mu-kale
“brave”
lu-kana “brutality”
Cyenge “war”
bu-kole “force, energy,
strength”
kola “become difficult,
hard, force, energy,
strengthen”
Kanda “prohibit, prevent,
defend, be blocked, ”
kala “strength, power”
nkama “force, might,
power, strength”
Mu-kanda1 “to pound”
ka-koono(u) “powder”
(<koona “scrape, shave,
grate”)
nkum “end”
kanda “complete, whole”
Nkamukilu<kamuka(<kama
“finished”)
nkum “finished”, -kama
“stop” le-kela “to quit”
In ciLuba, the /l/ or /r/ in final position turns into <nda: i.e., kala(e) “productive/fertile soil” <kanda “land,
country, community.”
Nfrt/nfrw “end”
igun “angle, edge,
extremes”
òógun
“perspiration”
(moisture)
ègún “thorns”
ológìnní “cat”
èkun “ends, limits”
hn “to limit”, km “put
to an end”
mpwilu “end, finish,
terminate”
-kama “end”, mu-kalu
“limit”
Cya-shima “moisture,
humidity”
qn “mat”
Mu-nkan-gi “thorns”
ikun“moisture in the
nostrils”
ikín “stalk, reed”
Ekun “tiger” (cat
family)
Kìnníún “lion” (cat
family)
These correspondences establish a relationship. From here we can move on to establishing an
Egyptian h to Tshiluba k correspondence.
Lexical Correspondences with Egyptian /h/ and ciLuba Velar /k/ initial, and alveolar liquid /r/ with
ciLuba /l/ secondary position
Egyptian /h/
Hrw “mountain”
Hrw “top, upper”
Hrw “heavens, sky”
Hrw “hawk, bird”
Hrw “be cut when ripe” (of corn)
H33 r “to decide”
Hrw “those above” (in heavens, especially of the
stars)
Hrw “be quiet, at peace”
Hrw “be pleased, be satisfied, be content”
Kh “difficult, strong, wild”
Kni (qni) “mighty, capable, active, strong, valiant,
conquer, eager”
2
ciLuba /k/
mu-kuna “mountain” (ciLuba) (l >n)
kale, kule, kulu “top, upper, highest”
kulu “heavens, sky”
Nkulu, Nkole, Ngal, nGole, Cyal, Kal; ciKololo
“hawk, bird, raven”
kole “ripe, mature, grow (<kola)”
kàla “decide at once”
Kulu “ancestors”
Le-kela, kua-kala “silence, quiet”, hola “silent,
peace, quiet”, akula “quiet”
Mu-hole (<hola) “satisfied, content”
Hale (also kule) “to be crazy, deranged, wild,
foolish, mad, reckless, vicious, violent” (to
become…<hala)
KALE, KALA2: to be strong, strong, well, vigorous,
ardous, firm, steady, solid, hard, immovable, fixed,
steadfast, powerful, robust, tough (as meat),
violent, severe, serious (matter), fertile, or rich or
productive (soil) (corresponds with the word km.t),
loud (voice), KALA (v): to be strong, be full grown,
be mature, be firm, be steady, be stable, be solid,
It should be noted that within ciLuba, the /l/ is often interchangeable with /m/. The /l/ corresponds to Egyptian
/m/ and /n/ as well.
hrw “voice, sound, noise”
develop, grow, be mature, to exist, to be.
cy-ono “noise, snoring”
lw-ono “noise”
kale “loud voice”
Orò, ariwo (Yoruba) “roar, noise”
I think this more than satisfies the criteria for a regular correspondence. It is for these reasons and
more that we can look to the following for possible meanings for k3s and nHs.j(y,i) within the
ciLuba language. Let’s establish some full name correspondences with this nhsy root:
Egyptian
Tshiluba
nhs = medicine drug
mu-Kushi / ba-Kushi, nKushi = a protector,
healer, savior (what medicine does and is a name
applied to doctors) [bwanga being drug or
medicine]
nkisi (Kikongo) = medicine, drug
nhsi = to wake (also a watcher)
Nkesho = morning (good), day (as to awaken to it)
nh = offer shelter, protect
Nkoshi = Nkozi = nSokomenu, cyeyemenu
(ciLuba) = shelter, refuge
ksks [reduplication] >>> Dancer, Nubian Dancer
Kashi, Kaji >>> Dancer, plur. Tushi
nhp(w) = rise in the morning, morning, sunrise
Nkeesha = Ncisha = paCyacya = Morning Star,
dawn, early morning 3
Nkesho >>> morning (good) day
These establish that we can go ahead and make suggestions using the Tshiluba language for
meanings of Nhsy and K3s in Egyptian since we don’t know their meanings. Below are some
possible meanings for these terms.
3
The final –p suffix is prefixed in Tshiluba as pa-CyaCya.
Egyptian
Ciluba
K3s [ks “strong”]
Kasa
kashila = kasa-kana
K3s
K3s
K3s
K3s
K3S
K3s
K3s
K3s
K3s
be strong, hard, tough, difficult, often
"be strong, be very difficult, very hard to be very
resistant"
Kasa (di-/mi-)
foot
Kasa = sanka
be happy, be joyous, be content
Kasha, Kashi, Kashia
esp. antelope with long legs, akin to the antelope
Ntole (e, a, o)
Kasha, Kashi, Kashia
eel; plur. : Tush, Tushia> Tusi, Tushi.
Kashi
small root, root small, plur. : Tush, Tujia, Tuzi
Kashi, Kaji
Dancer, plur. Tushi
Kanza, Kanji, Kanshi, Kaashi which began with (the verb: anza) above, previous R
Nb. Ka-is a diminutive prefix. Its plural is: Tu)
Kasha, Kenza, Keesa
find, scan
kesha, keza, kenza
cause, occasion, bring about
Kesa
be happy, rejoice
Keshia
yesterday, tomorrow
Keshio (n-/lu-)
tomorrow morning
Kosh > nKoshi, diKoshi, iKoshi neck, occiput
Kosh > nKoshi, diKoshi, Ikoshi Viceroy or chief second from the first is said Mpala
(pr-a3). The viceroy is also called Mwena-Mpala not
K3s
K3s
K3s
Koshi, Konzi, Konji
Kusa
Kushi (i), mpulushi
K3s
K3s
Kwesha
Kweshi
Mwezi, Mweji, Mwenji
Kwish, kunshi
mwekesha
Nangisha
Nangish
Nangish
Nekesh = bekesh
Nengesh
Ngashi, Ngazi
Ngeshi, Ngezi
K3s
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Meaning
in the sense of "Master of Mpala, but rather Mwanaa-Mpala" Son of Mpala, Young-Mpala, Mpala-Junior.
rope, liana (thin or small); plur.: Nyos, Nyiosh, Nyonzi
rub ointment, polishing, grating
Redeemer, Savior. Hence: bu-kushi, redemption,
protector, salvation
winnowing, discern
winnower, discerner, scout and is related to Mweshi,
= moon
down below, below, in the south
Exhibit, disclose, bring forth
to love, to desire
Exceed exaggerate
heat the skin of the drum so that it sounds better
Exaggerate, make too
Make it last longer
Red palm nuts
basketry, van, winnower, to think what think,
Nhsy
Nhsy
discern, sorts
Nhsy
Nkasa
musical instrument percussion éteuf
Nhsy
Nkasa = Nkusa [Ngiisu, luKus(e,a)]
younger, youngest
Nhsy
Nkasa, luKus(e,a)
younger, youngest
Nhsy
Nkashi (a-) = Nkushio
left
Nhsy
Nkeesha = Ncisha = paCyacya
Morning Star, dawn, dawn, early morning
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nhsy
Nkesho
Nkisi
morning (good) day
medicine, remedy protection; talisman. (Noba in NigerKongo is a healer). This meaning is used in Kikongo. In
Ciluba was mu-Kushi / ba-Kushi, nKushi "savior, redeemer,
protector" and Bwanga "medicine, remedy."
Nkishi
returning, rescussité (resuscitate)
Nkoshi = Nkozi
shelter, refuge
= nSokomenu, cyeyemenu
Nkoso <mu-/ci-Koso palm fiber
Nkoso <mu-Koso
slander made to bring discord and cause a rupture
Nkusi, Ngiisu
younger, youngest
Nkushio
left
= a nkashi, cimosu, ciboko
Nyekeshia
Perpetuate, extend (infinitely = Nyeki Nyeki)
Nyishi, Ngishi
Electric Catfish
Two terms should stand out here.
K3s >>> Kwish, kunshi >>> down below, below, in the south, and
Nhsy >>> Nyishi, Ngishi >>> Electric Catfish
Now we know that modern Egyptologists usually render NHSY to mean "southerner." The Kushites
were those Africans who lived in Sudan or ancient "Ethiopia." What the linguistics may confirms
here is that Menes or Aha, whose symbol was a CATFISH, was in fact a Nhsy (Nyishi, Nigshi) as this
could have been a totem.
“Narmer”
K3S/NHSY both related to the names Kush/Cush/Kush and Nehasiu aka Ethiopians. Saying Nkesh (a,
i, o), Ngesha (i, a), Ngashi, Nkashi, Nkushio, Nekesh (a, i, e), Kesh (a, i, o), Kash (a, i), Kasa/Kesa, Kosh,
Kush (i) Kwisha (i) gives you a better rendering and can be matched to living languages. These
ancient Kushites (Bantu speakers now belonging to the Luba family of languages) still live "south,
below" ancient Ta-Mry (Kongo, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya).
I think, based on the evidence, that the name "narmer" is incorrect. The narmer name should read
Bu-kulu (Horus/Hrw/Khulu) Nyishi.
titulary_1a.gif (410 bytes)
Hr nar
Horus Nar ("Horus, the Catfish") (?)
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html
Going into the African languages prevents us from making guesses on the proper interpretation of
Egyptian (even Biblical) terms.
But here is some more evidence on Narmer
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html
Hr nar-mr TA
Horus Nar-mer tsha. The meaning or purpose of the added sign is unknown.
Reinterpretation:
Bu-Kulu MuShipa Tush, [Tushia > Tusi, Tushi = eel]
The Egyptian script is syllabic. The catfish and the chizzle in this case could represent the sounds
shi and pa (ib not mr). Mushipa means fish. Remember Nyishi means "electric catfish." Tusi, Tushi,
Tush means "eel" in modern ciLuba, but more than likely referred to the electric charge of the eel or
the burst of energy, thus why the frantic bird "determinative" with the tsha (tusi) value. This is
highly speculative, but gives us a floor to work from.
Either way you have electric catfish, which is more than likely Powerful Catfish. All referring to a
people who lived in the "south" K3s/Kush/Nhsy (Nyishi)