In prison, forms of black slang and African languages are used to code conversations to prevent non-black inmates and staff from understanding the communication. These languages are taught to gang members who carry these back out into the community.
They also serve as a racial recruiting tool. One of the favorite forms is the African Swahili tribal dialect.
The following is a portion of a prison-copied version of the underground publication, "New Afrikan Swahili Dialect Dictionary" from the Black Panther Party Press.
SWAHILI/ENGLISH
ASANTE/Thank You
BABU/Grandfather or Father
BASI/That's All
BIBI/Grandmother
BIKIRA/Virgin
DADA/Sister
DHANI/Think
GNYE SHUKRANI/Thankful
HAJA/Need
HATA MOJA/None
JAMAA/Family
JINA/Name
KIJANA/Youth
KITU/Thing
KUANDIKA/Write
KUENDA/Went, Go or Gone
KUJARIBU/Try
KUPUTA/Throw
KUWA/Was
LA/No
LAZIMA/Must
LINI/When
MIMI/I or Me
MJANE/Widow
MKE/Wife
MTOTO MCHANGA/Girl or Baby
MTOTO WA KIUME/Boy
MUMNE/Husband
MWALIMU/Teacher
MWANAMKE/Woman
MWANAMUME/Men
MWANA DAMU/Man
MZAZI/Mother
NANI/Who
NDUGU/Brother
NIJIA/Way
NINA/I Am
NINI/What
NJDYO/Yes
MNO/Too
SASA/Now
SI/Not
SISI/We or Us
SIYO/No
UEYE/He or She
UKE/Vagina or Womanhood
UTU/Manhood
UUME/Penis
WA/Be
WAO/Them
WAPI/Where
WAZO/Thought
WEWE/You
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