Luna: New Moon

Glossary

Many languages are spoken on the moon and the vocabulary cheerfully borrows words from Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Yoruba, Spanish, Arabic, Akan.

Abusua: Group of people who share a common maternal ancestor. AKA maintains them and their marriage taboos to preserve genetic diversity

Adinkra: Akan visual symbols that represent concepts or aphorisms

Agbada: Yoruba formal robe

Amor: Lover/partner

Anzinho: Little angel

Apatoo: Spirit of dissension

Banya: Russian sauna and steam bath

Berçário: Nursery

Bu-hwaejang: Korean corporate title: vice-chair. See also, hwaejang, jonmu

Caçador: Hunter

Chib: A small virtual pane in an interactive contact lens that shows the state of an individual’s accounts for the Four Elementals

Choego: Korean corporate title: Foremost

Churrasceria: Brazilian/Argentinian barbecue

Coracão: My heart. A term of endearment

CPD: Social identity number in Brazil, necessary for a number of important social and financial transactions

Craque: Sports superstar

Escolta: Bodyguard

Four Elementals: Air, water, carbon and data: the basic commodities of lunar existence, paid for daily by the chib system

Gaye Nyame: Adinkra symbol meaning ‘Except God, (I fear None)’

Globo: a simplified form of English with a codified pronunciation comprehensible by machines

Gupshup: The main gossip channel on the lunar social network

Hwaejang: Korean corporate title: President

Irmã/Irmão: Sister/brother

Jo/Joe Moonbeam: new arrival on the moon

Jonmu: Korean Corporate title: Managing Director

Keji-oko: Second spouse

Kotoko: AKA council, of rotating memberships

Kuozhao: Dust-mask

Ladeiro: A staircase from one level of a quadra to another

Madrinha: Surrogate mother, literally ‘Godmother’

Malandragem: The art of the trickster, bad-assery

Mamãe/Mae, Papai/pai: Mother/Mum, Father/Dad

Manhua: Chinese manga

Miudo: Kid

Moto: Three-wheel automated cab

Nana: Ashanti term of respect to an elder

Nikah: A marriage contract. The term comes from Arabic

Norte: A person from North America

Oheneba: ‘Little Princess’ – term of endearment

Oko: Spouse in marriage

Omahene: CEO of AKA, on an eight-year cycle rotation

Onyame: One name for a Supreme being in Akan traditional religion

Orixa: Deities and saints in the syncretistic Afro-Brazilian umbanda religion

Patrão: Godfather

Sasuit: Surface Activity suit

Saudade: Melancholy. Sweet melancholy is a sophisticated and essential element on bossa nova music

Shibari: Japanese rope bondage

Ser: Form of address used to a neutro

Siririca: Brazilian slang for female masturbation

Terreiro: An Umbanda temple

Tia/Tio: Aunt/uncle

Yin: Digital signature

Zabbaleen: Freelance organics recyclers, who then sell on to the LDC which owns all organic material

Zashitnik: A hired fighter in trial by combat: literally defender, advocate