induna
/ɪnˈduːnə
/noun South African
1A tribal councillor or headman.He also called on the relief food distributing agency in the district to coordinate operations with community leaders, such as indunas and councillors....
- Sithembile Langa is one of about 20 indunas of Meadowlands hostel.
- He said his office would not tolerate anybody including chiefs and their indunas allowing witch finders to practice in their areas.
1.1An African foreman.Control on the mines was exercised by white compound managers and supervisors through African indunas and isibonda (room reprentatives).
1.2A person in authority.The dejected Farmworkers' union chief induna tried in exasperation to explain exactly what he threatened to do and what not.
Origin
Xhosa and Zulu, from the nominal prefix in- + duna 'captain, councillor'.