The study vacillates between the text, the reader and the author. Examining biography and such socio-cultural factors as marriage and cosmology, the reader is equipped with sufficient background which illuminates the ideology behind the text. The cosmological conceptions of the Northern Sotho shed some light on the poet's views on the child's first cry. These assumptions lay a foundation for the religious views expressed in his texts. The contradictions between African religion and Christianity help us comprehend the frustrations of secular and religious lives in our country. These also serve as linchpins towards understanding the pursuit of religious pluralism. The concept 'intertextuality' is explored. Cases of intratextuality and intertextuality which dispute the absolutist view in meaning composition highlight the interrelatedness of texts and how each relationship impacts on meaning. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

A wide variety of aspects of Machaka's poetry was treated. His poetry which is meaningful when viewed against his traditional culture brings inspiration and a formal mode of literary expression. Death was never accepted by the Tlokwa as an end to life. Machaka has succeeded in blending the ancestral worship with Christian faith. He has used euphemism to modify pain. He makes use of imagery to execute cruelty and bluntness of death. Machaka's protest poetry echoes the same protest of those of other protesters. These refer to the injustice the Blacks experienced from the white regime prior to independence. From his love poems, it is noticed that Machaka is a great lover. When he is in love, he becomes a slave. Machaka uses traditional and modem praise poetry techniques. This made him manage to produce poetry which made a definite impact on Northern Sotho literature and contributed to its depth / African Languages / M.A. (African languages)

The study vacillates between the text, the reader and the author. Examining biography and such socio-cultural factors as marriage and cosmology, the reader is equipped with sufficient background which illuminates the ideology behind the text. The cosmological conceptions of the Northern Sotho shed some light on the poet's views on the child's first cry. These assumptions lay a foundation for the religious views expressed in his texts. The contradictions between African religion and Christianity help us comprehend the frustrations of secular and religious lives in our country. These also serve as linchpins towards understanding the pursuit of religious pluralism. The concept 'intertextuality' is explored. Cases of intratextuality and intertextuality which dispute the absolutist view in meaning composition highlight the interrelatedness of texts and how each relationship impacts on meaning. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

A wide variety of aspects of Machaka's poetry was treated. His poetry which is meaningful when viewed against his traditional culture brings inspiration and a formal mode of literary expression. Death was never accepted by the Tlokwa as an end to life. Machaka has succeeded in blending the ancestral worship with Christian faith. He has used euphemism to modify pain. He makes use of imagery to execute cruelty and bluntness of death. Machaka's protest poetry echoes the same protest of those of other protesters. These refer to the injustice the Blacks experienced from the white regime prior to independence. From his love poems, it is noticed that Machaka is a great lover. When he is in love, he becomes a slave. Machaka uses traditional and modem praise poetry techniques. This made him manage to produce poetry which made a definite impact on Northern Sotho literature and contributed to its depth / African Languages / M.A. (African languages)