The purpose of this research activity is to determine how cultural astronomy manages natural disasters in the local communities. Study Area: Mahikeng in North West Province among the Barolong boora Tshidi. Indigenous people have contributed the least to world greenhouse gas emission and have the smallest ecological footprints on Earth. Yet they suffer the worst impacts not only of climate change, but also from some of the international mitigation measures being taken. Impacts on climate change affect people negatively, these may include droughts, floods, increased diseases in people, plants as well as animals, biodiversity extinct, high mortality rate, increased food insecurity to mention a few. This study aims to describe how knowledge of cultural astronomy manages natural disasters within our local communities. In this dissertation the history of Barolong using their knowledge of cultural astronomy to manage natural disasters is gradually fading away because of non-recognition of our knowledge custodians as they do not hold any formal education and those who have it only ended at primary level. Democracy brought a sense of mental decolonization unto us as South Africans. This brought light to some of our village members to acknowledge their identity which includes their customs and beliefs. This study unearthed that local communities have the rich indigenous knowledge to sustain their lives that is how some villages are able to prepare and manage natural disasters without the knowledge of cultural astronomy only. They practice other measures which also sustain them and are also easy to be passed on orally from generation to generation. In Barolong communities the knowledge of sky readers is regarded to be very important, it is information that can be relied on because sky readers are always correct. In addition, African traditional religious nature and structure endorses the practice to be acknowledged and be taken as African identity. In the light of the above, and after taking comments by the members of the communities, recommendations are made for an integrated study framework between the local knowledge and modern technologies or information of astronomy. It is also recommended that there should be proper documentation which is not distorted before it can be totally extinct. / Thesis (M.(Indigenous Knowledge Systems) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2014

Summaries in English and Sesotho / This qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study explored culturally sensitive health information about the use of herbal medicine by pregnant women in Lesotho, in order to provide culturally sensitive health advice to pregnant women. Pregnant women used herbal medicine and remedies during pregnancy resulted in still births and complications during labour. Data on the beliefs and practices of fifteen purposively and conveniently sampled pregnant women attending a rural antenatal clinic was collected through semistructured interviews and analysed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Ethical principles and strategies to ensure trustworthiness were applied. One central theme emerged: ‘Women believe that the use of herbal medicine and remedies is a traditional practice that pregnant women need to follow due to culture’. The cultural beliefs and practices of the women were deeply rooted in Basotho culture, which guided the use of herbal medicine. However, some considered herbal medicines to be harmful, as the dosage and content of these medicines vary. Nurses are therefore key to providing culturally sensitive health care advise on using herbal medicine during pregnancy. / Boithuto bona ba boleng bo botle, bo hlalosang le ho fumaneng tlhaiso-leseling e mabapi le bophelo bo botle mabapi le ts’ebeliso ea meriana ea litlama ke basali ba baimana Lesotho, ele ho fana ka likeletso tsa bophelo bo botle ba setso. Lintlha tse mabapi le litumelo le litloaelo tsa basali ba baimana ba leshome le metso e mehlano ka boomo le ka mokhoa o fumanehang li ile tsa bokelloa ka lipuisano tse hlophisitsoeng le ho hlahlojoa ho sebelisoa mekhoa e supileng ea Colaizzi. Melao-motheo ea boits’oaro le maano a ho netefatsa hore a ts’epahetse a sebelisitsoe. Ho ile hoa hlaha sehlooho se le seng se bohareng: ‘Basali ba lumela hore ts’ebeliso ea litlama ke tloaelo eo basali ba baimana ba lokelang ho e latela ka lebaka la moetlo’. Litumelo le litloaelo tsa basali li ne li metse ka metso moetlong oa Basotho, o neng o tataisa ts’ebeliso ea meriana ea litlama. Leha ho le joalo, ba bang ba ne ba nka meriana ea litlama e le kotsi, hobane litekanyetso le litlhare tsa meriana ena li ea fapana. Ka hona baoki ke senotlolo sa ho fana ka thuto ea bophelo bo botle ba setso mabapi le ho sebelisa litlama nakong ea boimana. Mehopolo ea bohlokoa Meriana ea litlama, litumelo le litloaelo tsa moetlo, basali ba baimana, thuto ea bophelo bo botle / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)