Inaug.-diss.--Kiel. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. [5]-7; "Zeitschriften": p. 8.

Inaug.-diss.--Kiel. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. [5]-7; "Zeitschriften": p. 8.

Student Number : 0009911A - PhD Thesis - School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies - Faculty of Humanities / The study of sacred leadership at Mapungubwe involves an analysis of how the emerging elite centralised rainmaking and other public rituals. These developments occurred in the Shashe-Limpopo basin between AD 1000 and AD 1300. Mapungubwe was the last in a sequence of capitals in the basin. The first was Schroda (AD 900-1000), followed by K2 (AD 1000- 1220) and then Mapungubwe (AD 1220-1300). This sequence corresponds to a series of cultural, socio-political and economic transformations that led to class distinction and sacred leadership, two distinctive features of the region’s early state system. The development of Mapungubwe was a local indigenous accomplishment that occurred in the prehistoric period but in the relatively recent past. This offers possibilities for using current indigenous knowledge to develop relevant ethnographic models. Over a period of four years, I explored Venda, Sotho-Tswana and Shona traditional agriculture strategies and belief systems through their oral histories, cosmologies and practices. I identified three systems of rainmaking practices. Practice A is associated with kin-based chiefdoms. Practise B exists among class-based polities with sacred leadership. Practice C represents the devolution of complexity after the disintegration of the Zimbabwe culture. These data provide models to clarify the roles of rainmaking and agriculture in the evolution of Mapungubwe.

No description available.

No description available.

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Currently, there is limited understanding, appreciation and dissemination of indigenous raining making practices. Yet indigenous rain making is part of the rich African heritage. The current study was premised on the view that indigenous rain making practices can help combat the negative effects of climate change if properly integrated with western science. A mixture of exploratory and survey designs was adopted in this study, which sought to examine the common indigenous rainmaking practices in Chimanimani District of Zimbabwe prior to developing strategies for reducing the negative impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of rural households. Various studies with the following specific objectives were carried out: to analyze the general community perceptions on the potential of indigenous rain making practices in combating the negative effects of climate change; to examine the components of indigenous rainmaking practices; analyse the means of disseminating knowledge on indigenous rainmaking; to identify the negative effects of climate change on the livelihoods of rural households; to assess the effectiveness of existing strategies used by households to cope with the negative effects of climate change; and to propose strategies for utilizing indigenous rainmaking practices to counter the negative effects of climate change on the livelihoods of rural households. Semi-structured interview guides and a questionnaire requiring responses on a Likert-type scale were used to collect data. Key informants and ordinary community members were selected using judgmental, convenient and snowballing sampling techniques. The Thematic Content Analysis technique was used to draw meaning out of the qualitative data. Chi-Square tests for Goodness of Fit were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to establish if there were significant relationships among perceptions. It was indicated that the shift in seasons as exemplified by the Nyamavhuvhu wind which now swept Chimanimani in September or October instead of end of July to August was evidence of climate change. Responses with respect to the negative effects of climate change included food insecurity, and drying up of streams and rivers. Availability of water for domestic, agricultural and animal use was becoming increasingly unreliable. The respondents argued that they believed in the effectiveness of indigenous rain making if it is conducted following local customs and traditions. Significant differences in the following perceptions were observed for “Besides makoto and Christian prayers there are other common rainmaking practices practiced in Chimanimani District” (p < 0.05). Similar results were observed with regard to “I believe indigenous and western knowledge of rainmaking can complement each other” (P < 0.001), and “There is increase in pests and plant diseases than before” (P < 0.01). Components of indigenous rain making v identified in the current study included rain making ceremonies (makoto), which entailed use of beer, sacrificial bird (normally a cock) and natural resources conservation such as keeping places for local rain making rituals sacred (zvitenguro), not destroying very big trees for example fig tree (muonde: Ficus capensis), mukute (Syzygium cordatum) and others, and treating forests as sacred. With respect to the negative effects of climate change, a highly significant difference was observed for duration of stay in relation to, “There is now a high risk in planting winter wheat due to changes in climate” (P < 0.01); “Wetlands are disappearing in our area” (P < 0.01); “There is general reduction in yields due to climate change” (P < 0.001) and “We are experiencing scarcity of water for domestic animals and for household use” (P < 0.05). Lastly, highly significant relationships between “Rivers are drying up in our area” and education (P < 0.01) and duration of stay (P < 0.001). Methods used to disseminate indigenous knowledge of rain making were said to be ineffective. Information was being passed on through oral means. It was indicated that better use of modern technology and social media, in particular radio, television, Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook might enhance people’s knowledge on indigenous rain making. By so doing, the perception that indigenous rain making was merely history and not knowledge that can be used in people’s daily lives would be eliminated. Furthermore, current strategies utilized to combat the negative effects of climate change were reported to be unsustainable. Among these were reliance on harvesting wild fruits for sale and hunting. Human activities such as veld fires, deforestation and over harvesting of wildlife were viewed in negative light with respect to combating negative effects of climate change. It was proposed that communities should revert to respecting traditional beliefs of conserving forests. This said to be key in normalizing climate, attracting back the birds and animals that used to be key in weather forecasting. Replanting and indiscriminate cutting of trees along rivers as effective prevention of stream bank cultivation were proposed. Re-introduction of heavy fines by traditional leadership was suggested as a tried and tested strategy that was no longer being applied when implementing conservation initiatives. The observation made in this study that western science and indigenous rain making practices were similar in many respects, suggested that these were opportunities that could be used to anchor strategies for integrating them. In addition to this, the need for establishing collective deliberation or interface platforms coupled with continuous communication and careful management of intellectual property was obvious.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Earth and Space Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-196). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNR11647

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 H38 / Master of Science

Mémoire (M.Eng.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2001. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU