This thesis is an ethnography of Rastafari childhood in the former Cape Province, South Africa, through the eyes of both parents and children. If children are a ‘muted group’, then what are the identity formation implications for “double-muted” groups, the children of ethnic minorities whose voices are not heard? Rasta parents’ experience of the struggle, ie. the opposition to apartheid, has shaped the Rastafari chant of ‘equal rights’ and ‘justice’ into a distinctly South African form of protest and resistance. Their childhood experiences have resulted in a desire to provide a better life for their children, using Rastafari as a vehicle. This is expressed in a continuation of the struggle that was started during apartheid, in the Rasta ideology children grow up learning. The Rasta child has become a contested body in this struggle. The South African Government, through policy, has a mandate to protect the child, and legislature exists to do so in accordance with international law. However, as child-raising differs phenomenally from culture to culture, these goals on the part of the State start infringing upon the rights and freedoms of minorities to raise their children according to their own cultural goals. This study examines the tension between Rastafari and government with regards to child raising, specifically looking at the following main points of contestation: public health, public schools and policy/legislation; in order to examine how Rasta children negotiate their identity in the face of these conflicting messages and struggles. Their identity can be influenced by three main groups, the Rasta family they grow up in; school; and multi-media. What these children choose to accept or reject in their worldview is moderated by their own agency. This study shows that this tension results in a new generation of Rastafari children, who are strongly grounded in an identity as Rastafari and take pride in this identity. It also illustrates how Rastafari are impacting on and changing government policy through resistance. Their successes in challenging the state on the grounds of multiculturalism and religious freedom, has helped in the attainment of a sense of dignity.

Text in English Summary in English, Tshivenda and Setswana / Rastafari (this term is preferred to Rastafarianism) is known as a movement which originated in Jamaica and has since spread throughout the world. The movement has attracted much attention from the public and media worldwide because of reggae music. This study set out to investigate the lived experiences of Rastafari women of Tshwane. The purpose of the study was to describe their experiences regarding their roles, duties and responsibilities. It paid particular attention to the behavioural patterns of women within what is often regarded as a patriarchal order. The study was qualitative in nature and made use of various data gathering techniques such as life histories, focus groups, semi-structured and unstructured in-depth interviews, observations and field notes. My findings are, firstly, that Rastafari pays very scant attention to women. Secondly, in contemporary times some practices enforced by their holy books feel oppressive. Lastly, the lived experience reveal that Rastafari as a culture changes with time and women influence the movement. / Rasiṱafari tshi ḓivhea sa tshigwada tshine vhubvo hatsho ha vha ngei Jamaica zwino tsho phaḓalala na ḽifhasi ḽoṱhe. Tshigwada tsho kunga vhunzhi ha zwitshavha na nyanḓadzamafhungo ḽifhasini ḽoṱhe nga nṱhani ha muzika wa rigei. Ngudo iyi yo dzudzanyelwa u ṱoḓisisa nga ha vhutshilo ha tshigwada tsho tsikeledzwaho tsha vhafumakadzi vha Rasiṱafari vho no wanala Tshwane. Ndivho ya ngudo iyi ndi u ṱalusa tshenzhemo yavho zwi tshi ya kha mishumo na vhuḓifhinduleli havho. Yo sedzesa kha kutshilele kwa vhafumakadzi kha sisiṱeme ya matshilisano hune vhanna vha dzhiwa sa vhone vhalanguli. Ngudo yo lavhelesa nga maanḓa kha u ṱanḓavhudza vhuvha ha tshithu ho shumiswa thekhiniki dzo fhambanaho dza u kuvhanganya data u fana na ḓivhazwakale dza vhutshilo, zwigwada zwo sedzeswaho khazwo, na inthaviyu dzine mbudziso dza vha dzo thoma dza dzudzanywa na inthaviyu ine mbudziso dza vha dzi songo dzudzanywa, kuvhonele na mafhungo e a kuvhanganywa kha vhupo. Mawanwa anga ndi, zwa u thoma, Rasiṱafari i sedzesa zwiṱuku kha vhafumakadzi. Zwa vhuvhili, zwazwino maitele ane a tevhedzwa nga maṅwalo makhethwa a pfala a tshi tsikeledza. Zwa u fhedzisela, vhutshilo ha tshigwada tsho tsikeledzwaho vhu dzumbulula uri mvelele ya Rasiṱafari ine vhadzulapo vha Afrika vha shela mulenzhe khayo I khou shushedzwa nga mvelele ya mashango a vhukovhela, i ne ya kunga na u ṱanganedzwa nga vhafumakadzi. Zwenezwo, Rasiṱafari sa tshigwada tsha mvusuludzo a yo ngo ima fhethu huthihi fhedzi i khou shanduka na tshifhinga. / Rastafari e itsege jaaka mokgatlho o o tlholegileng kwa Jamaica, mme go tloga foo wa anamela mo lefatsheng lotlhe. Mokgatlho o o nnile le kgogedi e kgolo mo bathong le bobegakgang lefatshe ka bophara ka ntlha ya mmino wa reggae. Patlisiso eno e ikaeletse go sekaseka maitemogelo a a tshedilweng ke basadi ba kwa Tshwane ba Rastafari. Maikemisetso a patlisiso ke go tlhalosa maitemogelo a bona mabapi le seabe, ditiro le maikarabelo a bona. E etse tlhoko thata mekgwa ya maitsholo ya basadi mo go se gantsi se kaiwang e le thulaganyo e e bayang banna kwa godimo. Patlisiso e ne e le e e lebeletseng go tlhaloganya mabaka le megopolo (qualitative) mme e dirisitse mekgwa e e farologaneng ya go kokoanya tshedimosetso go tshwana le hisetori ya botshelo, ditlhopha tsa puisano (focus groups), dipotsolotso tse di rulaganeng fela di sa tsepama (semi-structured interviews) le dipotsolotso tse di sa rulaganang tse di tsenelelang ko botennye jwa kgang, go ela tlhoko mmogo le dintlha tse di kwadilweng mo tsamaong ya patlisiso. Diphitlhelelo tsa me ke gore, sa ntlha, Rastafari e tsaya basadi tsia go se kae fela. Sa bobedi, mo dinakong tsa ga jaana, ditiro dingwe tse di laelwang ke dibuka tsa bona tse di boitshepo di utlwala di gatelela. Sa bofelo, maitemogelo a senola gore setso sa Rastafari se mo go sona Bantsho ba nang le seabe, se tshosediwa ke setso sa bophirima se se nang le kgogedi, mme se amogelwa ke basadi. Ka jalo, Rastafari jaaka mokgatlho wa tsosoloso, ga e a tsepama, mme e fetoga le dinako. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Anthropology)