No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A)--University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Early in 2003, African Muslims in Uitenhage’s township, Kwa-Nobuhle, learnt that Muslim women, led by Sheikh Nceba Salamntu, in South Africa’s Port Elizabeth New Brighton township, were allowed, contrary to previous practice, to follow a funeral procession right up to the graveyard. The resultant discomfort on the one hand, and excitement on the other caused by this event among Muslims in the township, forms the basis of this research. It gives focus to Muslim women, the ones most affected by their customary restriction from the gravesites. The researchi exposes the basis for women’s exclusion from funeral processions in the Muslim community. It was established that many of these Muslim women who challenged the practice were converts from Christianity to Islam. One of the bases for their action was that they were passive recipients of Islam. Furthermore, it was found that the exclusion of women from the funeral procession has no basis in Islamic writings.

Thesis (Ph.D. ( Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The Euro-American bereavement literature has greatly contributed towards the management of the bereaved over centuries by psychologists. However, much of the literature lacks inclusion of non-westerners‘ bereavement and grief experiences. In light of this historical weakness, the aim of the present study was to explore bereavement and mourning in the Northern Sotho community with a view to identifying and documenting the psychological themes embedded in this culturally constructed experience. A total of fourteen participants (male = 7; females = 7; aged between 35 and 85) were selected using the snowball sampling method. The data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Hycner‘s adapted phenomenological explicitation method was used to analyse the data. The four major themes that emerged during data-explicitation were; a). The influence of belief systems on the conception of death; b). The experience and expression of the pain of grief; c). Diverse bereavement rituals and cultural practices that are performed to heal the bereaved, and; d). Various mechanisms that are put in place to quarantine the bereaved from spreading death contaminations. The study findings suggest that the conceptualisation, experience, and expression of bereavement is profoundly influenced by an interplay of a plethora of factors that include people‘s varying worldviews, cultural practices, and now, the emerging new-global culture. Based on the findings of the study, a culturally informed bereavement conceptual model was developed. The model proposes that a clinician should be guided by four domains when providing grief counselling. The first domain involves the clinician looking into the client‘s belief system and how this influences the client‘s grieving process. The second domain entails analysis of the nature and circumstances surrounding death. In the third domain, the clinician will need to examine the influence of various psychological, physical and socioeconomic factors on the client‘s grief. And lastly, the clinician will need to determine the intensity and duration of the grief experience. It is envisaged that this model could help in the provision of person-centred grief counselling services within a multicultural context. The study further elaborates on the lessons the field of psychology could learn from the study findings. The findings are also discussed in the context of the emerging field of Africa psychology. / SAHUDA/NIHSS

Ihlambo is an African indigenous cleansing ceremony that has been used in an attempt to anchor the peace that has been initiated in some communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Indigenous ways of healing have become increasingly important for the indigenous people of Kwa-ZuluNatal after mass violations of human rights and the deaths of many individuals and families in the 1990s. This research was aimed at investigating survivors of violence‟s experiences of ihlambo. The purpose was to establish the process and therapeutic aspects of these ceremonies through interviewing community members from Mbumbulu and Richmond which are both located in Kwa-Zulu Natal and both have a history of mass violations of human rights, from the killings of innocent people to displacing most members of the community. This was due mainly to tribal and political wars. In the quest for forgiveness, peace and reconciliation, these communities have participated in mass ritual cleansing-ihlambo. The results of this research show that indicators of reconciliation and forgiveness for these communities are emotional wellbeing, mental healing, and the interconnection with ancestors. Other important themes were peace in the community, peace for those that died during the violence, and emotional/ mental healing.

MA (Xitsonga) / Senthara ya M.E.R. Mathivha ya Tindzimu ta Afrika, Vutshila ni Ndhvuko / The study examines the taboos of death and their significance in the context of Xitsonga culture in the Hlanganani Area of the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province of South Africa. The study deals with social taboos pertaining to death and how Vatsonga perceive their dead. The principal aim of the study is to highlight the significance of taboos pertaining to death, the burial and the post-burial rites/rituals amongst Vatsonga in the Hlanganani Area. The study guarantees the continuity and resilience of the post-burial rituals. Accordingly, the study shows that the taboos are largely reflected through language. The study will recommend that the taboos as the important components of Xitsonga culture must be incorporated in the South African education system. More importantly, the study shows that language and culture are interlinked and cannot be separated. The researcher will employ the Renaissance Theory. The Renaissance Theory argues that a number of indigenous cultural identities, values and norms which used to be functional for society in the past can still be used today if properly utilised because they are the building blocks of indigenous existentiality. It is an emerging postcolonial philosophy which envisions reclaiming the glories of the African past. It posits that to think of the African life is to think of the unity of the shared perennial communitarian values. Data will collected through interviews and focus groups.

This Social Constructionist study originated from the researcher’s exposure to a significant loss and her unanswered questions about other cultures’ experience of grief. Literature is scarce from a social constructionist framework that focuses on the cultural experiences on death and bereavement from a South African perspective. The researcher’s aim was to provide three culturally diverse South African women constructed as ‘bereaved’ the opportunity to tell their stories of the death of a loved one and their bereavement thereof. The three diverse cultures were Tswana, Islamic Muslim and Afrikaans. A qualitative research method was employed. Unstructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with each of the three participants and the method used to analyze the collected data was thematic content analysis. The study allowed rich and valuable information about death and bereavement from three culturally diverse women to emerge. The themes of ‘mourning procedures and practices’, ‘bereavement behaviour’ ‘socio-political context’ and ‘private and public display of grief’ were identified as valuable areas for clinical practice and future research. Lay people, schools and the work environment too, will gain a better understanding of cultural differences on death and bereavement. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / As 'n gemeenskap is Eersterust 'n skepping van apartheid. Voor die Groepsgebiedewet (1950) het alle rassegroepe in Pretoria vermeng gewoon. Dit sou lei tot ondertrouery en kultuurvermenging - iets wat die geloofsgemeenskap van Eersterust se begrafnisritueel weerspieel. Die begrafnisritueel het nie in Eersterust ontstaan nie, maar is daar uitgebou - soos die toevoeging van die troosmaal na die begrafnis. Wat by 'n afsterwe in Eersterust opval, is die geweldige kollektiewe gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid vanaf afsterwe tot met die troosmaal. Daarna kom dit abrup tot 'n einde. Die fokus van die studie is drieledig. Eerstens word gekyk na die ontstaan van die begrafnisritueel. Daarna kom twee vrae aan die orde: Wat is die betekenis van die begrafnisritueel vir die geloofsgemeenskap? Watter invloed het die ritueel op treurendes binne die geloofsgemeenskap wat doodsverlies moet verwerk? Die eerste vraag weerspieel 'n gemeenskap se trots op wat binne 'n gegewe historiese en sos10- politieke situasie vermag kan word. Binne hul verhaal van swaarkry le die spore van 'n alternatiewe gemeenskapsverhaal met 'n sterk eskatologiese duiding. Die tweede vraag wek ambivalente gevoelens. Sommige medenavorsers voel die hulp aan die treurendes is hopeloos te min. Ander getuig weer van bystand aan treurendes na 'n afsterwe. Oor een aspek is daar eenstemmigheid: Die geloofsgemeenskap sal maniere moet vind om die bestaande pastorale sorg aan die treurendes nog beter te doen. Die sleutelkonsepte van die studie - soos uiteengesit in hoofstuk 2 - val in drie dele uiteen. Daar is begrippe eie aan die gekose epistemologie; begrippe eie aan die navorsingsonderwerp; asook eiesoortige taal- en woordgebruik. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The research interest is the field of Christianity and culture with specific focus on the interface between the indigenous practice of ilobolo and the Christian faith in South Africa. Comparison and contrasts with other African peoples, especially in the subcontinent, is made. The research is located in Edendale, an urban township of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Common wisdom distinguishes between urban and rural Africans whereas under the veneer of urbanisation, the religio-cultural beliefs of Africans on ilobolo remain ingrained almost defying the influence of Westernisation. In the post-apartheid era, ilobolo has become a highly contested issue, strong arguments for and against its retention have been advanced. It is in the light of those complexities that the continued practice of ukulobola and the rituals associated with it are examined. The thesis is partly descriptive but mainly analytical. Consequently, a brief historical background and current practice of ilobolo in an urban setting is offered. The social and religious role played by ilobolo cattle, collectively known as amabheka, is analysed. The central thesis of this work is that ukulobola has continued to be practised among adherents of traditional religions and African Christians. To both it is regarded as a means of establishing and maintaining family ties and, among the former, it is also the accepted means of uniting the respective ancestors From the study it will be apparent that the misuse of ilobolo by those people who make impossible demands on the groom with the consequent commodification of women is due to the fact that such people have a jaundiced understanding of the original purpose and intent of the practice. The study consists of six chapters and a conclusion. Chapter one serves as an introduction to the study. It focuses on technical aspects such as the problem statement, motivation, hypotheses to be tested, theoretical tools used, methodology and a description of the primary site of the research. This leads to a historical chapter based on oral as well as written sources on the origins, purpose and changes that have happened in the practice of ukulobola among AmaZulu. The survey leads to a theological reflection on factors yielded by the historical survey of the evolution of ilobolo. A third chapter is a social and theological critique of the various positions advanced for its continuation or suggestions on why it should be abolished. Chapter four is an assessment of contemporary people's views on ilobolo. The fifth chapter demonstrates how anthropological and theological underpinnings of ilobolo, especially the pivotal role played by cattle, have sustained the practice from pre-colonial times to the present time. Chapter six is the major theological treatise of this study. It looks at issues that emerge when the gospel encounters culture, with ilobolo chosen as a case study. The concluding chapter makes recommendations and gives pointers to future research. I also suggest a liturgy for marriage taking into account ilobolo negotiations. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This Social Constructionist study originated from the researcher’s exposure to a significant loss and her unanswered questions about other cultures’ experience of grief. Literature is scarce from a social constructionist framework that focuses on the cultural experiences on death and bereavement from a South African perspective. The researcher’s aim was to provide three culturally diverse South African women constructed as ‘bereaved’ the opportunity to tell their stories of the death of a loved one and their bereavement thereof. The three diverse cultures were Tswana, Islamic Muslim and Afrikaans. A qualitative research method was employed. Unstructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with each of the three participants and the method used to analyze the collected data was thematic content analysis. The study allowed rich and valuable information about death and bereavement from three culturally diverse women to emerge. The themes of ‘mourning procedures and practices’, ‘bereavement behaviour’ ‘socio-political context’ and ‘private and public display of grief’ were identified as valuable areas for clinical practice and future research. Lay people, schools and the work environment too, will gain a better understanding of cultural differences on death and bereavement. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / As 'n gemeenskap is Eersterust 'n skepping van apartheid. Voor die Groepsgebiedewet (1950) het alle rassegroepe in Pretoria vermeng gewoon. Dit sou lei tot ondertrouery en kultuurvermenging - iets wat die geloofsgemeenskap van Eersterust se begrafnisritueel weerspieel. Die begrafnisritueel het nie in Eersterust ontstaan nie, maar is daar uitgebou - soos die toevoeging van die troosmaal na die begrafnis. Wat by 'n afsterwe in Eersterust opval, is die geweldige kollektiewe gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid vanaf afsterwe tot met die troosmaal. Daarna kom dit abrup tot 'n einde. Die fokus van die studie is drieledig. Eerstens word gekyk na die ontstaan van die begrafnisritueel. Daarna kom twee vrae aan die orde: Wat is die betekenis van die begrafnisritueel vir die geloofsgemeenskap? Watter invloed het die ritueel op treurendes binne die geloofsgemeenskap wat doodsverlies moet verwerk? Die eerste vraag weerspieel 'n gemeenskap se trots op wat binne 'n gegewe historiese en sos10- politieke situasie vermag kan word. Binne hul verhaal van swaarkry le die spore van 'n alternatiewe gemeenskapsverhaal met 'n sterk eskatologiese duiding. Die tweede vraag wek ambivalente gevoelens. Sommige medenavorsers voel die hulp aan die treurendes is hopeloos te min. Ander getuig weer van bystand aan treurendes na 'n afsterwe. Oor een aspek is daar eenstemmigheid: Die geloofsgemeenskap sal maniere moet vind om die bestaande pastorale sorg aan die treurendes nog beter te doen. Die sleutelkonsepte van die studie - soos uiteengesit in hoofstuk 2 - val in drie dele uiteen. Daar is begrippe eie aan die gekose epistemologie; begrippe eie aan die navorsingsonderwerp; asook eiesoortige taal- en woordgebruik. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)