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Polarities of difference : how Wapichannao negotiate identities within a creole stateHope, Stacy A. A. January 2011 (has links)
This thesis is an ethnographic account of how the Wapichannao, who are situated in the Rupununi of Guyana perceive themselves within the nation-state. This is also an account of how non-Amerindian Guyanese envisage Amerindians as ‘past' peoples. Hence, distinctions are made between Amerindian and non-Amerindian—us vs. them—where both identities become placed as opposite poles within a continuum. Emphasis is placed on the shifting relationships between these poles, but more specifically, the cultural paradigm through which these relationships are made possible. This paradigm, I suggest, may be understood in terms of polarities of difference, with regard to which Amerindians are constantly ambiguating/negotiating, disjoining, and resignifying notions of ‘who they are'. This thesis evidences this paradigm through an ethnography of some of those aspects of Wapichannao culture—village work, the shop, joking activity, culture shows—that are considered to be traditional on the one hand, and modern on the other. In doing so, an incongruous trend emerges, on which makes the classic imagery of Amerindian ontological homogeneity much more complex. Therefore, this thesis moves from the more traditional aspects of Wapichannao culture towards the nation-state, in order to take into account aspects of Amerindian experience absent from classic ethnographic accounts.
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The Malay community of Gauteng: syncretism, beliefs, customs and development15 January 2009 (has links)
M.A. / The dissertation focuses on a particular community, religiously defined, residing in a certain area. It characterizes their particular beliefs and customs, and portrays the history and development. For this purpose several sources have been consulted and no less than 37 people interviewed. The Malay community of Gauteng predominantly originated from the Cape and Port Elizabeth. Their ancestors were originally posted to South Africa from the Dutch settlements in the Malay Archipelago during the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and political exiles. Some of them, however, were people of high rank. The Malays settled in Johannesburg and Pretoria towards the end of the 19th century and in Nigel between 1976 and 1977. This area is presently known as Gauteng. The Malay community of Gauteng are all Muslims and predominantly followers of the Shafi‘î madhhab (Islamic School of Thought). They constitute a minority group both religiously and ethnically. The Malays of Gauteng furthermore consist of various ethnical groups who were classified as part of the Coloured population group under the Group Areas Act 41 of 1950. In Johannesburg and Nigel the Malays lived in Coloured residential areas but in Pretoria the Malays rather associated them with the Indian Muslims. In Pretoria the majority of the Malays therefore settled in the Indian residential area Laudium instead of the Coloured residential area Eersterust. The research highlights the prominent early ‘Ulamâ’ (Muslim religious scholars) in both the Cape and Gauteng as well as their contributions towards the preservation, growth and development of Islam in both areas. Unfortunately in the Gauteng province (formerly part of the old Transvaal province) the Malays were often denied their contributions and initiatives in the Islamic field by another Muslim ethnical group. Attention is paid to the Malay communities’ acceptance of various syncretistic elements and innovations in their daily Islamic belief systems and social and religious customs. These include certain practices during pregnancies, ‘aqîqah (birth ceremonies), grave worshipping, engagements, weddings, doopmaal (baptisms), religious celebrations and tamats (Muslim religious school graduations). The research shows how pure Islamic elements were diffused and transformed into a unique local version of Islam since their days of slavery. The said practices also reflect possible elements of Hinduism and local tribal customs in them. It is founded in the research that the Malay community practised syncretism in the spirit of pure Islam. Their syncretistic customs were never intended to show disrespect to Islam or to create a new brand of Islam. It was practiced by the majority of the Malay community rich and poor, educated and uneducated. The Malay community of Gauteng never realised nor were they aware that their various religious customs and cultures were actually syncretistic in nature and not part of pure Islam. It was only during the last fifteen years that they became aware of this fact. To many Malays what they were practising was part of Islam and as such will always be part of Islam and part of their heritage. Their practices, however, brings them into conflict with some of the Malay ‘Ulamâ’. The research also discusses the various dark superstitious beliefs of the Malays of Gauteng. These kinds of superstitious beliefs formed an integral part of the belief system of the Pagans prior to the advent of Islam. Unfortunately even today superstition still forms part of some Malays’ belief system which include elements such as visiting dukums (Malay spiritual doctors), fortune tellers; avoiding double weddings; superstitious beliefs pertaining to pregnant ladies, new born babies and the misperception that the month of Safar (2nd Islamic month) is filled with fear, ill fortune and bad luck. Some Malay ‘Ulamâ’ especially those who are alumni from the Dâr al-‘Ulûms tried and are still trying various methods to rid the general Malay community of Gauteng from their syncretistic practises and superstitious beliefs but unfortunately they are not very successful in it. Wherever and whenever these ‘Ulamâ’ officiate at Malay religious functions they would not participate nor allow or even encourage that any of the Malay syncretistic practices should be part of the proceedings. Since the Malays of Gauteng have moved to new mixed racial areas far from vibrant Malay communities the future of the Malay culture is however unpredictable. The research further focuses on the spiritual, educational and economical development of the Malays of Gauteng. Firstly it focuses on the fact that the Malays were forcibly removed from their homes in Johannesburg and Pretoria and compelled by the government to resettle in new Coloured residential areas. Here they were however afforded the opportunity to purchase their own residential properties and built their own businesses. (Formely the Malays were deprived by the authorities to rent businesses from government owned business enterprices). Secondly it focuses on the growth and development, deterioration and eventual resurgence of the Malay Hifz (memorization of the Qur’ân) tradition. A similar tendency is also reported with regard to the number of ‘Ulamâ’. Most students are nowadays trained locally at the Dâr al-‘Ulûms in South Africa. Formerly they were educated at institutions in India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Many Malay ‘Ulamâ’, past and present were known for their extensive academic qualifications. Thirdly the research focuses on the Malay ‘Ulamâ’s inability and unsuccessful attempts since 1923 to establish a recognized ‘Ulamâ’ body (theological council) in Gauteng. The research found that the Malay ‘Ulamâ’ had over the years resisted all attempts to unite on a common ground in Gauteng.
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'n Ondersoek na ontwikkelingsprosesse en -probleme by die Xolo van Suid-Natal22 October 2015 (has links)
D. Litt et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract
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The travelling museum of Barberton : making dialogue work in a rural community museum.Stone, Kristy 03 October 2013 (has links)
Cotemporary
museum
theory
calls
for
dialogue
as
a
means
of
making
museums
multi-‐
vocal
and
representative
of
larger
audiences.
Dialogue
is
seen
to
be
a
break
with
prior
modernist
practices
and
epistemology.
However,
in
most
cases
what
is
meant
by
dialogue
and
how
to
implement
it
is
not
made
clear.
I
proposed
using
the
Community
of
Enquiry
Approach
to
dialogue
in
the
development
of
the
Travelling
Museum.
The
Travelling
Museum
is
a
community
museum
based
at
‘The
Centre’
on
the
land
of
the
Swazi
chief
in
Emjindini.
I
was
concerned
that
labelling
the
community
and
associating
the
museum
with
the
chief
could
perpetuate
essentialised
ideas
of
what
it
meant
to
be
Swazi.
I
was
also
conscious
of
not
wanting
to
be
the
‘outsider
expert’
and
for
the
museum
to
be
developed
by
the
community
it
was
intended
for.
It
was
for
these
reasons
that
I
decided
to
employ
the
ideas
of
dialogue.
While
implementing
dialogue
through
the
Community
of
Enquiry,
I
started
to
question
whether
this
method
of
dialogue
could
become
normative,
and
whether
it
excluded
or
silenced
certain
members.
I
wanted
to
locate
this
approach
to
dialogue
on
a
larger
theoretical
base,
in
order
to
understand
how
dialogue
challenges
and
departs
from
modernism
and
moves
into
postmodernism.
In
order
to
do
this
in
the
Report
I
explore
postmodern
and
modern
theories
of
knowledge
and
difference.
My
research
method
is
to
use
critical
incidents.
These
are
moments
of
noticing
or
jarring
in
my
practice,
which
when
interpreted
allow
me
to
interrogate
theory
and
practice.
The
first
incident
questions
my
openness
to
the
other
where
I
raise
concerns
of
relativism.
The
second
and
third
incidents
address
issues
of
power
and
access
in
museums.
I
conclude
by
recommending
a
new
role
for
the
museum.
No
longer
in
a
role
of
cultural
authority,
museums
can
take
on
the
new
role
of
artist.
As
an
artist
the
museum
can
be
multi-‐partial
and
act
as
social
commentator,
provocateur
and
catalyst
for
change
(Gogan,
2005,
p.60
).
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The politics of headmanship in the Mokhokhong ValleyDevitt, Paul 08 December 2014 (has links)
Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Arts, 1969.
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Yantra: infrastructures of the sacred and profane in Varanasi, IndiaMaharaj, Vedhant January 2016 (has links)
Thesis (M.Arch (Professional)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2016. / India is currently undergoing a rapid transformation
economically, consciously and spatially.
A layout of national infrastructure is happening
at a pace which may be ungovernable,
in its current state and India’s historical and
natural landscapes are in jeopardy. One such
ecological resource is the Ganga (colonialised
as the Ganges), which through continued
pollution is reaching a point of irreversible
damage. There is, however, still hope.
Accordingly, this thesis moves from an
overview of India in the globalised world,
through a rephrasing of how “development”
is understood and manifests itself to the
suggestion of an overall plan to understand
and implement it in a way that is co-ordinated
in intention but regionally and contextually
responsive in application. Through Homi
Bhabha’s theoretical perspective of cultural
hybridisation the discourse of creating a new
infrastructural identity for India is introduced.
The current political focus on the Ganga, created
by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,
through a renewed and trending agenda for
cleaning the holy river, acts as a platform
to explore the possibilities of infrastructure
within this context
.
The Ganga River has been a religious symbol
for millennia and the life force to approximately
500 million people. Through continued
and increased pollution the quality of its
water now radically exceeds the minimum requirements
for safe drinking, bathing or even
agricultural use. The Ganga River symbolises
a cosmological relationship between people
and the ecological environment, which requires
that pollution be approached from a holistic
viewpoint responding to the weight of its cultural
value. This contextualized approach has
the potential to become a catalyst for new
innovative approaches to the integration of
infrastructure throughout the river network
.
By using the political momentum created in
the city, by the national project, this thesis
is realised through a multiplicity of conflicting
lenses inherent to Varanasi, one of
India’s holiest cities. The city itself is growing
economically but at the price of its prized
ancient heritage. It possesses a cosmological
value unparalleled by any other city in the
country thus making it an emotionally powerful
tool to mobilise a cleaning project for
the river. If infrastructure is not implemented
correctly the threat to the city’s unique
character becomes real. This challenge created
the Meta question for my research:
How do you implement infrastructure into
the sacred landscape?
Through various degrees of research, both
intuitive and informed, a system to clean water
is designed in a way that truly integrates
into a cultural landscape. The proposed design
establishes itself as the first intervention
in a national network for cleaning the River.
By taking into account the infrastructural,
ecological and sociological requirements of the
city and its daily life the water purification
sanctuary mediates the conflicting programmatic
requirements between spirituality and
science.
Through an understanding that purity of
water has a number of connotations within
the site context the building utilises various
treatment methods to reinforce the sanctity
ABSTRACT
of water through a hybrid mediation of heritage,
nature, science and infrastructures (both
vernacular and modern). This new typology
enables the interaction of people with water
cleaning infrastructure at a local scale and
offers a way forward in redefining a national
identity that is bound up in these currently conflicting imperatives.
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Only sound remainsUnknown Date (has links)
We each experience the world through the prism of our upbringing, our traditions
and the familiar sights and sounds embedded deep within our soul. Only Sound Remains
is an installation in which I explore and share those experiences through objects, sounds
and video. Ceramic vessels inspired by the traditions of my ancestors hide and shape
sounds that narrate simple and complex experiences, which are the stories of my life.
The sounds relate to the world that I came from and that still can be heard now. The
sounds are not clear until one gets close to the vessels and lifts the lid-- a bazaar, praying,
marching, an explosion, a woman telling a story, traditional Iranian music. The
installation is a metaphor for the way in which we experience the world. The vessels
represent a selection of personal and cultural experiences through sounds that may or
may not be fully understood. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014.. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
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The “closed world” of the exotic leelo singers: the representation and reception of the title character and other Seto women in the film TaarkaUnknown Date (has links)
This thesis utilizes a multi-perspectival cultural and media studies approach analyzing the production, filmic text, and reception of Taarka, the first film about Setos, that is advertised as a (docu)drama. However, the analysis shows that it can also be interpreted as an ethnographic film. It examines which intersecting identities related to Seto women are depicted in the film and whether audiences and critics recognize the power dynamics of these intersections. It also analyses how the Estonian cultural
economic environment, the filmic text, audience comments and critics reviews reinforce or challenge hegemonies connected with these intersections. Drawing on the principles of postcolonial feminism, intersectionality, and other critical theories, the thesis concludes that even though the filmic text challenges traditional gender roles, it still reinforces the Estonians’ one-sided portrayal of an exotic, commodified Seto ethnicity. Moreover, the cultural economic environment and reception of the film also bolster this view of Seto ethnicity. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
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The eye of the beholder: ladino and indigenous pageantry in neocolonial GuatemalaUnknown Date (has links)
In this thesis I utilize a feminist case study method to explore gender, race, authenticity, and nationalism in the context of globalization. Each year, Guatemala conducts two ethno-racially distinct pageants – one indigenous, the other ladina. The indigenous pageant prides itself on the authentic display of indigenous culture and physiognomies. On the contrary, during the westernized ladina pageant, contestants strive to adhere to western beauty ideals beauty and cultural norms engendered by discourses of whiteness. However, when the winner advances to the Miss World Pageant, they misappropriate elements of Mayan culture to express an authentic national identity in a way that is digestible to an international audience. In the study that follows, I examine the ways in which national and international pageants are reflective of their respective levels of social and political conflict and how they serve as mechanisms of manipulation by the elite at the national and global levels. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
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The Dinka of the Sudan : religion and social structureLienhardt, R. Godfrey January 1952 (has links)
No description available.
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