Henri-Alexandre Junod was a missionary and a prolific student and writer, whose interests also included the natural sciences and anthropology. In the last two decades he has increasingly come under the spotlight of scholarly studies as a worthy point of reference for his era and a significant individual. This study approaches Junod’s life and work from a biographical perspective, attempting to identify aspects of his work, in particular his fiction, that have not been studied and therefore to shed new light on him. This study begins by considering the nature of biography, its features and problems, and missionary biography in particular. It then examines the literature available on Junod in order to establish the prevailing view of him and his work. This historiographical overview of Junod is then weighed against the available sources on Junod in order to determine whether any areas of study have been overlooked. From the examination of the sources, Junod’s only novel, Zidji: étude de mœurs sud-africaines , is highlighted as one which has never been studied in the literature on Junod. In this novel Junod attempts to give a complete picture of South Africa at the beginning of the twentieth century by telling the story of a black convert’s experiences of tribal life, the mission station and white society. This study examines his use of fiction in presenting this picture and also considers whether this novel adds insight to the understanding of Junod himself, in light of what has already been written about him. Thus, this study aims at contributing to a more complete picture of Junod by unlocking his perspective as it is shown in his novel. / Dissertation (MA (History))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Historical and Heritage Studies / unrestricted

The thesis of this study is that indigenous Tsonga literature forms a valid and authoritative commentary on missionary Christianity. In this study, the value of literary works by selected Tsonga writers is explored in three basic directions: (a) as a commentary on missionary Christianity, (b) as a source of and challenge to missiology, and (c) as a source of a Black missiology of 1 i berat ion. The momentous intervention of Swiss missionaries amongst the Vatsonga, through the activities of the Swiss Mission in South Africa (SMSA) must be granted. Similarly, its abiding influence formerly in the Tsonga Presbyterian Church (TPC), now the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa (EPCSA), the Vatsonga in general and Tsonga literature in particular must be recognized. But our missiological task is to problematise and explore both missionary instrumentality and local responses variously and creatively. The first chapter introduces the thesis, central issues of historiography and ideology as well as an introductory history of the SMSA. In the second chapter, the commentary of Tsonga writers through the media of historical and biographical works on missionary Christianity is sketched. Selected Tsonga novels become the object of inquiry in the third chapter. The novels come very close to a direct evaluation of missionary Christianity. They contain commentary on a wide variety of issues in mission. The fourth chapter concentrates on two Tsonga plays and a number of Tsonga poems. In the one play, missionary Christianity is likened to garments that are too sho· ~' whilst in the other, missionary Christianity is contemptuously ignored and excluded - recognition granted only to the religion and gods of the Vatsonga. The fifth and final chapter contains the essential commentary of indigenous Tsonga literature on missionary Christianity as well as the implications for both global and local missiology. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The thesis of this study is that indigenous Tsonga literature forms a valid and authoritative commentary on missionary Christianity. In this study, the value of literary works by selected Tsonga writers is explored in three basic directions: (a) as a commentary on missionary Christianity, (b) as a source of and challenge to missiology, and (c) as a source of a Black missiology of 1 i berat ion. The momentous intervention of Swiss missionaries amongst the Vatsonga, through the activities of the Swiss Mission in South Africa (SMSA) must be granted. Similarly, its abiding influence formerly in the Tsonga Presbyterian Church (TPC), now the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa (EPCSA), the Vatsonga in general and Tsonga literature in particular must be recognized. But our missiological task is to problematise and explore both missionary instrumentality and local responses variously and creatively. The first chapter introduces the thesis, central issues of historiography and ideology as well as an introductory history of the SMSA. In the second chapter, the commentary of Tsonga writers through the media of historical and biographical works on missionary Christianity is sketched. Selected Tsonga novels become the object of inquiry in the third chapter. The novels come very close to a direct evaluation of missionary Christianity. They contain commentary on a wide variety of issues in mission. The fourth chapter concentrates on two Tsonga plays and a number of Tsonga poems. In the one play, missionary Christianity is likened to garments that are too sho· ~' whilst in the other, missionary Christianity is contemptuously ignored and excluded - recognition granted only to the religion and gods of the Vatsonga. The fifth and final chapter contains the essential commentary of indigenous Tsonga literature on missionary Christianity as well as the implications for both global and local missiology. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)