This study concerns itself with indigenous knowledge systems related to religion and healing as encapsulated in Nxumalo and Buthelezi's poetry. Most of the poems referenced in this study are laced with religion and healing, with the aspects of healing being related to religion and success? In short, the healer has to be upright as far as religion is concerned. Any deviation from religious norms and values tarnishes and nullifies the healer's expertise and their ability to heal. In short the ancestral spirits dislikes deviant behaviours such as witchcraft, when the healer lives in two worlds, that of healing and that of bewitching others. The ancestors strip the healer of the healing powers, as a punishment. To gain their expertise, the practitioners of religion and healing undergo training in the art of detecting illness and witchcraft using bones and other devices, and this training, to a greater extent, must come with the approval of ancestors. It is also upon the diviners and traditional healers to perform rituals when death has struck, by preparing rituals that should enable the living dead to meet their ancestors spotless. Since, the indigenous people believes in the life-hereafter, it is believed that a person pursues with living, similarly to an earthly one even in death. It is believed that failing to perform these rituals, invites death to encroach and repeatedly strike the community or family. Witchcraft is deplored in indigenous religions and communities often gather together with healers to fight against witches. In indigenous religions untimely death is believed to be the work of the witch. All in all indigenous religion and healing complement each other in the worship of the Supreme-Being through deities. In short, Chapter One concerns itself with a general introduction for the entire study. Some key concepts such as: indigenous knowledge systems; deconstruction; inter-textuality; new-historicism; influence and so on, will be discussed in this said chapter. Whereas Chapter Two discusses how theories like deconstruction, inter-textuality and new-historicism will be utilised in the study. Take for instance deconstruction is to be utilised since it deals with multiplicity of meaning in interpretation of poetry. Chapter Three deals with the link between Nxumalo and Buthelezi's poetry as they relate to indigenous religion and healing and the relevance of these two concepts. Chosen poems by Nxumalo and Buthelezi will be analysed in this regard. Chapter Four touches on instances of the indigenous knowledge system and how it is constructed within the poetry of Nxumalo and Buthelezi. Specifically, the position of the Supreme-Being and that of the deities will receive attention here. In Chapters Five, discussions of the instances of indigenous rituals within the selected poetry and the training of prospective traditional healers will be analysed. Finally, Chapter Six presents the conclusion, findings, recommendations and possible future directions for research in this field. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study has been an attempt to clarify a number of basic problems regarding the phenomena of Language Variation and their implications for linguistic usage. The data were collected in the GDA. Very little has been done on Language Variation in Zulu owing to lack of interest in Sociolinguistics in the middle of this century. A study of this nature is imperative because language planners have to design policies for the Government of National Unity in South Africa.There are two very important aspects to National Language Policies. These comprise the ideological aspect, which is concerned with mobilising the nation's sentiments and attitudes towards the acceptance and use of selected speech forms. The second aspect involves the technical side, which looks at the practical elements which are concerned with the problems of implementing the ideology (Whiteley 1963: 150). In order to fulfill the foregoing ideals, we had to look for applicable aims and objectives of Language Variation. The main objectives were: (a) to identify at least seven domains where different language varieties were employed in the Black Durban speech community; (b) to investigate the social attitude of the Black Durban speech community towards CCR's; (c) to trace the origin of and development of the non-standard varieties which are employed by the Black Durban speech community; (d) To investigate the impact of CCR's on the economy, and social conditions prevailing in the GDA. In order to achieve the foregoing objectives, the term 'Language Variation' and its dynamics had to be clarified. Empirical studies on research methodologies had to be resorted to in order to give a sound base to the theoretical framework. A number of theories were explored and they were found to be applicable to Contemporary Codes and Registers employed by the Black Durban speech community. These comprised speech accommodation, cognitive uncertainty, affective reinforcement, gain-loss, social identity, functionalist and interactionist theories. In order to test these theories, I resorted to ethnomethodological and ethnographic approaches to empirical research. The choice of these approaches was to capture data on CCR's in the most objective and valid manner. The next step was to take a deep plunge into field work. I became a participant observer in a number of domains around the Durban Metropolitan area. Interviews with prominent Zulu speakers were also conducted in order to obtain their input towards CCR's. The research was conducted in seven Black townships, situated in the GDA. In addition to this, research was conducted in Westville prison, transportation modes, hospitals, streets, taverns, educational units, and in soccer clubs. I entered the aforementioned domains as a 'friend of a friend' a lecturer, or an ex-class teacher in order to become a participant observer in various activities of the Black Durban speech communities. In addition to this, written questionnaires were administered and answered by respondents. The aim of the questionnaire survey was to measure the magnitude of linguistic transformations in the GDA. Another aim was to capture the attitude of the Black Durban speech community towards non-standard varieties of Zulu. Interviews were also conducted for the same purpose. Checklists were also resorted to in order to secure valid and objective information. The collection and analysis of data alone was not adequate in accounting for Language Variation. Bokamba, (1988:21) mentions that we need data on the communicative behaviour of speakers - the whys and how's of ..... [Language Valiation]. A description of the social context of CCR's as observed in the Black speech community of the GDA was exposed. This involved a presentation of the origins and development of linguistic CR's used in the GDA. CR's included slang, Tsotsitaal/isiLovasi, jargon, borrowing, interlarding, neologisms, which were covered under the term CCR's. The linguistic make up, characteristics and classification of CCR's were also carried out. I had to identify the speakers of CCR's in the various targeted domains, where they are employed, as well as the topics which are normally discussed by the interlocutors. Socio-psychological functions of CCR's as spoken in the targeted areas were uncovered. It was revealed that CCR's entail elaborate and rich linguistic forms. They incorporate everyday situations thus recording the activities of people at a particular era in the history of mankind. At least 75% of the 800 collected lexical items which were regarded as non-standard and filtered talk were found to be known and used by most Black Durban speakers. School children were found to have carried these CCR's to the classroom situation where they were penalised for employing them. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1995.

Homestead naming has been a Zulu practice since the days of King Shaka. Although this practice has been abandoned by some of the Zulus especially those living in urban areas, it still exists in some rural areas e.g. Mabengela. This study on ''Homestead names as a reflection of social dynamics in Mabengela, Nkandla" , is divided into five chapters. The first chapter 'Introduction' looks at both the introduction to the thesis and also the introduction to the research area. It looks at the methodology used in this study and also gives a brief background of the life people in Mabengela live. The second chapter 'The Zulu homestead and its social organisation' pays particular attention to the Zulu homestead. It looks at the construction of a Zulu hut, the arrangement of huts in the homestead, the importance of the cattle kraal, etc. It also looks at the division of labour within the Zulu homestead and the importance of each member of the family in making things run smoothly in the homestead. Chapter three 'Morphological analysis of homestead names' looks at the linguistic features of homestead names. It looks at the difference between nouns and names, the locative prefixes and suffixes used in homestead names and also looks different stems that homestead names have. This chapter also focuses on homestead names as a morphological exception. The last but one chapter 'The aetiology of homestead names' looks at homestead names as a reflection of social dynamics in the community of Mabengela. It pays particular attention to the reasons for name-giving, time for naming the homestead, etc. It also looks at the different categories in which homestead names in Mabengela have been categorised and what these names reflect about the community of Mabengela. The last chapter is the conclusion of the dissertation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

The thesis underpinning this dissertation was that, as in previous times of major social and historical change, naming practices amongst the Zulu have undergone significant changes since the advent in 1994 of a democratic govemment in South Africa. Since the democratisation process entails freedom for all, it was suspected that a differentiation process was developing within the Zulu group itself and that there were at least three broad economic groups: rural, 'rich-urban', and 'poor urban'. Fieldwork was undertaken in terms of these groups and the data obtained, analysed, and then compared and contrasted in order to identify differences and similarities and to measure shift away from traditional practices. What is apparent from the research is that while there is clear evidence of shift, the shifts that do exist, differ from group to group. The group which shows the least change is the rural, as was expected. The urban groups are fragmented into several sub-groups, most of whom differ from one another in their motivations for the changes they are making, although these seldom appear to have been made consciously. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1956.

Lolu cwaningo, "Ukuzibophezela ekuqhakambiseni usikompilo encwadini Insumansumane ebhalwe ngu-Elliot Zondi", luhlose ukuveza ukubaluleka kwezingxenye zosikompilo lukaZulu ezitholakala encwadini ebhalwe ngu-Elliot Zondi ethi iNsumansumane. Lolu cwaningo lugqugquzelwe ngukuthi imibhalo eminingi yesiZulu ayibukeki ikhuthaza okungamasiko namagugu esizwe sikaZulu kanti Insumansumane ibukeka izibophezele empilweni yesizwe sikaPhunga noMageba. Lokhu kuvela ezingxenyeni ezithile lapho uZondi ekhuthaza futhi eqhakambisa okungamagugu esizwe sikaZulu, ethi kufanele kugcinwe, kuhlonishwe ngoba kungumgogodla wesizwe. Ukubukezwa kwemibhalo esondelene nalolu cwaningo kuveze ukuthi abahlaziyi abathile banemibono eyahlukene ngomyalezo oqukethwe yiNsumansumane. Lolu cwaningo lubheke yonke lemibono lwase luqhamuka nombono owahlukile. UZondi kwiNsumansumane ulwa nemithetho yamaNgisi elumisa okwembabazane nephambene nenqubo yesizwe samaZulu. Imibhalo efana neNsumansumane iphonsa inselelo kwabanye ababhali besiZulu ukuba babhale bakhuthaze ukugcinwa kwamasiko esizwe sikaZulu. Insumansumane ikhombisa ukuthi ayisiwona nje umbhalo wokuba ufundwe ezikoleni kuphela, kepha nomphakathi kaZulu wonkana ungazuza okuningi okuyisisekelo sobuzwe bukaZulu. UZondi akagcini nje ngokuba aveze izinkinga ezikhungethe isizwe, kepha uveza nekhambi lokuxazulula lezi zinkinga. Insumansumane ingumbhalo ofundisayo nokhuthaza ukwazana nokubekezelelana kwezinhlanga ezakhele leli zwe, ezahlukene ngokwamasiko. Ngaphandle kokuthi Insumansumane iyakhuthaza, iyisibuko sikaZulu lapho izizukulwane ziyokwazi ukuzibuka khona, ziziqhenye ngobuzwe bazo, iphonsa inselelo kwabanye ababhali besiZulu ukuba babhale ngokungananazi bakhuthaze ukugcinwa kwamasiko esizwe sikaZulu. Ngenxa yemigomo yobufishane balolu cwanmgo, yokubheka kuphela ukuzibophezela kweNsumansumane kusikompilo lwezenhlalakahle yesizwe samaZulu, angikwazanga ukubheka eminye imikhakha kulo mdlalo nakweminye imibhalo ezibophezele kusikompilo lukaZulu. Ukwenza isibonelo nje, umbhalo kaMsimang (1975) othi Izulu eladuma eSandlwana, ubukeka ungomunye wemibhalo ezibophezele kusikompilo lwezenhlalakahle kaZulu. Kungaba ukubamba iqhaza elibalulekile ukuba kekucwaningwe kubhekwe ukuthi yiziphi izingxenye zosikompilo lwezenhlalakahle uMsimang aziqhakambisile nokuthi zibaluleke kangakanani esizweni. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1979.

The present research examines the linguistic situation in the Lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal where isiZulu is used as the means of instruction and of administration, but IsiCele is used as home language by the Cele clan. The research was carried out in the areas of Ezingolweni, Emawuleni, Emfakuceba and KwaShonkweni, all being the Cele clans. Places known for use of Tekela and Lala dialects (Nhlangwini, Bhaca, IsiZansi, etc) have been investigated by other researchers. The research data was collected by asking questions to school leaving learners. The researcher also contacted educators, community leaders to examine the phenomenon such as language contact, language variations and language usage in the situation under investigation. He was also able to compile a sizeable list of lexical and further identified phonological and morphological variation from the standard language. The picture that emerges from the research is that the people under investigation (amaCele) speak a language with clear connection with their original language, which is isiThonga. The lexicon utilized for the expression of the material culture is however influenced by neighboring Xhosa an element that can be explained by the fact that for several decades the educators for the areas were drawn from the Cape. The material was then tested in taped conversations with elderly oral persons in rural areas. In the multicultural and the multilingual situation in South Africa, each wide spread cultural manifestation has a role to play and must be preserved as a treasure. The researcher suggests that ways should be found to encourage speakers of IsiCele to use with pride their language as an important tile in the cultural mosaic that is South Africa. It would be unwise and short-sighted to pursue a policy of blindly imposing Standard Zulu to obliterate the cultural heritage contained and manifested in IsiCele. / Thesis (Ph.D) - University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, 2006.

This dissertation explores the subject of gender inequalities as reflected in Zulu proverbs. The most notable examples are those proverbs that comment on the role and position of Zulu men in society, on women's behaviour, on marriage and on the morality of the Zulu society. The dissertation explores how language is used in the proverbs to help shape the behaviour of women, from childhood up till the time they assume the responsibilities belonging to omakoti (brides). This study was undertaken in order to gain greater insight and understanding into why Zulu women are expected to play a submissive role in their society, unlike their dominant male partners. The study provides a case study of Zulu proverbs so as to gain an in-depth understanding of how patriarchy is reflected through language, and how proverbs help to construct the woman's identity in Zulu society. Through the use of research participants, the dissertation concludes that Zulu proverbs about women are associated with ukuhlonipha, a custom where omakoti, once married, adopt new names for items they use on daily basis because they reflect the names or syllables of in-laws. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology. Primary data was collected through interviews and several books on proverbs, whilst secondary data was collected from a wide selection of books, theses, dissertations and journal articles. Interviews which were carefully conducted with nineteen females (thirteen females between the ages of 16 and 35, and six females over the age of 35) and fourteen males (eight males between the ages of 16 and 35, and six males over the age of 35), all who are from KwaZulu-Natal. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This study examines the similarities and differences between the historical background and the current performance of Tamil and traditional Zulu marriages. After presenting an account of the historical development of Tamil and Zulu marriage ceremonies, a chronological account of the performance of each of these marriage ceremonies is presented. This account includes a detailed description of the rituals performed during the pre-marriage ceremonies, the actual marriage ceremonies and the post-marriage ceremonies. The incidence and significance of The Anthropology of Geste and Rhythm in each of these ceremonies are demonstrated. Selected Tamil and Zulu Marriage songs are then analysed and interpreted rhythmo-stylistically to demonstrate the incidence of the mnemonic laws of Bilateralism, Rhythmism and Formulism, which account for the transmission of traditions over generations, and which demonstrate the anthropological and psycho-biological nature of memory, understanding and expression as evident in the performance of Tamil and Zulu marriages in KwaZulu-Natal. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.