M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This thesis investigates the role of Venda culture in nature conservation and natural resource management. The project is based on the premise that the survival of human beings is entirely dependent on the extent to which different cultures conserve the natural environment. The researcher assumes that the scientific approach is not the only one that is capable of addressing environmental issues but that indigenous technology has a positive role to play. The study specifically looks at the relationship between the Venda culture and conservation of land, water, plants and animals. In order to achieve this goal, the study was divided into five chapters. The introductory chapter includes the statement of problem, delimitations of the study, the definitions of concepts, the assumptions, and the significance of the study. The literature review provides an overview of the indigenous strategies of nature conservation and natural resource management from a broader international approach to a specifically Venda approach. The researcher looked at the cultural perspective of the four areas under investigation. This chapter is followed by themethodological justification that discusses the social survey as a researchmethod for carrying out this study. The results presented in the fourth chapter comprise raw data from the three sectors of respondents, namely traditional leaders, traditional healers and villagers. Under each item, common responses have been grouped together for presentation and specific responses for the three sectors were presented independently from one another. This has provided the researcher with the opportunity to identify areas of similarities and differences among the three sectors. Both complementary and conflicting ideas are summarised and used as a basis for analysis. The results reflect a high degree of agreement among respondents. The discussion in chapter five was based on the results and relevant literature. The researcher’s approach was to depict the most common views among the three sectors and their conservation implications. In the discussion, the strengths and weaknesses of the Venda cultural approach were exposed in relation to the five sub-problems under investigation. The recognition of the Venda indigenous technology of natural resource management has been proposed because of its importance in nature conservation. In the recommendations the formulation of policy that overlooks local values was criticised. The use of the Venda approach as a basis for the development of conservation projects was strongly recommended. Lastly, itwas proposed that further investigations of specific aspects of the Venda cultural be considered for possible incorporation in future management of the natural environment.

From the available sources, it is now evident that by the end of the thirteenth century, the Vhavenda has already established themselves in Venda and that the Vhasenzi and Vhalemba subjugated them towards the turn of the seventeenth century and that after the disappearance of Thohoyandou, they spread throughout the country. The arrival of the Voortrekkers under Louis Tregardt coincided with civil strife following the death of a chief. The Boers were cordially received but after ramabulana's death, Makhado who had been assisted by them to gain control of the nation, turned against them and compelled them to evacuate Schoemansdal in 1867. The involvement of the Boers in matters of succession became habitual. The weaker aspirants as a rule fled to the Boers for military assistance, and ultimately they found themselves confronted by the legitimate heir, Mphephu. Mphephu's stubborn resistance and refusal to pay taxation was viewed as calculated defiance of the authority of the Republic. The protection offered to Maemu and Sinthumule created the impression that the Boers were furthering their cause. This period of history which led to minunderstanding and friction between the opposing parties has, in my opinion not been adequately handled by earlier writers who maintained that refusal to pay taxation, to allow a census to be taken and to receive the Local Commision, were the major causes of conflict. I have tried to show that these secondary factors brought to light by earlier writers were only contributory to the main cause - the problem of succession which in itself created an atmosphere of discontent which ultimately led to hostilities. The Boer expedition of 1898 appeared to Vhavenda to be an escalation of the civil war for supremacy between Mphephu and Sinthumule. Against this background, they felt compelled to defy General P.J. Joubert and to take up arms against him. The Boer forces, with their military skill and their Black allies, drove Mphephu from Luatame with little resistance. His fligh to Mirondoni where he hoped to be assisted by the gods and the expected arrival of the British South African Police led to further loss of life. Had he crossed the Vhembe immediately after the burning of Luatame on 16 November 1898, many people would have survived and few would have been taken prisoner. The failure of the British South African Police to arrive compelled Mphephu to cross into Rhodesia on 21 December 1898, where he was given a location at Vhuxwa and he stayed there until the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1902. The attempts by the Boers to have Sinthumule proclaimed as Chief in the place of Mphephu, failed to materialize, as the people would not acknowledge him. After the war the town of Louis Trichard was established and Venda was opened to White settlement. Mphephu returned and he as well as Kutama and Sinthumule were given locations. Thus, this study deals with he origin, the course and results of the Mphephu War. / History / M.A. (History)

From the available sources, it is now evident that by the end of the thirteenth century, the Vhavenda has already established themselves in Venda and that the Vhasenzi and Vhalemba subjugated them towards the turn of the seventeenth century and that after the disappearance of Thohoyandou, they spread throughout the country. The arrival of the Voortrekkers under Louis Tregardt coincided with civil strife following the death of a chief. The Boers were cordially received but after ramabulana's death, Makhado who had been assisted by them to gain control of the nation, turned against them and compelled them to evacuate Schoemansdal in 1867. The involvement of the Boers in matters of succession became habitual. The weaker aspirants as a rule fled to the Boers for military assistance, and ultimately they found themselves confronted by the legitimate heir, Mphephu. Mphephu's stubborn resistance and refusal to pay taxation was viewed as calculated defiance of the authority of the Republic. The protection offered to Maemu and Sinthumule created the impression that the Boers were furthering their cause. This period of history which led to minunderstanding and friction between the opposing parties has, in my opinion not been adequately handled by earlier writers who maintained that refusal to pay taxation, to allow a census to be taken and to receive the Local Commision, were the major causes of conflict. I have tried to show that these secondary factors brought to light by earlier writers were only contributory to the main cause - the problem of succession which in itself created an atmosphere of discontent which ultimately led to hostilities. The Boer expedition of 1898 appeared to Vhavenda to be an escalation of the civil war for supremacy between Mphephu and Sinthumule. Against this background, they felt compelled to defy General P.J. Joubert and to take up arms against him. The Boer forces, with their military skill and their Black allies, drove Mphephu from Luatame with little resistance. His fligh to Mirondoni where he hoped to be assisted by the gods and the expected arrival of the British South African Police led to further loss of life. Had he crossed the Vhembe immediately after the burning of Luatame on 16 November 1898, many people would have survived and few would have been taken prisoner. The failure of the British South African Police to arrive compelled Mphephu to cross into Rhodesia on 21 December 1898, where he was given a location at Vhuxwa and he stayed there until the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1902. The attempts by the Boers to have Sinthumule proclaimed as Chief in the place of Mphephu, failed to materialize, as the people would not acknowledge him. After the war the town of Louis Trichard was established and Venda was opened to White settlement. Mphephu returned and he as well as Kutama and Sinthumule were given locations. Thus, this study deals with he origin, the course and results of the Mphephu War. / History / M.A. (History)

Black choral music composers in South Africa, inspired by the few opportunities available to them until recent times, have nonetheless attempted to establish, perhaps subconsciously, some choral tradition and, in doing so, incorporate African musical elements in their works. My research traces the foundations and historical development of choral music as an art amongst Vhavenda, and the contributions made thereto by a number of past and present Venda composers that this researcher could manage to identify and trace, to the music of the people. The selected composers are Stephen Maimela Dzivhani, Matthew Ramboho Nemakhavhani, Derrick Victor Nephawe, Joseph Khorommbi Nonge, Israel Thinawanga Ramabannda and Fhatuwani Hamilton Sumbana. Through the application of multiple methodological lenses, the study sets out to analyse, describe, and interpret Venda choral music. Of particular interest is the exploration of the extent to which the ”formal” education that was brought by the Berlin Missionaries influenced Venda choral musicians, particularly the selected Venda choral music composers. Also crucial to this research is the exploration and identification of elements peculiar to indigenous Venda traditional music in the works of these composers. The question is whether it was possible for these composers to realize and utilize their potentials fully in their attempt to evoke traditional Venda music with their works, given the very limiting Western tonic sol-fa notational system they were solely working with. The project also briefly traces the place of Venda choral music within the South African music context and its role within the search for cultural identity. The research has found that the majority of Venda choral music written so far has generally not been capable of evoking indigenous Venda traditional music. Whilst these composers choose themes that are akin to their culture, social settings, legend and general communal life, the majority of the music they set to these themes does not sound African (Venda in particular) in terms of the rhythms and melodies. The majority of the compositions under scrutiny have inappropriate settings of Venda words into the melodies employed. This can be attributed to the limitations imposed by the tonic sol-fa notational system, which was the only system they were taught in the missionary schools established around Venda and which, itself, was flawed as well as the general lack of adequate music education on the part of the composers themselves. Despite these limitations and the very few opportunities available to them, Venda choral music composers nonetheless managed to lay a foundation for choral music as an art amongst their people (Vhavenda). / Art history, Visual Ars and Musicology / D. Mus

Black choral music composers in South Africa, inspired by the few opportunities available to them until recent times, have nonetheless attempted to establish, perhaps subconsciously, some choral tradition and, in doing so, incorporate African musical elements in their works. My research traces the foundations and historical development of choral music as an art amongst Vhavenda, and the contributions made thereto by a number of past and present Venda composers that this researcher could manage to identify and trace, to the music of the people. The selected composers are Stephen Maimela Dzivhani, Matthew Ramboho Nemakhavhani, Derrick Victor Nephawe, Joseph Khorommbi Nonge, Israel Thinawanga Ramabannda and Fhatuwani Hamilton Sumbana. Through the application of multiple methodological lenses, the study sets out to analyse, describe, and interpret Venda choral music. Of particular interest is the exploration of the extent to which the ”formal” education that was brought by the Berlin Missionaries influenced Venda choral musicians, particularly the selected Venda choral music composers. Also crucial to this research is the exploration and identification of elements peculiar to indigenous Venda traditional music in the works of these composers. The question is whether it was possible for these composers to realize and utilize their potentials fully in their attempt to evoke traditional Venda music with their works, given the very limiting Western tonic sol-fa notational system they were solely working with. The project also briefly traces the place of Venda choral music within the South African music context and its role within the search for cultural identity. The research has found that the majority of Venda choral music written so far has generally not been capable of evoking indigenous Venda traditional music. Whilst these composers choose themes that are akin to their culture, social settings, legend and general communal life, the majority of the music they set to these themes does not sound African (Venda in particular) in terms of the rhythms and melodies. The majority of the compositions under scrutiny have inappropriate settings of Venda words into the melodies employed. This can be attributed to the limitations imposed by the tonic sol-fa notational system, which was the only system they were taught in the missionary schools established around Venda and which, itself, was flawed as well as the general lack of adequate music education on the part of the composers themselves. Despite these limitations and the very few opportunities available to them, Venda choral music composers nonetheless managed to lay a foundation for choral music as an art amongst their people (Vhavenda). / Art history, Visual Ars and Musicology / D. Mus

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Institutions of higher learning have always had relationships with their surrounding communities. The current study focuses on the research relationship that the University of Venda has with its surrounding community. The literature shows that although the nature of the relationship takes different forms, each university has a certain kind of a relationship with the surrounding community. In this study, I used the qualitative approach and I conducted one focus group and four individual interviews. I explored the research needs of the communities surrounding the University of Venda and the ways in which they think the university could address those needs. The findings of this study revealed that the communities are not at all happy with the services that are rendered by the university. They show that instead of benefiting from its existence within their communities, they are even more disadvantaged by its presence. The respondents also identified certain schools and departments at the University of Venda that they felt could be of assistance to the surrounding communities if they redirected their research projects into applied research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoër onderwysinstellings het nog altyd Onbepaalde verhouding met hulle omliggende gemeenskappe gehad. Die huidige studie fokus op die navorsingsverhouding wat die Universiteit van Venda het met sy omliggende gemeenskap. Die literatuur wys daarop dat alhoewel die aard van die verhouding verskillende vorme kan aanneem, elke universiteit ° n sekere vorm van verhouding het met die omliggende gemeenskap. In hierdie studie is die kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik. Ek het navorsing onderneem na die navorsingsbehoeftes van die gemeenskappe in die nabyheid van die Universiteit van Venda en ook na die maniere waarop respondente dink die universiteitsgemeenskap hierdie behoeftes kan aanspreek. Die bevindinge van die studie toon dat die gemeenskappe nie gelukkig is met die dienste wat deur die universiteit verskaf word nie. Daar word onder meer getoon dat in plaas van voordeel trek uit die bestaan van die universiteit binne hulle gemeenskappe, hulle eintlik meer nadelig beinvloed word. Die respondente het ook sekere skole en departemente aan die Universiteit van Venda geidentifiseer wat tot hulp kan wees vir die omliggende gemeenskappe indien hulle navorsingsprojekte omskep word in toegepaste navorsing.

Text had abstracts in English and Tshivenda. No keywords / Very few scholars have ventured into language use in media discourse, especially in African Languages. The purpose of this study was to determine the language use in media discourse in the Nḓevhetsini Programme on Phalaphala FM, to investigate linguistic elements that create challenges amongst presenters, reporters, listeners and guest speakers and also the manner in which the message is received by listeners. This study employed a qualitative approach to obtain data from Nḓevhetsini episodes. The episodes were divided into themes identified in order to compare common cases and those that differ in language use amongst presenters, reporters, compilers, listeners and guest speakers engaged on the Nḓevhetsini episodes. The study found that borrowing, code-mixing, dialectal variants use, and not interpreting the English message to listeners bring challenges in language use in media discourse. Language programmes that promote language should be implemented. Rules that guide language use are important in language preservation. / A hu athu tou vha na vhaḓivhi vha maṅwalwa vhe vha sedzulusa kushumisele kwa luambo kha nyanḓadzamafhungo nga maanḓa kha ngudo ya Nyambo dza Vharema. Ndivho ya ngudo yo vha u ṱoḓa u wanulusa kushumisele kwa luambo kha nyanḓadzamafhungo kha mbekanyamushumo ya Nḓevhetsini, ho sedzwa zwiteṅwa zwa luambo zwine zwa vha fha khaedu khathihi na u sedza uri mulaedza u swika nga nḓilaḓe kha vhathetshelesi. Ngudo iyi yo shumisa ngona ya Khwaḽithethivi kha u kuvhanganya mafhungo u bva kha episode ṱhanu. Episode dzo saukanywa u ya nga thero dzo wanalaho hu u itela u ita mbambedzo dza kushumisele kwa luambo dzi fanaho na dzi sa faniho. Ngudo iyi yo wanulusa uri u hadzima, u ṱanganyiswa ha maipfi kana mafurase a nyambo dzo fhambanaho, na u sa pindulelwa ha milaedza ya English ndi khaedu. Milaedza i hashiwaho nga English i ṋea vhathetshelesi khaedu kha kushumisele kwa luambo kha khasho. Mbekanyamushumo na milayo i ṱuṱuwedzaho tshumiso ya Tshivenḓa zwi tea u sikiwa. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

The research was undertaken to investigate the impact of the Tshivhase Tea Estate on the space economy of Venda, the people and area ofMapate, and Duthuni, among whom the Tea Estate is established. The approach is based on principles. Principles of development theory are combined with appropriate spatial models. The development reality of Venda, together with many other development projects are analysed. Does the tea estate address the rural poverty problem? Findings are presented from a case study of Tshivhase and this proved the lack of growth and development impulses to alleviate the poverty of the rural people among whom it is located. Development is considered in terms of its possible simultaneous diffusion of economic activity and modernisation in all four dimensions of the spatial system : political, socio-cultural, economic and physical. / Department of Geography / M.A. (Geography)

The research was undertaken to investigate the impact of the Tshivhase Tea Estate on the space economy of Venda, the people and area ofMapate, and Duthuni, among whom the Tea Estate is established. The approach is based on principles. Principles of development theory are combined with appropriate spatial models. The development reality of Venda, together with many other development projects are analysed. Does the tea estate address the rural poverty problem? Findings are presented from a case study of Tshivhase and this proved the lack of growth and development impulses to alleviate the poverty of the rural people among whom it is located. Development is considered in terms of its possible simultaneous diffusion of economic activity and modernisation in all four dimensions of the spatial system : political, socio-cultural, economic and physical. / Department of Geography / M.A. (Geography)