MA (Tshivenda) / MER Mathivha Centre for African Languages, Arts and Culture

Personality tests are widely used in South Africa. The application of personality assessment techniques for clinical and personnel decisions has been a major activity for psychologists. All main personality models have ken developed in a Western context: the question therefore arises whether these models are adequate and sufficient for South Africa. There is a need to develop personality tests that are based on South African cultures. In South Africa the continuous use of Western-based personality tests raise a challenge. The challenge also lies with the current legislation with regard to the use of psychological tests. The challenge is to construct an inventory suited to the local needs while retaining the standards of validity and reliability expected of established assessment instruments. Our socially diverse society and its wide implications for the cultural dynamics of personality evaluations that we find in South Africa warrant further research. A qualitative research design was used in this study, including interviewing as a data gathering method. A total of 120 Tshivenda speaking people from the Thohoyandou district in Limpopo province and Pretoria in Gauteng province were interviewed. A total of 4 722 personality descriptors with a view to Tshivenda speaking people were obtained from the participants, and then translated into English. Content analysis was used to analyse, interpret and reduce these descriptors to a total of 150 personality characteristics which are the most important perspectives of personality for the Tshivenda speaking individuals. The personality characteristics were divided into eight categories, namely interpersonal relatedness, sociability, conscientiousness, emotionality, meanness, intellect, dominance and a category for other traits. The interpersonal relatedness factor in the Vhavenda personality characteristics could be regarded as a cultural factor. The Tshivenda speaking people are also sociable with a preference for companionship, social skills and numerous friendships. They also have a strong sense of purpose and high inspiration levels. The Tshivenda speaking people also experience emotions and feelings related to situations that they face. Intellect characteristics could also be extrapolated from the personality characteristics of the Vhavenda people. The findings of this study were compared to the five factor model, and evidence was found for extraversion and conscientiousness in particular. Very few characteristics of openness on the five factor model correspond to that of the Tshivenda speaking people, except in the cases of a few personality characteristics that were labelled under the category of intellect. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Personality tests are widely used in South Africa. The application of personality assessment techniques for clinical and personnel decisions has been a major activity for psychologists. All main personality models have ken developed in a Western context: the question therefore arises whether these models are adequate and sufficient for South Africa. There is a need to develop personality tests that are based on South African cultures. In South Africa the continuous use of Western-based personality tests raise a challenge. The challenge also lies with the current legislation with regard to the use of psychological tests. The challenge is to construct an inventory suited to the local needs while retaining the standards of validity and reliability expected of established assessment instruments. Our socially diverse society and its wide implications for the cultural dynamics of personality evaluations that we find in South Africa warrant further research. A qualitative research design was used in this study, including interviewing as a data gathering method. A total of 120 Tshivenda speaking people from the Thohoyandou district in Limpopo province and Pretoria in Gauteng province were interviewed. A total of 4 722 personality descriptors with a view to Tshivenda speaking people were obtained from the participants, and then translated into English. Content analysis was used to analyse, interpret and reduce these descriptors to a total of 150 personality characteristics which are the most important perspectives of personality for the Tshivenda speaking individuals. The personality characteristics were divided into eight categories, namely interpersonal relatedness, sociability, conscientiousness, emotionality, meanness, intellect, dominance and a category for other traits. The interpersonal relatedness factor in the Vhavenda personality characteristics could be regarded as a cultural factor. The Tshivenda speaking people are also sociable with a preference for companionship, social skills and numerous friendships. They also have a strong sense of purpose and high inspiration levels. The Tshivenda speaking people also experience emotions and feelings related to situations that they face. Intellect characteristics could also be extrapolated from the personality characteristics of the Vhavenda people. The findings of this study were compared to the five factor model, and evidence was found for extraversion and conscientiousness in particular. Very few characteristics of openness on the five factor model correspond to that of the Tshivenda speaking people, except in the cases of a few personality characteristics that were labelled under the category of intellect. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This dissertation reflects on the problem of the Vhavenda experience of simultaneous belief in the life hereafter and the Biblical God. The study therefore indicates a systematic analysis of the Vhavenda concept of God as well as of life hereafter with regard to their own traditional and cultural experience. It became clear that Africans through the ages did believe in God. The human beings are created by God and life is a gift from God to the individuals, which means that they believed in God long before the missionaries came to this country. Africans had their own culture and their own religion. It is stated that God was worshipped as the greatest one. His Venda name was Nwali. In certain areas he was called by other names such as Raluvhimba and Khuzwane. This is a clear indication that the Vhavenda worshipped one God although they referred to him in three names; other tribe had other names for him. Burial rituals play a significant role in Venda culture as it a pointer to the new world of the living dead. The burial rites make it quite vivid that bereaved believed strongly and convincingly that the dead is only making a way or taking a journey to his /her final destiny, the new world only know to the deceased .The living are convinced that the deceased have extra - power, as they are nearer to God, and they are now in possession of double powers, the one they had whilst they were still alive and the one they acquired after death. Death is just a process of removing a person from the present of his being into the past .He / she goes to the land of the living dead which is not very different from this one. It is a duplication of this life. He / she will join the deceased members of his /her family. Life will continue just as it has been. Death is not feared but accepted as something natural and inevitable. After all, it is through death that one joins one’s departed fellows; therefore death is not regarded as annihilation. The researcher has found out that there are few things which the African traditional religion seems not to understand or come to terms with regard to Christ and Christianity. In this case, the idea of Jesus as the Son of God and only great ancestor of all humanity seems to be a very strange and confusing concept among African traditionalists. They seemed to be failing to understand that Christ is a new great ancestor not in terms of family mediation only, but in the all inclusive and holistic approach in matters pertaining to faith. Christ Jesus is not only the great ancestor, but is God, mediator and saviour. The Christian eschatology does differ from the traditional Venda belief, in a very important instance, while ‘’eternal life’’ for the Vhavenda means reaching back into the past , joining the living dead whose lives are behind us , the Christian message reaches into the future, the coming of Jesus Christ , the promise of a new Heaven and a new Earth. At the end a number of conclusions reached and a few points for future research added. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

MAAS / Centre for African Studies / The institution of African traditional royal leadership herein after referred to as Vhuhosi, may at times be seen to be falling short in fulfilling its function. Arguably, symptoms such as the misunderstanding of the role and powers of traditional royal leaders, the never-ending land disputes, as well as issues of political transition in South Africa, can be traced back to the introduction of missionary activism. Amid a myriad of challenges, the proposed study seeks to investigate the influence of missionary work on the institution of Vhuhosi. The study’s focus will specifically be on the efficiency, or lack thereof, of the institution to perform its functions following the historical interface with missionary activism. The study will employ a mixture of research methodologies, amongst them the literary study of archive materials, the empirical investigation of the current state of the institution, and the appraisal of the prevalence of mission activities in the modern-day era all of which fall under the qualitative research design. It is envisaged that the results of the study will benefit current traditional royal and religious leaders, government officials in understanding the historical explanation of current trends and tendencies. Most importantly, the study will equip those involved in improving the situation and changing the course of history. Furthermore, the study will benefit scholarship by providing relevant and constructive research material that could inform and/or shape the calibre of leadership in these institutions. / NRF

PhD (African Studies) / Department of African Studies / This study explored Nyaluso ya vhana, the traditional child rearing practices in Vhavenḓa families. Child rearing practices are associated with culture, norms and beliefs of a group. However, due to modernisation and globalisation, community and family are concerned that child rearing influences are no longer closely connected to traditional practices, which poses a societal challenge. Furthermore, the positive aspects of traditional child rearing practices were never circulated. As a result, it appears to have no place in the contemporary child rearing practices. The purpose of this study was to explore the traditional child rearing practices in Vhavenḓa families. The intention was to establish if there are areas of traditional practices that were useful, and that should be promoted. A qualitative research design was used. Data collection was through one-on-one interviews with 16 participants. Results show that traditional Vhavenḓa child rearing practices entail the following: i). role modelling good behaviour, ii). Respect as an important ingredient of role modelling, iii). Perseverance as a virtue that was inculcated in children through various ways, iv). Participation in household chores, v). Taking a village to raise a child, vi). Traditional leaders helping the community in fostering culture and traditional child-rearing practices, and vii). Rituals and taboos as backbones in traditional child rearing practices. It was believed that the deliberate guidance and discipline-oriented practices, contributed to the positive child development and healthy citizenship. This study provided insights in the positive aspects of traditional Vhavenḓa child rearing practices. / NRF

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)

The traditional healing practices of the Vhavenda people include one very important component, the malombo ritual healing practice. This healing practice has been conducted for centuries. It involves the use of music (including singing and the use of drums and shakers for rhythm), dance and elements of theatre performed by the person to be healed, the healer, invited malombe (community members who have been through the same ritual), as well as family members and supporters. The importance of this ritual as a healing process has long been acknowledged. Of interest in this study, however, is the role-played by the music itself in facilitating the healing process. The ritual cannot take place without the music; neither is the music used outside this specific ritual. Seven representative malombo songs have been partially notated by John Blacking and N. J. van Warmelo also as recorded texts. However, since this ritual is closed and seldom open to strangers, their research was, of necessity, limited. Through long-term fieldwork, and from an insider perspective, this thesis is based on participation in more than fifteen malombo rituals during the field research period (2005-2014). Songs and performances were recorded as possible and some are included on the accompanying CD. In addition, transcription was utilized as a tool to demonstrate the core melody of selected songs, with the acknowledgement that transcription in Western notation limits the demonstration of the creative mato1 process that is fundamental to the malombo ritual. This thesis argues that that music plays a vital role in this healing ceremony, and it is through the mato process that the ancestors are called to heal. The texts of the songs at times include words of the Tshikalanga language that is spoken by the Vhakalanga of Zimbabwe. Most significantly, music is seen as the bridge between the ancestral spirits and the patient and participants in the ceremony, thus underscoring its fundamental importance in Vhavenda culture. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / SAMRO / Music / DMus / Unrestricted