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This thesis explores the ontological grounds of the interrelations between music and myth among the Marubo, one of the several native peoples of the Pano linguistic family who live not far from the adventitious border between Brazil and Peru, in South Western Amazonia. The thesis lies within the disciplinary boundaries of social anthropology but, inasmuch as it focuses on myth and music, its theoretical and methodological limits overlap any discipline that may relate to these two themes. In brief, it portrays the Marubo as they express themselves and are themselves expressed in their saiti festivals and myth-chants. In their native language, saiti designates a specific festival where myths are performed in a specific musical and choreographic form, the form that establishes the ontological origins of these peoples and those of the world where they live.

This research study in Mdantsane (East London), Whittlesea (Hewu), Njiveni (Libode) and Cala sought to investigate the role of the amaXhosa male initiation in moral regeneration focusing on socio-cultural, educational and religious aspects related to moral values. The role of the amaXhosa male initiation as a rite of passage from boyhood to manhood, how it was viewed in the past, its impact upon the initiates and its contribution to the moral upholding of values were investigated. It was further intended to establish whether westernisation and urbanisation brought a shift of meaning and emphasis to the current initiation practice and, if so, to what extent has the ceremony departed from traditional norms and what challenges the ceremony has to face at present. A qualitative research method involving an ethnographic study was utilised, which includes in-depth, semi-structured interviews (formal interviews and informal discussions) and participant observation. Research findings suggested that in the past the amaXhosa male initiation played a role in the instruction of moral values. However, this study identified a shift of meaning in the practice which has been more evident in urban than in rural areas. The shift suggested that the instruction role has changed in prominence and there is less emphasis on teaching and appropriate adult behaviour. Moreover that the amakhankatha, who had the major role in teaching of the initiates are now participating in making the role less effective and sometimes introducing influences that are destructive to the initiates. Such negative influences include abuse of alcohol and drugs, promiscuity among the youth and disobedience of elders. It is argued that revisiting the teachings surrounding male initiation may cultivate productive debates on how young males are taught morality in today's society. Furthermore, that if the Xhosa male initiation could be contextualised it can play a role in the instruction of boys as they graduate to manhood and that can contribute to moral regeneration in South Africa.

This dissertation focuses on the Izanagi-ryū, a Japanese folk religion closely associated with the Monobe region in Kōchi Prefecture, to study the challenges faced by local communities in preserving and transmitting their intangible cultural heritages. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines historical and textual analysis with observational ethnographic studies of actual ritual practices and performances, the study of Izanagi-ryū is intended to draw out the ways in which competing narratives amongst local communities and institutional rhetoric over the preservation of intangible cultural heritages affect the transmission of local cultural practices. The strategies undertaken by the practitioners of Izanagi-ryū to construct their local identities and legitimize their status within the framework of governmental policies and scholarly rhetoric will be examined, along with studying the effects of modifying ritual spaces and procedures to fit contemporary demands and limitations.This research encourages us to look deeper into the repercussions of cultural preservation whereby the enthusiastic drive to secure the continuity of cultural practices might conversely distort their significance and transmission instead. This dissertation argues that the implementation of cultural preservation, while critical for defining and protecting the identity of a culture, would require a more careful consideration whereby allowances for cultural practices to discontinue, when necessary, should be factored in to ensure the integrity of these practices. Cultural practices should always be allowed to continue, or cease, on their own terms

The purpose of this study was to identify specific cultural elements within one elementary school to provide information about the school's identity and functioning. These elements included values, beliefs, play, rituals, ceremonies, and cultural objects. Schools are distinct and unique cultures. The culture of each school building drives the daily happenings. The culture either enhances or stifles growth. By creating an awareness of school culture, educators can better understand the meaning of their day to day activities and how their school evolves towards continuous improvement. The aim of interpreting a school culture is thus to understand meaning and symbols as they have been created by the members of the culture (Schultz, 1995). This study uncovered evidence to demonstrate that the awareness of stakeholders of a school's culture influences how the culture works. Interviews, artifact collection, digital photographs, meeting analysis, and fieldnotes from observations comprise the data. The interviews were conducted with educators, staff, and parents to ascertain their perceptions of their culture. Artifacts include documents such as weekly bulletins and meeting agendas that reflect the cultural workings. These focus on personal and social aspects of the culture such a party invitation, which spoke of the members' personal and interpersonal connections. Digital photographs were taken of inanimate objects within the building that visually depicted the values of the culture. Meetings play a key role in cultivating and representing a culture's values and beliefs. Meeting analysis helped to emphasize how this culture made decisions and how the culture structured its daily rhythm. Fieldnotes based on direct observations of meetings an - 3 -d of key events within specific locations in and around the school building were taken. Data sources were analyzed across interconnected themes. These themes explain how the culture worked and why its members did the things they did. This study isolated specific cultural elements, specified the internal relationships among those elements, and then characterized the whole culture based on the current knowledge of the culture. / Ed. D.

A descriptive study concerning the Navajo Puberty Ceremony for girls, the Kinaalda', examined the extent of the practice of the ceremony, and the frequency in which the girls who have had the ceremony and the girls who have not had the ceremony differ in traditional characteristics. Fifty-four percent of the girls questioned have had the Kinaalda'. Significant differences between the girls who had the ceremony and those who had not had the ceremony were found, using a chi square test of significance at an alpha level of .05, in the frequency of a set of traditional characteristics. The Kinaalda' girl possessed the set of traditional qualities more frequently than the non-Kinaalda' girl.

黃維詩. / "2002年8月" / 論文 (哲學碩士)--香港中文大學, 2002. / 參考文獻 (leaves 63-69) / 附中英文提要. / "2002 nian 8 yue" / Huang Weishi. / Lun wen (zhe xue shuo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2002. / Can kao wen xian (leaves 63-69) / Fu Zhong Ying wen ti yao. / 論文提要 / 引言 / Chapter 第一章 --- 喪葬儀禮的傳統面貌 / Chapter 1.1 --- 從宗教看中西死亡觀 / Chapter 1.2 --- 喪葬儀禮之目的及意義 / Chapter 1.3 --- 中國傳統喪葬儀式 / Chapter 第二章 --- 早期殖民統治下的香港 / Chapter 2.1 --- 早期香港的政治背景 / Chapter 2.2 --- 早期香港地理位置與自由經濟發展 / Chapter 2.3 --- 早期香港的人口結構 / Chapter 2.4 --- 自由開放下的多元宗教 / Chapter 2.5 --- 特殊的政治、經濟及移民因素與混雜文化特色的形成 / Chapter 第三章 --- 從喪葬禮儀反映香港社會階級的分化 / Chapter 3.1 --- 香港華人社會中的葬喪禮儀槪況 / Chapter 3.2 --- 從喪儀看香港的社會階級問題 / Chapter 第四章 --- 港英殖民政府的殯喪政策及對華人的影響 / Chapter 4.1 --- 英國政府在香港所實施之殯喪政策 / Chapter 4.2 --- 香港的殯喪政策對華人的影響 / Chapter 第五章 --- 總結 / 參考書目

Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) --University of Limpopo, 2004 / Refer to document

Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / The research covers the way the Vhavenḓa people bury their dead. Although the emphasis is on Tshivenḓa burials, the study has also examined the way burials are undertaken in other cultures such as Xhosa, Sotho, Indians, Xitsonga, Hindu, Greek and Muslim culture. The study shows that burials in Tshivenḓa are characterized by peculiar features. For instance the way the royal people are buried is different from the way the ordinary people are laid to rest. In addition, there are also special rituals that must be performed when children, women and men are buried. The study also includes to the fact that mordernity, has an impact on the manner in which the Vhavenḓa conduct their burials. In the past burials where cheap to conduct whereas these days they are relatively expensive. Lastly, the study has discovered that both old and modern forms of burials have advantages and disadvantages. It is, therefore, crucial for people to utilize the advantages of both the afore mentioned types of burial.

Univ., Akad. avh.--Göteborg, 2006.