Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Betel nut/quid chewing is a habit that is commonly practiced in the Indian subcontinent. This age-old social habit is still practiced by Indians in Durban, Kwazulu Natal (South Africa). The betel nut/quid is prepared in a variety of ways. The quid may be prepared with or without tobacco. This habit is said to be associated with the development of premalignant lesions,namely, Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSF) which increases the susceptibility for malignancy of the oral mucosa and the foregut. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of betel nut/quid chewing (with or without tobacco), the associated habits (smoking and alcohol consumption) and awareness of the harmful effects of the chewing habit among Indians in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.A cross-sectional study design was chosen utilising a self-administered questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to collect data. Consenting participants were requested to complete a self-administered, structured questionnaire. The study population included any person in the Durban area who chewed betel nut/quid/tobacco. Only persons willingly and who consented to be part of the study, were included. The sample size was based on convenience. People were approached at the pan shops, leisure markets, traditional functions and at the dental practice the researcher operated at. A total of 101 respondents were interviewed.A significantly higher proportion of females chewed betel nut/quid from the total of the respondents. The results showed that the habit is increasingly practiced in the younger age group (20-39 years). There was evidence to show that the chewing habit is used more by the employed than the unemployed (p=0.055). Of the sample population, 78% were born in South Africa and the rest were immigrants from Pakistan, India and Dubai. All respondents from the migrant community were males. The most important reasons for chewing betel nut were for enjoyment and at special functions. More than two third indicated family members (aunts,uncles and cousins) influence as a reason for chewing, in comparison to influences by parents or grandparents. The study also indicated that parents were far more likely to influence betel nut chewing if grandparents did so (p-value= 0.000). In addition, the study revealed that family members (aunts, uncles and cousins) were far more likely to influence betel nut chewing if parents did so (p=0.000).The most popular ingredients chewed were betel nut, betel leaf, lime and pan masala and the most popular combinations were betel nut/lime/betel leaf quid preparation, betel nut alone,betel nut/betel leaf/lime/tobacco/pan masala and betel nut/betel leaf/lime/pan masala. Two thirds of the respondents do not know that betel nut chewing is harmful to their health, thus indicating a lack of awareness on the risks associated with the chewing habit, and the majority have not attempted to give up the habit. Most of the respondents retained their chewing habits after being informed about the risks. A little more than half the study population reported neither smoking nor drinking.The present study found that betel nut/quid chewing habits continue to be enjoyed by many people and most are unaware of the hazardous effects of the habit. More younger people are using the habit as compared to previous studies. This is probably because it is an affordable and easily accessible habit. It is recommended that aggressive awareness programmes on the harmful effects of betel nut/quid chewing be developed, similar to that for smoking cessation.Government health warnings need to be instituted, for example, by having written warnings on packagings. Taxes need to be imposed on the betel nut and condiments thereby reducing access to most people. Age restrictions need to be imposed on purchasing of the betel nut/quid thus making access difficult for the children.

Longtemps ignorée voire niée du fait de ses films jugés peu sérieux et de piètre qualité, l’industrie du cinéma indien basée à Mumbai est pourtant l’une des plus importantes et puissante au monde. Bollywood est à l’origine de classiques du cinéma à davantage considérer dans nos sociétés européennes et nord-américaines, et même en Inde. La vision occidentale de Bollywood, de par les productions en série de l’industrie cinématographique mumbaïte et de ses codes culturels spécifiques, est empreinte de stéréotypes. « Colorés », « kitsch », « acidulés », le cinéma indien pâtit de son image et peine à trouver l’audience qu’il mérite. Pour autant, les regards extérieurs au monde indien évoluent au miroir des mutations de la vision indienne portée sur l’Occident. Bollywood attire de plus en plus l’attention, ce qui explique une multiplication de définitions, d’articles, de sites Internet, de reportages consacrés notamment au star system mais peu d’intérêt a été accordé à l’envers du décor : Bollywood demeure une « usine à rêve » (H. Powdermaker). Les années 1930, avec l’arrivée d’une nouvelle innovation, le parlant, représentent une étape extrêmement importante dans l’histoire des cinémas indiens et du cinéma hindi en particulier. Le cas de la compagnie Prabhat (1929-1953), à la tête d’un des studios indiens les plus modernes de la période, semble pertinent à analyser pour comprendre l’émergence de ce système industriel, de l’intérieur. Du fait d'un parcours original de la compagnie de Kolhapur à Poona et de ses étroites relations avec Bombay, l'analyse de ce studio innovant permet véritablement de comprendre ses choix industriels, entre régionalisme, nationalisme et mondialisation. Ainsi, au regard de ce studio, il serait possible de saisir les multiples facettes du système Bollywood émergent alors. En effet, l'équipe de la Prabhat a pu produire au sein d'une "atmosphère industrieuse", des films de qualité en langues marathi et hindi, contribuant à l'essor de l'industrie du cinéma de Bombay, territoire de diffusion privilégié de la compagnie. Cette recherche consacrée à une industrie qui semble prendre dernièrement une envergure mondiale souligne qu'elle a pu connaitre des premières heures de gloire sur l’échiquier cinématographique international dans ces années 1930-1940, fresque historique qui semble se perdre aujourd'hui dans les mémoires du studio. / For a long time ignored even denied because of its movies considered less serious and mediocre, the industry of Indian cinema based in Mumbai is nevertheless one of the most important and powerful in the world. Bollywood produced several classic films that should be more considered in our societies in particular in Europe and North America but also in India itself. However, views outside India are evolving in the mirror of new Indian visions of West. Bollywood is being more attractive which explains an increase of articles, web sites, documentaries, especially on the star system, but less attention was paid to the industry and its history. The 1930's constitutes an important step in Bombay film history as Brian Shoesmith demonstrated. With the arrival of a new innovation, talkies, this decade represents a keystone in Indian cinemas' s history and Hindi cinema's in particular. The case of the Prabhat company (1929-1953), one of the leading studios in the 1930s, is in this connection extremely interesting to analyze in order to understand the emergence of this industrial system, from within. Due to its history from Kolhapur to Poona and its narrow relations with Bombay, the analysis of this company producing quality films in Marathi and Hindi contributed to the development of the cinematographic industry in Bombay. Moreover, it allows us to understand its industrial choices, between regionalism, nationalism and globalization. Thanks to Prabhat example, we are able to seize the multiple facets of this emergent Bollywood system and its territories. Although this industry seems to become renowned nowadays, Hindi films were already present at an international scale since the 1930s-1940s. Nowadays, this history seems to be lost in the memories of the studio.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to study the themes of identity and belonging in the films of Mira Nair. Three films form the basis of this study namely Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala and Monsoon Wedding. The approach is thematic, i.e using the film to explore different socio-political themes of identity rather than looking at the methodology she uses as a filmmaker. The analysis of each of the three films looks at a particular form of identity namely national, cultural or personal identity, and makes reference to Nair’s own comments on the films as well as academic articles on the films, her work and issues such as identity, nostalgia, home, belonging, marginalization, immigrants, street children and the like, in order to interrogate Nair’s exploration of the particular ideas within these films. It examines the films as if it were a work of literature, and looks at how it deals with these issues within a filmic context. What symbols does she use to show us we are dealing with cultural identity? Which character is symbolic of the modernist movement? Finally it examines the potential effect of these films on the society from which they derive, and comes to some conclusions about the effect these films may have in challenging, shaping and/or influencing ideas about nostalgia, home, identity, and so on. The discussions of the films show that she has been superbly able to exploit all the advantages of her chosen medium to bring her remarkable visual inventiveness and artistry into play in order to communicate this to an international audience and to make them think about the issues at hand. The filmmaker is finally established not only as simply a creator of film, but ultimately as a thinker and poet. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die temas van identiteit en ‘n gevoel van behoort in die films van Mira Nair te bestudeer. Drie films vorm die basis van die studie naamlik Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala en Monsoon Wedding. Die aanslag is tematies van aard, m.a.w. dit gebruik die films om die verskillende sosio-ekonomise temas van identiteit te identifiseer en ontleed, eerder as om die metodologie van haar as filmmaker te bestudeer. Die analise van elke van die drie films kyk na ‘n spesifieke vorm van identiteit, naamlik nasionale, kulturele of persoonlike identiteit en maak verwysing na kommentaar deur Nair haarself, sowel as akademiese artikels oor die films, haar werk en kwessies van identiteit, nostalgie, die konsep van ‘n tuiste, ‘n gevoel van behoort, marginalisasie, immigrante, straat kinders en dies meer. Die doel is om sodoende Nair se idees oor identiteit binne hierdie films te bevraagteken en ontleed. Die tesis ondersoek die films asof dit ‘n literere werk is, en neem in ag die maniere waarop dit na hierdie kwessies kyk binne ‘n filmiese konteks. Daar word byvoorbeeld gekyk na watter simbole sy gebruik wanneer sy verwys na kulturele identiteit. Watter karakter is die simbool vir die modernistiese beweging, ens. Uitendelik bevraagteken die tesis the potensiële effek van hierdie films op die omgewing en omstandighede waaruit dit ontstaan het, en kom tot sekere gevolgtrekkings met betrekking tot die mate waarin hierdie films kwessies van tuiste, nostalgie, identiteit ens beinvloed en/of vorm en bevraagteken. Die besprekings dui daarop dat sy baie bevoeg is om al die voordele van haar verkose medium tesame met haar indrukwekkende visuele verbeelding te gebruik om aan ‘n internasionale gehoor die kwessies te kommunikeer en hul te dwing om aktief te dink oor die kwessies aan hand. Uiteindelik word die filmmaker Nair nie slegs as ‘n skepper van film beskryf nie, maar ook as ‘n denker en digter.