Aim of the study: The main aim of the study is to examine and pursue research regarding the history and role of law in the disintegration of the institutions of traditional leadership in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho in order to make recommendations regarding the challenges and opportunities facing traditional authorities in these countries. The traditional systems, roles and functions of these institutions are traced from the pre-colonial era up to the period of democratic regimes in these countries. This study is based on the premises that the jurisprudence of the institution of traditional leadership is as old as mankind and that this institution is rooted in the rural soil of African communities. Research Methodology: This study is based on legal comparative research with reference to South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. A literature survey of the most important sources dealing with history, legislation and policy documents was undertaken. Conclusion and Recommendations: The institution of traditional leadership is one of the oldest traditional institutions of governance in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho. During the pre-colonial era traditional authorities constituted an important component in the traditional system of the administration of the traditional community. Traditions placed a great amount of responsibility on traditional leaders to look after the best interests of their communities. When the colonial government took over the reigns of these three countries, they changed the pre-colonial form and nature of traditional authorities. These colonial governments exercised control over traditional leaders and allowed minimum independence in their traditional rule. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho retained the institution of traditional leadership. The Constitutions of these countries provide the legal framework for the recognition and functioning of the office of traditional leaders. However, it has been noted in this study that the relationship between the traditional leaders and the governments of these countries has been a mixture of conflict and cordiality. One of the reasons for this uneasy relationship between the traditional leaders and the central governments of these countries is that the status, authority, power and functions of traditional leaders have been reduced considerably when new institutions such as Local Governments, Land Boards, District Councils and Village District Councils were given powers and functions previously exercised by traditional leaders. The post-colonial transformation of traditional leadership in these three countries has led to a steep decline in the authority of traditional leaders. In order to encourage active participation of the traditional leaders in the new democratic structures and bodies, the institution of traditional leadership must be adapted to the changing political, social and economic environments. Rural local government bodies and the national governments of these countries should not view the institutions of traditional leadership as competitors for political power. The post-colonial governments of South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho should introduce traditional leaders as equal partners in the development and advancement of rural communities. In order to achieve this goal the governments of these countries should empower and capacitate traditional leaders so that they do not become misfits in the new constitutional and democratic settlements. / Thesis (LL.D. (Indigenous Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The traditional health care system as it prevails in South Africa is part of African culture and intricately linked with the African world view. It embraces traditional norms and values that have survived to this day. In this sense it is more than a constituent part of medical pluralism which has become a global phenomenon. The role of the traditional healer is far more extensive than that of the modern medical doctor. He advises on all aspects of life, including physical, psychological, spiritual, moral and legal matters. He shares the client's world view. He understands the significance of ancestral spirits, the belief in supernatural forces and the reality of witches. It is in this context that modern scientific medicine has not been able to replace traditional medicine, and arguably never will. Traditional medicine is faced with enormous challenges at present. Firstly, the traditional social order is fast disappearing, making way for the state and the individual whose rights as contained in the Bill of Rights of the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa may seriously clash with traditional norms. Secondly, especially in an urban environment, the healer may encounter stiff competition from more progressive colleagues and modern physicians. Thirdly, scientific medicine basically regards traditional activities as unscientific, unregulated, often harmful and sometimes fatal. Fourthly, anti-witchcraft legislation hinders the traditional practitioner to deal with witches in the culturally appropriate manner. Traditional medicine will not go away. It is therefore necessary to find ways and means to see it practised in a safe and competent manner. As healers agitate for official recognition, it will be regarded as their corresponding duty to professionalise the traditional sector, create a traditional medical council and establish a register of bona fide healers who possess stipulated qualifications and are subject to rules of conduct and discipline. The modern and traditional sectors are essentially complementary and should be accommodated within a legal framework of official health care that protects healers and healed alike. The legal implications of this strategy are discussed in a global as well as regional African context. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

The traditional health care system as it prevails in South Africa is part of African culture and intricately linked with the African world view. It embraces traditional norms and values that have survived to this day. In this sense it is more than a constituent part of medical pluralism which has become a global phenomenon. The role of the traditional healer is far more extensive than that of the modern medical doctor. He advises on all aspects of life, including physical, psychological, spiritual, moral and legal matters. He shares the client's world view. He understands the significance of ancestral spirits, the belief in supernatural forces and the reality of witches. It is in this context that modern scientific medicine has not been able to replace traditional medicine, and arguably never will. Traditional medicine is faced with enormous challenges at present. Firstly, the traditional social order is fast disappearing, making way for the state and the individual whose rights as contained in the Bill of Rights of the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa may seriously clash with traditional norms. Secondly, especially in an urban environment, the healer may encounter stiff competition from more progressive colleagues and modern physicians. Thirdly, scientific medicine basically regards traditional activities as unscientific, unregulated, often harmful and sometimes fatal. Fourthly, anti-witchcraft legislation hinders the traditional practitioner to deal with witches in the culturally appropriate manner. Traditional medicine will not go away. It is therefore necessary to find ways and means to see it practised in a safe and competent manner. As healers agitate for official recognition, it will be regarded as their corresponding duty to professionalise the traditional sector, create a traditional medical council and establish a register of bona fide healers who possess stipulated qualifications and are subject to rules of conduct and discipline. The modern and traditional sectors are essentially complementary and should be accommodated within a legal framework of official health care that protects healers and healed alike. The legal implications of this strategy are discussed in a global as well as regional African context. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

The Haida language, Xaad Kil is dangerously close to extinction and in need of heroic action. The purpose of this study is to find out what ancient traditions and beliefs we could incorporate into our language revitalization efforts. Drawing on archival literature and community knowledge, I found almost 100 traditional ways to support Xaad Kil revitalization. There are four main chapters: Haida foods, Haida medicines, Haida rituals and ceremonies and Haida supernatural beings that could contribute to Xaad Kil revitalization. The food chapter features two-dozen traditional foods from salmon to berries that support a healthy lifestyle for Haida language speakers and that could strengthen our connections to the supernatural world. The Haida medicine chapter features two dozen traditional medicines from single-delight to salt water that could heal, strengthen and purify the Haida language learner. The ritual and ceremony chapter features over two-dozen rituals from devil’s club rituals to labret piercing ceremonies that could strengthen Haidas and our language learning. The supernatural being chapter features twenty-three supernatural beings including Greatest Crab and Lady Luck that could bring a language learner wealth, knowledge, luck and strength. This study suggests that a Xaad kil learner and the Xaad kil language need to be pure, protected, connected, lucky, strong, healthy, respected, loved and wise. The path to these qualities is within the traditions and beliefs featured in this research. This study is significant because it shows that the language revitalization answers are within and all around us. / Graduate / 0290 / 0326 / lucybell@uvic.ca

En occupant un espace social privilégié, la médecine traditionnelle et les diverses pratiques qui y sont liées, sont de moins en moins marginalisées, de plus en plus admises comme ressources et la société leur devient du même coup permissive. La tolérance sociale est relativement forte ». Cette lecture de la situation de la médecine traditionnelle et de sa réception dans la société est celle de l’anthropologue et médecine martiniquais M. Yoyo. Elle évoque la réalité de la médecine créole dans l’espace antillais et dit l’intérêt que lui portent ceux qui en font usage.L’objectif de cette recherche est de poser la question de la transmission du savoir médicinal en contexte martiniquais : transmission des tradipraticiens vers les profanes ; transmission entre professionnels de cette médecine. Autrement dit comment se fait l’apprentissage si apprentissage il y a, de ce savoir traditionnel, jalousement gardé par ceux qui l’exercent ? La dimension magico-religieuse de ce savoir influe-t-elle sur sa transmission ? Quel est le rôle de la famille dans l’éducation et la transmission de ces pratiques ? Quelle est la connaissance profane accessible à tous et que détiennent certaines familles ? Celle-ci répond-elle aux attentes de la médecine traditionnelle et comment les familles procèdent-elles à sa transmission ? Quelle contribution l’institution scolaire apporte-t-elle à la sauvegarde de ce patrimoine ? Ce questionnement nous amène à nous interroger sur les pratiques en matière de médecine des Martiniquais et à considérer la coexistence entre savoir traditionnel et savoir rationnel dit moderne.On ne peut faire l’économie de ces analyses si on veut appréhender de façon objective le problème de la transmission de la médecine créole, de sa sauvegarde par – et pour – les générations montantes, en raison de l’aspect mémoriel de cette pratique thérapeutique mais également en raison de son efficacité et du potentiel important qu’elle représente pour la santé dans les années qui viennent. / By occupying a privileged social space, traditional medicine and the diverses practices related to the field are less and less marginalized, more and more accepted as resources, thus society is gradually becoming more tolerant towards those practices. The social tolerance is relatively strong”. This perception of the present situation of traditional medicine and of its reception in society is proposed by M. Yoyo, French anthropologist and physician from Martinique. It speaks of the reality of traditional medicine in the west Indians context and highlights the positive affects on those who make use of it. The objective of this research is to explore the question of the transmission of medicinal knowledge within the confines of Martinique: transmission by traditionalists towards nonprofessionals as well as transmission among professionals in the fields of medicine. In other words, what learning, if any, still exists of this traditional knowledge faithfully kept by those practiced it? To what extent does the magical-religious experience influence the transmission of this knowledge? What is the role of the family in the education and the transmission of those practices? How much of this profane knowledge is accessible to all and to what extent is it practiced by families? Does the latter respond to the demands of traditional medicine? How do families proceed with the process of transmission. What contribution does the school make towards preserving this tradition ? The above questions provoke reflection on the medicinal practices of the people of Martinique and of the possible coexistence of traditional knowledge and modern or rational knowledge. These questions are inevitable if we want to progress with objectivity in the transmission of Creole medicine and of its preservation for future generations, as a form of safeguarding the memory of this therapeutic practice. However, they also help to focus on the level of its effectiveness and the potential importance that it represents in ensuring a healthy environment in the coming years.

Historic towns and historic buildings are important witnesses of the past cultures and civilizations. Their sustainability and transfer to the next generations require continuous maintenance and repair interventions which should be compatible with their original construction techniques, details and materials. In order to define proper interventions to a historic building, it is necessary to understand how and from what it is built. Therefore, traditional construction materials, detailings and techniques should be well understood prior to any kind of intervention to a historic building. The objective of this study is, first of all, to provide a body of knowledge on traditional construction process and techniques / then, to store, structure, process, represent and share this knowledge in a systematic and controlled way by means of a web based GIS portal. In this respect, traditional timber framed houses of Tarakli in Sakarya has been chosen as the case study, on account of being one of the significant historical towns in our country where the tissue together with historical building is still conserved. For this study, among the applications of GIS technology, Web-based GIS has been determined as the most effective and functional tool in order to develop an online information portal for storing, displaying the collected raw data and sharing with other users as utilizable information.

Pregnancy and childbirth complications are a leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries. Worldwide data shows that, by choice or out of necessity, 60 percent of births in the developing world occur outside a health institution and 47 percent are assisted by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), family members, or without any assistance at all. This thesis argues that TBAs in India have the capacity to disseminate knowledge of beneficial maternal practices to the community. Since the 1970s the training of TBAs has been one of the primary single interventions encouraged by World Health Organisation (WHO) to address maternal mortality. However, since the 1990s international funding for TBAs has been reduced and the emphasis has shifted to providing skilled birth attendants for all births due to evidence that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in developing countries had not reduced. Researchers have observed that the shift in policy has taken place without adequate evidence of training (in)effectiveness and without an alternative policy in place. This thesis argues further that two main types of birthing knowledge co-exist in India; western biomedicine and traditional knowledge. Feminist, anthropological, and midwifery theorists contend that when two knowledge paradigms exist, western knowledge tends to dominate and claim authority over local ways of knowing. The thesis used such theories, and quantitative and qualitative methods, to assess whether the local TBA training programmes in Ahmednagar District in India have been successful in disseminating biomedical knowledge in relation to the birthing practices of local TBAs and in incorporating local knowledge into the training. The data revealed that some biomedical knowledge had been successfully disseminated and that some traditional practices continue to be practiced in the community. There is a top-down, one-sided imposition of biomedical knowledge on TBAs in the training programme but, at the local level, TBAs and mothers sometimes follow the training instructions and sometime do not, preferring to adapt to the local perceptions and preferences of their community. The thesis reveals the significance of TBA training in the district but queries the effectiveness of not including local TBA practices into the training programmes, arguing this demonstrates the hierarchical authority of biomedicine over local traditional practices. The thesis highlights the significance of community awareness that accompanies TBA training and makes recommendations in order to enhance training outcomes.

Dans les trois anciens pays indochinois, le Vietnam, le Cambodge et la RDP Lao, la médecine traditionnelle rencontre un succès grandissant auprès de la population. Conscients de l’importance de la médecine traditionnelle, les trois gouvernements l’ont reconnue et intégrée, chacun différemment, dans leur système de soins de santé national. L’encadrement juridique de cette médecine millénaire diffère d’un pays à l’autre. La législation de la médecine traditionnelle du Cambodge demeure particulièrement faible. De plus, de nombreux problèmes persistent et menacent la préservation et le développement de cet héritage précieux. Avec l’aide de partenaires internationaux, les trois gouvernements aséaniens tentent de renforcer l’encadrement juridique de leurs médecines et de leurs pharmacopées traditionnelles / In the three former Indochinese countries, Vietnam, Cambodia and PDR Lao, traditional medicine success is growing among the population. Recognizing the importance of traditional medicine, the three governments have recognized and integrated it in a different way into the national health care system. The legal framework of this millennial medicine differs from one country to another. Traditional medicine legislation in Cambodia remains particularly weak. Moreover, many problems persist and threaten the preservation and development of this precious heritage. With the help of international partners, the three ASEAN governments are trying to strengthen the legal framework for their traditional medicines and pharmacopoeias.

Thesis is dedicated to traditional folklore music of Portugal and introduces different kinds of traditional music. Chosen are those kinds that are even nowadays very popular and that are to be found around the country. The main focus of thesis is on music and tradition of folklore groups called Rancho Folclórico. History of Portuguese traditional music in general as well as the origins of rancho are introduced. Those are connected to the context of general Portuguese history. Furthermore, traditional musical instruments typical for rancho groups are described as well as the musical repertoire and traditional dances. The character of rancho groups, their members, rehearsals, costumes and festivals the groups preform in are closely examined. Final chapter introduces concrete activities and ideas for utilization of Portuguese traditional music in pedagogical practice. Thesis is also based on information obtained from interviews with current members of variant rancho groups. Hereafter, appendix is attached to thesis consisting mainly of photographs and video recordings taken personally by the author in Lisbon.

No description available.