Voices of Our Forefathers (2008) is a participatory video that was made with a group of Khwe
Bushmen in Platfontein in the Northern Cape. It is unique not only for its inclusion of the Khwe
subjects in the production process, but also for its unique representation of them. It portrays them
from historical as well as modern perspectives. This research explores how a group of Khwe youth
– the research participants – engaged and negotiated their encounter with the Voices of Our
Forefathers (2008). It does this within the context of participatory communication for development
and participatory video. It draws on theories of empowerment, reception and representation. A
qualitative methodology was employed with in-depth interviews comprising the main data
collection method, and thematic analysis and semiotics being the main data analysis methods.
Thematic analysis was aided through the use of a software programme, Nvivo 8.
The research explores research participants’ responses to Voices of Our Forefathers and critically
examines articulations of empowerment. Most of the research participants felt empowered because
VOOF (2008) incorporated the Khwe in the production process, particularly in terms of how they
wanted to be represented. The Khwe Bushmen’s participation in their representation resulted in a
range of nuanced interpretations and responses to VOOF (2008), which included discussions on
rethinking their identities, learning new skills, fostering a sense of ownership of the film and the use
of their language (Khwedam) in The Voices of Our Forefathers. It is argued, however, that although
the research participants may have expressed that they are empowered, this needs to be understood
and critically examined with respect to the larger contexts within which Bushmen, in general, live,
which may or may not affect their senses of and the realities of their empowerment. Finally, it is
argued that VOOF (2008) needs to be understood as a part of an on-going process in participatory
communication for development. It might not have provided research participants with the
necessary resources to completely transform their lives; it did, however, contribute to changing how
they perceive themselves, which, according to Freirean theory, is a necessary step in empowering
oneself. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/7540 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Dockney, Jonathan. |
| Contributors | Tomaselli, Keyan G. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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