https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4062 2026-05-12T23:05:03Z 2026-05-12T23:05:03Z Tivane, Nelson https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32406 2026-05-05T06:48:32Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Displacement and placemaking amid conflict in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado: an ethnohistory study of the affinities between ethnicity and belonging among the Makonde and Makhuwa families Tivane, Nelson Since 2017, conflict has erupted in Mozambique, spreading terror, violence and displacing millions of people from areas largely inhabited by two ethnic groups: Makonde and Makhuwa. For centuries, these groups have been distorted as ‘traditional enemies’, posing as key conflicting element of the current war. What prompted my questioning was the observation that thy are now entangled in a sort of ‘appeasement’ and ‘rapprochement’ within and around displacement and resettlement camps. This dissertation deploys Franz Boas’s historical particularism and employs an ethnographical approach to examine the experiences and narratives of displacement, and the role of ethnicity and ethnic boundaries in processes of re-encountering of place to dwell and belong, amid conflict. Altogether, ethnicity, social boundaries and home are a void in Mozambican’s contemporary conflict studies. This study changes the current state of art. It centres home [in conflict settings] as an often-contested profound concept and repository of identity, security and social memory. Home becomes an element that either fosters social cohesion or fuel of conflict, by establishing social boundaries, exclusionary and antagonistic identities. By this, the essay builds footprint of factors serving as powerful identity from where conflicts may arise or be intensified. The essay argues that, to survive displacement, lower-class Makonde and Amakhuwa peoples have produced two [ethnos] social phenomena. The first is a parallel process of dilation and stretching of ethnic boundaries. This phenomenon encompassed [re]creation and expansion of social networks through appropriation of space and new neighbouring practices, characterised by a sort of appeasement and rapprochement, in [what I call] ethno-mingled communities. This did not entail changes in concept and practice of home, as it continued to be a multilayered material concept. However, it entailed changes for its spatial manifestation (in place) and some elements of home. The second phenomenon is the emergence of [what I call] the ‘revolving door’ status of Others – encompassing displacement experience amounted leading to de facto ‘refoulement’.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Dolamo, Tumiso Mankwekwe https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32030 2025-01-21T09:55:03Z 2024-12-19T00:00:00Z

Understanding masculinity from an African perspective Dolamo, Tumiso Mankwekwe Understanding of masculinity has been largely approached from Western epistemology which universalises the conception of gender. However, different societies have different ways of organising gender roles which can contribute to a better understanding of masculinity such that we can begin to address gender inequalities holistically. This study focuses on understanding masculinity from an African perspective. It pays attention to factors such as poverty, upbringing, culture and generational differences that shape varied experiences and conduct among men. The study used qualitative research methods to collect data. The researcher spent six weeks in the field, conducted five in-depth interviews, and two focus group discussions with ten participants, and used participant observation to collect data. In this study, the data analysis employed a thematic coding process informed by theoretical perspectives on masculinity and post-colonialism. The findings reveal that young men’s understanding of masculinity is influenced by both Western definitions and related concepts like gender and patriarchy. This highlights the complexity of South African masculinities and their potential to influence violent behaviours toward women and other men. The study concludes that African masculinity is multifaceted, reflects individual socio-economic conditions and impacts behaviour and the assertion of masculinity. There is thus a need for further academic research that addresses the complexities of South African masculinity in the post-apartheid era, emphasising the importance of understanding these complexities to grasp how masculinity is asserted and what its societal impact is.; Tlhaloso ya bonna e tlhagisitswe thata go tswa mo epistemology ya Bophirima e e dirang gore kgopolo ya bong e nne ya lefatshe lotlhe. Le fa go ntse jalo, ditšhaba tse di farologaneng di na le ditsela tse di farologaneng tsa go rulaganya ditiro tsa bong tse di ka thusang gore go tlhaloganngwe botoka gore banna ke bomang le gore re kgone go simolola go bua ka go sa lekalekane ga bong gotlhelele. Thutopatlisiso eno e bua thata ka go tlhaloganya bonna go ya ka pono ya SeAforika. E ela tlhoko dilo tse di jaaka lehuma, tsela e motho a godisitsweng ka yone, setso le go farologana ga dikokomana tse di bopang maitemogelo a a farologaneng le boitshwaro jwa banna. Thutopatlisiso e dirisitse mekgwa ya patlisiso ya boleng go kokoanya tshedimosetso. Mo dibekeng di le thataro tse ke di feditseng ke le mo lefelong la dipatlisiso, ke ne ka tshwara dipotsotherisano tse di tseneletseng di le tlhano, dipuisano tse pedi tsa ditlhopha tse go tlotliwang thata ka tsone le batsayakarolo ba le lesome, le batho bao ba elang tlhoko go tsaya tshedimosetso. Ke ne ka dirisa mokgwa wa go sekaseka tshedimosetso ka go tlhagisa kgang nngwe le nngwe mme ka dirisa mokgwa wa bonna le wa pele ga nako ya bokoloni jaaka letlhomeso la tiori. Diphitlhelelo di bontsha gore tsela e banna ba basha ba tlhaloganyang bonna ka yone e tlhotlhelediwa ke ditlhaloso tsa Bophirima le dikgopolo tse di amanang le bong le go nna tlhogo ya lotso. Se se gatelela go raraana ga bong jwa banna ba Aforika Borwa le bokgoni jwa bone jwa go tlhotlheletsa boitshwaro jwa tirisodikgoka kgatlhanong le basadi le banna ba bangwe. Thutopatlisiso e konotela ka gore bonna jwa Seaforika bo na le dikarolo di le dintsi, bo bontsha maemo a loago le ikonomi ya motho mme bo ama boitshwaro le tlhomamiso ya bonna. Ka jalo go na le tlhokego ya patlisiso e nngwe ya seakatemi e e buang ka mathata a bonna jwa Aforika Borwa mo nakong ya morago ga tlhaolele, go gatelela botlhokwa jwa go tlhaloganya mathata a gore bonna bo tlhomamisiwa jang le gore seabe sa jone mo setšhabeng ke eng.; Ukuqonda ubudoda kuye kwakhulunywa kakhulu ngolwazi nemigomo yenkolelo yeqiniso elilungisiwe lapho amanyuvesi ecabanga ngobulili. Kodwa, imiphakathi eyahlukene inezindlela zayo zokuhlela izindima zobulili ezingaba nomthelela ekuqondeni kangcono ubudoda kangangokuthi singakwazi ukuqala ukubhekana ngokungalingani kobulili ngokuphelele. Loluncwaningo lugxile ekuqondeni ubudoda ngokombono wase-Afrika. Inaka izici ezinjengobumpofu, indlela esikhuliswe ngayo amasiko kanye nokwehluka kwezizukulwane ezakha ulwazi nokuziphatha okwahlukene phakathi kwamadoda. Ucwaningo lusebenzisa izindlela zocwaningo olusezingeni eliphezulu ukuqoqa imininingwane. Emasontweni ayisithupha engiwachithe ensimini, ngenze izingxoxo ezimbili zamaqembu engigxile kuwo nabayishumi, kanye nokubheka kwababambe iqhaza ukuze ngiqonde idatha. Ngisebenzise indlela enesihloko ukuhlaziya idatha kanye nezindaba zomlando njengezinhlaka. Okutholiwe kuveza ukuthi ukuqonda kwezinsizwa ngobudoda kuwumthelelal wezincazelo zaseNtshonalanga ngobulili kanye nokubonwa kwamadoda engaphezulu kwabesifazane. Lokhu kuqgamisa inkimbinkimbi yabesilisa baseNingizimu Afrika kanye namandla abo ukuba nomthelela ekuziphatheni okunodlame kubantu besifazane namanye amadoda. Lolucwaningo luphethe ngokuthi ubudoda base-Afrika bunezimo eziningi, bubonisa izimo zezenhlalo nezomnotho zomuntu ngamunye futhi zinomthelela ekuziphatheni kanye nokugomela ubudoda. Ngakho-ke kunesidingo sokuthi kuqhutshekwe nocwaningo lwezemfundo olubhekana nobunzima bobudoda baseNingizimu Afrika esikhathini esenzeke ngemuva kobandlululo, okugcizelele ukubaluleka kokuqonda lezi zinkimbinkimbi ukuze kuqondwe ukuthi ubudoda bugonyelwa kanjani nokuthi uyini umthelela wako emphakathini. Abstracts in English, Tswana and Zulu

2024-12-19T00:00:00Z Tlhoaele, Dimakatso Rosina https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32021 2025-01-21T07:05:16Z 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z

Pots and marriage : an archaeometric analysis of sherds from Mgoduyanuka, a late iron age site in Kwazulu-Natal Tlhoaele, Dimakatso Rosina This project tests the hypothesis, driven by Zulu ethnography, that red-coloured sherds from the Late Iron Age site of Mgoduyanuka in KwaZulu-Natal come from pots that were brought into the homestead through marriage alliances. In contrast, black-coloured and plain sherds come from pots that were locally made. To test this hypothesis, three archaeometric techniques were employed: portable XRF, conventional XRF and XRD. To understand the social origins of coloured vessels, ethnographic interviews were conducted. XRF and XRD results showed that there is no difference between the clay fabrics of the sherds. However, the results of portable XRF showed that there is a significant difference between the fabrics of the red-coloured sherds and the plain sherds. The fabric of the black-coloured sherds is spread between the redcoloured and the plain sherds, suggesting that some black pots would have been brought into the homestead.; Hierdie projek het die hipotese, gebaseer op Zulu-etnografie, dat rooigekleurde potskerwe van die Laat Ystertydperkterrein Mgoduyanuka in KwaZulu-Natal afkomstig is van potte wat in die woonkompleks ingebring is deur huweliksalliansies, getoets. In teenstelling hiermee is swartgekleurde en gewone (ongekleurde) potskerwe afkomstig van plaaslik vervaardigde potte. Om hierdie hipotese te toets is drie argeometriese tegnieke gebruik: draagbare XRF, konvensionele XRF en XRD. Om die sosiale oorsprong van gekleurde potte te verstaan is etnografiese onderhoude gevoer. XRF- en XRD resultate het getoon dat daar geen verskille is tussen die materiaal van die potskerwe nie. Die resultate van die draagbare XRF het egter ’n beduidende verskil getoon tussen die materiaal van die rooigekleurde en gewone potskerwe. Die materiaal van die swartgekleurde potskerwe is versprei tussen die rooigekleurde en gewone potskerwe, wat suggereer dat sommige swart potte in die woonkompleks ingebring is.; Le phrojekthi beyihlola ngenkolelomboni, ngokokulandisa kwesizwe samaZulu, ngokuthi izingcezu-zebhodwe ezinombala obomvu ezisendaweni yaseMgoduyanuka iLate Iron Age KwaZulu-Natali zaphuma ezimbizeni ezazifika ngesikhathi kuganiselwana. Umehluko ukuthi, izingcezu-zebhodwe ezinombala omnyama futhi ezingahlobile ngezalezo zimbiza noma lawo mabhodwe enziwe endaweni. Ukuze kuhlolwe le nkolelombono, kuye kwasetshenziswa izindlela ezintathu zokuhlola ubudala balezi zimbiza: nokuyiXRF ephathekayo, yiXRF ejwayelekile kanye neXRD. Ukuze siqonde imvelaphi yezitsha ezinemibala, kuye kwabanjwa izinkulumongxoxo ngokulandela incazelo yabanolwazi. Imiphumela yeXRF neXRD ibonise ukuthi awukho umehluko okhona phakathi kokwakheka kwelezi zindengezi. Kodwa-ke, imiphumela yeXRF ephathekayo ibonise umehluko omkhulu phakathi kokwakheka izingcezu-zebhodwe ezinemibala ebomvu kanye nalezo ezingahlobile. Ukwakheka izingcezuzebhodwe ezinombala omnyama kuvela kuzo zombili izingcezu- zebhodwe ezinombala obomvu kanye nalezo ezingahlobile, okusho ukuthi ezinye izimbiza kwakungezokufika emakhaya. Text in English with summaries in Afrikaans and Zulu

2024-02-01T00:00:00Z Dube, Linderrose https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32006 2025-01-14T08:28:36Z 2024-11-01T00:00:00Z

"For whose pleasure is it anyway?": an ethnographic exposition on the gendered dynamics that shape the vaginal practices of women in Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe Dube, Linderrose The treatment and care of the vagina and genital areas by women can potentially expose them to the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexual and reproductive morbidities. The logic and merit of this relation is nonetheless debated as cohort studies have yielded inconsistent outcomes. Anterior inquries charge an association between intravaginal practices to augmented vulnerability to HIV and bacterial vaginosis but little is known about the potential gendered dynamics that shape the adoption and use of vaginal practices, especially in the Global South. Guided by social constructivism and African feminist theories, this study explored the views, perceptions, and lived experiences of rural women who use vaginal practices in Tshitatshawa village of Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe.Using an ethnographic qualitative approach, data were collected using key participant interviews, observations, and in-depth interviews with women and men. It emanated from these engagements that vaginal practices are a product of Indigenous Knowledge and that they play a crucial role in the creation of women’s identity,womanhood, sexual desirability, attending to women’s health needs, spiritual cleansing, and sexual pleasure, and they also contribute to the cultural creation of the female body. The women’s narratives highlighted the active nature of women as users of these practices, who have agency and autonomy of their bodies when it comes to vaginal practices. The incentives for vaginal practices use are associated with personal hygiene, cultural identity, health, and sexuality. Women’s practices of hygiene include external washing, douching, and the insertion of herbal preparations. Anecdotes revealed familiarity, easy access, and low cost of the vaginal practices as some of the factors that have perpetuated the use of these practices by women over time. The women, particularly the younger women, revealed the importance of vaginal practices for their sexual pleasure. It also emanated from the deliberations that vaginal practices aim to enhance eroticism and that health and hygiene are articulations of femininity closely linked to sexuality although they are not commonly specifically articulated as such. An improved appreciation and comprehension of the socio-cultural conditions in which these practices are ingained could potentially ehnace educational plans and stategiesaimed at addressing these likely adaptable behaviours which could ameliorate future HIV prevention interventions that use vaginal methods.

2024-11-01T00:00:00Z