https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4061 Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:06:11 GMT 2026-06-27T05:06:11Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32604 The earliest colonial farms in the Tygerberg region of the Western Cape (Cape Colony): a landscape archaeological study Breytenbach, Marius Ebersohn This study examines the earliest colonial farms established in the Tygerberg region of the Western Cape (Cape Colony) as the Cape transitioned from a fragile VOC victualling station to a permanent agrarian colony during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The research investigates the dynamic interaction between early settler farmers and the Tygerberg landscape during a formative phase of colonial settlement. Using a landscape archaeological approach, the study explores how colonists in a rural frontier context conceptualised, organised, and transformed their environment, and how these processes were materialised in the archaeological record. The rural colonial landscape is treated as an artefact shaped by accumulated human activity and influenced by environmental conditions, institutional frameworks, and everyday practices. Drawing on cultural landscape theory, landscape biography, and phenomenological perspectives, the study integrates archival sources, GIS-based spatial analysis, architectural recording, and targeted archaeological investigation. A systematic time–space analytical framework is applied to identify and interpret successive occupational layers across a network of early Tygerberg farms, with particular attention to farm werf layouts, building practices, farming strategies, and land-use patterns. The findings demonstrate that early Tygerberg farms were not static or uniformly planned entities, but rather dynamic, evolving landscapes characterised by adaptation, experimentation, and incremental development. Variations in werf layouts, construction materials, and spatial organisation reflect a pragmatic negotiation between European cultural traditions, VOC regulations, and the environmental realities of the Cape frontier. These practices reveal the emergence of locally grounded colonial identities and ways of dwelling that predate and anticipate the vernacular architectural forms traditionally associated with the eighteenth century. By treating the rural colonial landscape as an active historical agent rather than a passive backdrop, this study contributes to broader debates in historical and landscape archaeology concerning colonialism, identity formation, and human–environment interaction. It also provides the first comprehensive landscape-based archaeological study of the earliest Tygerberg farms, demonstrating the value of integrative and biographical; Hierdie studie ondersoek die vroegste koloniale plase wat gedurende die laat sewentiende en die vroeë agtiende eeu in die Tygerberg-streek van die Wes-Kaap (Kaapkolonie) gevestig is. Dit ondersoek die dinamiese wisselwerking tussen vroeë koloniale boere en die Tygerberg-landskap gedurende die vormingsfase van koloniale nedersettings waartydens die Kaap oorgegaan het van ‘n kwesbare VOCverversingstasie na ‘n permanente landboukolonie. Deur gebruik te maak van ‘n landskapargeologiese benadering, ondersoek die studie hoe Europese setlaars in ‘n landelike grenskonteks hul omgewing gekonseptualiseer, georganiseer en getransformeer het, en hoe hierdie prosesse in die argeologiese rekord vasgevang is. Die landelike koloniale landskap word hanteer as ‘n artefak wat gevorm is deur voortdurende menslike aktiwiteite en beïnvloed is deur omgewingstoestande, institusionele raamwerke en alledaagse praktyke. Deur te steun op kultuurlandskapteorie, landskapbiografie en fenomenologiese perspektiewe, integreer die studie argivale bronne, GIS-gebaseerde ruimtelike analise, argitektoniese opnames en gerigte argeologiese ondersoek. ‘n Sistematiese tyd– ruimte-ontledingsraamwerk word toegepas om opeenvolgende bewoningslae oor ‘n netwerk van vroeë Tygerberg-plase te identifiseer en te interpreteer, met besondere aandag aan die uitleg van plaaswerwe, boupraktyke, boerderystrategieë en grondgebruikspatrone. Die bevindinge toon dat vroeë Tygerberg-plase nie statiese of eenvormig beplande entiteite was nie, maar eerder dinamiese, ontwikkelende landskappe gekenmerk deur aanpassing, eksperimentering en inkrementele ontwikkeling. Variasies in die uitleg van werwe, boumateriaal en ruimtelike organisasie weerspieël ‘n pragmatiese verdiskontering van Europese kulturele tradisies, VOC-regulasies en die omgewingsrealiteite van die Kaapse grensgebied. Hierdie praktyke openbaar die ontstaan van plaaslik gegronde koloniale identiteite en woonwyses wat die Kaapse streeksargitektuur wat tradisioneel met die agtiende eeu geassosieer word, voorafgegaan en geantisipeer het. Deur die landelike koloniale landskap as ‘n aktiewe historiese agent eerder as ‘n passiewe agtergrond te hanteer, dra hierdie studie by tot breër debatte in historiese en landskapargeologie rakende kolonialisme, identiteitsvorming en mens–omgewinginteraksie. Dit bied ook die eerste omvattende landskapgebaseerde argeologiese studie van die vroegste Tygerberg-plase, wat die waarde van integrerende en biografiese benaderings demonstreer vir die ondersoek van vroeë koloniale kontekste wat gekenmerk word deur ‘n vae argeologiese nalatenskap en gefragmenteerde dokumentêre rekords.; Nkambisiso lowu wu kambisisa mapurasi yosungula ya vukoloni lawa ya simekiweke eka ndzhawu ya Tygerberg ya exifundzhakulu xa Western Cape (Cape Colony) eku heleni ka lembe xidzana ravu makume- nkombo na le kusunguleni ka khume-nhungu. Loko Cape yi cinca kusuka eka xitichi xo nyenyela xa VOC lexinga kuya eka koloni ya nkarhi hinkwawo ya “agrarian”, vulavisisi byi lavisisa ku tirhisana loku cinca cincaka exikarhi ka van’wamapurasi vosungula va vavakoloni xikan’we na ndzhawu ya Tygerberg hinkarhi wa xiphemu xo vumba xa vutshamo bya vukoloni. Hi ku tirhisa endlelo ra ndzhawu ya matimu ya khale , ndzavisiso wu lavisisa ndlela leyi vahlapfa va le tindhawini ta le makaya va anakanyeke, va hleleke ni ku hundzula mbango wa vona ha yona, ni ndlela leyi endlelo leri ri humeleleke ha yona eka tirhekhodo ta ndhawu ya matimu ya khale. Tindhawu ta le makaya ta tikoloni ti langutiwa tanihi nchumu lowu vumbiweke hi migingiriko ya vanhu leyi hlengeletiweke ni leyi kuceteriweke hi swiyimo swa mbango, swivumbeko swa minhlangano ni maendlelo ya siku na siku. Ku dirowiwa ka thiyori ya swa vutshami bya mfuwo ku tirhisa matimu ya ndzhavuko na mavonelo ya ntumbuluko, dyondzo leyi yi hlanganisa swihlovo swa vuhlayiselo, ku hlahluvisisa mbango loku sekeriweke eka GIS, ku rhekhoda ka miako na vulavisisi bya ndhawu ya matimu ya khale lebyi kongomisiweke. Ku tirhisiwa endlelo ra nkarhi na ndzhawu ku kumisisa no hlamusela swiyimo swa mintirho leyi landzelanaka hi ku landzelana eka netiweke ya mapurasi yo sungula ya Tygerberg, hi ku yisa nyingiso wo hlawuleka eka ku vekiwa ka mapurasi, maendlelo yo aka, maendlelo ya vurimi na maendlelo yo tirhisa misava Leswi kumiweke swi kombisa leswaku mapurasi ya khale ya Tygerberg a ma nga yimi kumbe a ma kunguhatiwe hi ndlela leyi fanaka, kambe a ma ri ya matimba, a ma cinca-cinca naswona a ma fambisana ni ku cinca-cinca, ku ringeta swilo ni ku hluvuka hakatsongo-tsongo. Ku hambana eka ndlela leyi “werfs layout” swi akiwaka ha yona, swilo swo aka ha swona na nhleleko wa ndhawu swi kombisa ku twanana exikarhi ka mindhavuko ya ndhavuko ya le Yuropa, milawu ya VOC, na mbango wa le ndzilakaneni wa Cape. Maendlelo lawa ya komba ku humelela ka vutitivisi bya tikoloni bya laha kaya na tindlela ta ku tshama leti nga emahlweni na ku langutela swivumbeko swa vuaki bya ndhavuko leswi fambelanaka na lembe xidzana ra vukhume nhungu. Hi ku languta tindhawu ta le makaya ta tikoloni tanihi xiphemu xa matimu ku nga ri ndhawu yo tshama eka yona, ndzavisiso lowu wu hoxa xandla eka minjhekanjhekisano yo anama ya matimu ni vuyimburi bya tindhawu ta khale mayelana ni vukoloni, ku vumbiwa ka vutitivisi ni ku tirhisana ka vanhu ni mbango. Yi tlhela yi nyika ndzavisiso wo sungula lowu heleleke wa vuyimburi bya masimu yo sungula ya Tygerberg, yi kombisa nkoka wa tindlela to hlanganisa ni ta ntivo-vutomi ku lavisisa swiyimo swo sungula swa tikoloni leti nga ni vuthala bya vuyimburi lebyi nga vonakiki kahle ni tirhekhodo ta matsalwa leti nga ni swiphemu-phemu. Text in English, with abstract in English, Afrikaans and Tsonga Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32604 2026-02-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32406 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’. Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32406 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32030 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 Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32030 2024-12-19T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32021 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 Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32021 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z