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The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach

Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2022.

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Other Authors: Dreyer, Yolanda
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2023
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Dreyer, Yolanda
author_browse Dreyer, Yolanda
author_facet Dreyer, Yolanda
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2022.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89220
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:40:44.121Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89220 The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach Dreyer, Yolanda scmusasiwa@gmail.com Musasiwa, Sylvia Chirevesayi Practical Theology UCTD Zezuru culture Zezuru death rites Kuvhura dombo (tombstone unveiling) Pastoral role Counselling perspective Theology theses SDG-03 Theology theses SDG-05 Theology theses SDG-10 Theology theses SDG-11 Theology theses SDG-16 Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2022. The study explores the dynamics of the role of women in the Zezuru death rites of passage. Data was gathered by means of a qualitative phenomenological research design. Narrative interviews were done with six participants and two focus groups were employed at a widow’s retreat and a pastors’ workshop. The main objective of the study was to examine the role of women in the Zezuru death rites of passage and the extent to which the church can contextualize and utilize those rites of passage to provide effective pastoral care to the bereaved Zezuru widows as they go through their prolonged grief process. The study found that the role of Zezuru women is indispensable in the performance of post-death rituals. They are active at every stage of the death rites of passage. On the other hand, the women, such as the bereaved widows who are closest to the deceased and whose lives are most affected by the death, are marginalized in many respects. While actively performing culturally prescribed roles they nevertheless have little to no decision-making authority in post-death rituals involving their loved ones. The study then explored Christian functional substitutes for some of the cultural practices that could be implemented by the church in its fulfilment of its pastoral role. These functional substitutes would then serve to achieve a better gender balance in post-death rituals while honouring the Zezuru culture and accommodating the sensibilities of Zezuru Christians. The study concludes with an exploration of how, from a pastoral care and counselling perspective, the faith community can facilitate healing, guiding, sustaining, nurturing, liberating and empowering with Zezuru widows. It recommends that functional substitutes over and above the Nyaradzo (Comforting service) and kuvhura dombo (tombstone unveiling) should be explored in future studies ae2026 Practical Theology PhD (Practical Theology) Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-05: Gender equality SDG-10: Reduced inequalities SDG-11: Sustainable cities and communities SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions 2023-02-07T10:26:10Z 2023-02-07T10:26:10Z 2023-04-24 2022 Thesis * A2023 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89220 Disclaimer letter en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Practical Theology
UCTD
Zezuru culture
Zezuru death rites
Kuvhura dombo (tombstone unveiling)
Pastoral role
Counselling perspective
Theology theses SDG-03
Theology theses SDG-05
Theology theses SDG-10
Theology theses SDG-11
Theology theses SDG-16
The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title_full The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title_fullStr The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title_full_unstemmed The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title_short The role of women in the death rites of passage within the Zezuru culture of Zimbabwe : a pastoral approach
title_sort role of women in the death rites of passage within the zezuru culture of zimbabwe a pastoral approach
topic Practical Theology
UCTD
Zezuru culture
Zezuru death rites
Kuvhura dombo (tombstone unveiling)
Pastoral role
Counselling perspective
Theology theses SDG-03
Theology theses SDG-05
Theology theses SDG-10
Theology theses SDG-11
Theology theses SDG-16
url https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89220