Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
Other Authors: Mji, Gubela
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2023
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613891043786753
access_status_str Open Access
author Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
author2 Mji, Gubela
author_browse Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
Mji, Gubela
author_facet Mji, Gubela
Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
author_sort Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128429
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:20.403Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128429 Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo Mji, Gubela Ohajunwa, Chioma Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Rehabilitation Studies. Indigenous peoples -- Social life and customs -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) Philosophy, African -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) Xhosa (African people) -- Rituals -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) Rites and ceremonies -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) Ubuntu (Philosophy) -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH SUMMARY: The disability scholarship has always been dominated by Western literature (1)(2)(3)(4) which locates disability on the person and presents it as a tragedy without considering contextual factors which contribute to the various understandings of disability by people of the South. With a paucity of literature on disability by African scholars, some literature on disability in Africa is most of the time presented by people from the North who leave out the situations and things that existed in the past and are part of the people’s history – this is a missed opportunity on important aspects of disability of Indigenous peoples. The study explored the Xhosa rituals and traditions of Bomvana people (an Indigenous community in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa) from birth to adulthood, and how persons with disabilities experienced these rituals. The study also explored the contribution of these rituals to the health and wellbeing of the person. Factors that contributed towards building a collective disability framework that is centred around the worldview of AmaBomvana for the health and wellbeing of the community were also explored. Data gathering methods included an exploratory case study with persons with disabilities, focus group discussions with knowledge holders, observations, one-on-one in-depth interviews, journaling, and informal conversations. Sampling of participants from the three Gusi village clusters comprised of 50 participants. Content analysis was used with the text divided into meaningful units – guided by the study aim and the research questions. The PhD study findings presented conceptualisation of disability by AmaBomvana, which demonstrated that their Indigenous worldview plays a role in how they interpret the world. Their understanding of disability is in contrast with Western approaches, and carries respect and dignity, which attests to their ancestral reverence – whereby spirituality takes precedence to the physical. Hence their disability ontology is quite unique and comforting. Ubuntu as the Bomvana guiding principle serves to examine and guide justification for their moral judgements in their community. The study concluded by proposing a disability framework that is modelled on collectivism which continues to express Ubuntu philosophy as principle. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gestremdheidswetenskap is nog altyd oorheers deur Westerse literatuur, wat gestremdheid op die persoon plaas en dit as 'n tragedie voorhou sonder om kontekstuele faktore in ag te neem wat bydra tot die verskillende begrippe van gestremdheid deur mense van die Suide. Met 'n gebrek aan literatuur oor gestremdheid deur Afrika-geleerdes, word sommige literatuur oor gestremdheid in Afrika meestal aangebied deur mense uit die Noorde wat die situasies en dinge wat in die verlede bestaan het en deel is van die mense se geskiedenis uitlaat – dit is 'n verspeelde geleentheid oor belangrike aspekte van gestremdheid op inheemse mense. Die studie handel oor die ondersoek van die Xhosa-rituele en -tradisies van Bomvana-mense vanaf geboorte tot volwassenheid, en hoe persone met gestremdhede hierdie rituele ervaar. Die studie ondersoek ook die bydrae van hierdie rituele tot die gesondheid en welstand van die persoon. Faktore wat bydra tot die bou van 'n kollektiewe gestremdheidsraamwerk wat gesentreer is rondom die wereldbeskouing van AmaBomvana vir die gesondheid en welstand van die gemeenskap, word ondersoek. Data-insamelingsmetodes sluit 'n verkennende gevallestudie met persone met gestremdhede, fokusgroepbesprekings met kennishouers, waarnemings, een-tot-een-diepte-onderhoude, joernaal en informele gesprekke in. Steekproefneming van deelnemers uit die drie Gusi-dorpsklusters het n=50ingesluit. Inhoudsontleding met die teks wat in betekenisvolle eenhede verdeel is – gelei deur die studiedoel en die navorsingsvrae is gebruik. Die konseptualisering van gestremdheid deur AmaBomvana het getoon dat hul inheemse wereldbeskouing 'n rol speel in hoe hulle die wereld interpreteer. Hul begrip van gestremdheid is in kontras met Westerse benadering, dra respek en waardigheid, wat getuig van hul voorvaderlike eerbied – waardeur spiritualiteit voorkeur geniet bo die fisiese. Daarom is hul gestremdheidsontologie nogal uniek en vertroostend. Ubuntu as die Bomvana-beginsel dien om die rasionele regverdiging vir hul morele oordele in hul gemeenskap te ondersoek. Gevolglik is die voorgestelde gestremdheidsraamwerk geskoei op kollektivisme met Ubuntu is die kernbestanddeel. Doctorate 2023-01-16T10:54:13Z 2023-08-30T13:05:27Z 2023-03 2023-01-16T10:54:13Z 2023-08-31T09:18:41Z 2023-01-16T10:54:13Z 2023-08-31T09:18:41Z 2023-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128429 en_ZA Stellenbosch University application/pdf xxi, 278 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Indigenous peoples -- Social life and customs -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Philosophy, African -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Xhosa (African people) -- Rituals -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Rites and ceremonies -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Ubuntu (Philosophy) -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
UCTD
Dwadwa-Henda, Nomvo
Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title_full Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title_fullStr Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title_full_unstemmed Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title_short Experiences of persons with disabilities of Xhosa rituals and traditions, which contribute to health and wellbeing
title_sort experiences of persons with disabilities of xhosa rituals and traditions which contribute to health and wellbeing
topic Indigenous peoples -- Social life and customs -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Philosophy, African -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Xhosa (African people) -- Rituals -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Rites and ceremonies -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Ubuntu (Philosophy) -- Eastern Cape (South Africa)
UCTD
url https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128429
work_keys_str_mv AT dwadwahendanomvo experiencesofpersonswithdisabilitiesofxhosaritualsandtraditionswhichcontributetohealthandwellbeing