Showing items 1 - 20 of 7202

The exploration of Black and Brown drag performance communities: an artistic tool for creating safe spaces

  • Authors: Adriaan, Aaron Robert
  • Date: 2025-04-25
  • Subjects: Sexual minority culture South Africa , Performance art South Africa , Drag performance South Africa , Intersectionality (Sociology) , Autoethnography , Theater South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/478383 , vital:78182
  • Description: This research investigates the role of drag performance in South Africa, particularly its contribution to the fostering and maintenance of safe spaces for Black and Brown Queer communities. Inspired by the community building legacy Kewpie. This research project employs auto-ethnographic research practice to generate a better understanding of modes of Queer drag praxis drawing on Linda Tuhiwai Smith's (1999) concept of the "insider/outsider" researcher. The project acknowledges the ethical challenges of researching vulnerable communities. This research is guided by self-reflection and information gathered from fieldwork; informed by an awareness of the theory of ‘intersectionality’ (Carbado, Crenshaw, Mays, Tomlinson 2013) exploring the complexities of race, class, and sexuality within Cape Town’s Queer community. In this way, the study navigates the complexities of race, class, and sexuality within the drag context of Cape Town through the viewpoint of this researcher. The contextual exploration of drag unfolds across two interconnected disciplinary avenues: Firstly, the historical context of drag and its evolution within the performance art canon: to understand the place of contemporary drag in the broader artistic and cultural discourse. Secondly, the study investigates theatrical histories and conventions that have influenced and transformed drag practices. This is done to frame drag performance with forms of theatrical performance. This historical and disciplinary background is used to formulate a distinction that is at the centre of this research: proposing that contemporary drag practice in the City of Cape Town can be understood and to some extent distinguished by the categories of embodied costume and embodied performance. Embodied costume within the scope of this research view the use of drag aesthetics and visual elements in artistic expressions and performances that fall outside of traditional ‘drag show’ culture. Embodied performance refers to drag performances that fall within the context of traditional ‘drag show’ genres, communities, and venues − reminiscent of cabaret performance. This conception highlights the performative aspects of the drag persona, which is an extension of the performer’s identity. While some performers and performances can exemplify either embodied performance or embodied costume, these categories are not mutually exclusive, with incalculable overlaps in keeping with the rich possibilities of drag practice. The purpose of highlighting these distinctions is to create a critical framework for exploring the unique position drag occupies between fine art and theatre, incorporating both fields of practice, and synthesising them into a unique language for the expression of alternate gender narratives. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2025
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  • Date Issued: 2025-04-25

Enculturation and adaptation: a practice-led investigation into the history and contemporary transformation of the Bahananwa harepa

  • Authors: Madiba, Elija Moleseng
  • Date: 2025-04-02
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479607 , vital:78328 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479607
  • Description: This thesis investigates the cultural and musical transformations of the harepa, a stringed instrument initially introduced as the autoharp by Christian missionaries in the late nineteenth century, now deeply embedded within the Basotho ba Lebowa community in Limpopo, South Africa. Through an interdisciplinary approach that blends historical ethnography with practice-led research, this thesis explores the harepa's negotiation of identity amidst the cultural shifts and modernisation affecting the community. The musical output of the harepa showcases a unique hybridity that fuses Basotho ba Lebowa traditions with Western musical influences. The aim of this research is to document the harepa instrument, analyse its music and transformation processes, highlight the musical history of research partners and emphasise the unique tunings which are distinct from Western standards. Employing methodologies that integrate participant observation, ethnographic interviews, and direct musical practice, the research engages with local musicians to understand the contemporary relevance of the harepa and its role in sustaining cultural heritage. It examines shifts in musical practices, the decline of traditional uses of the harepa, and efforts towards its revitalisation, including documenting musical repertoires and analysing performance practices. The findings highlight a complex narrative of enculturation, adaptation, and resistance, revealing the resilience of cultural identity through unique tuning systems that contrast sharply with Western musical paradigms. African tuning practices, characterised by their flexibility and reliance on auditory perception, challenge the adequacy of Western tuning methodologies. This study also investigates the potential of sampling as a method for the sonic representation of African music, advocating for a more culturally sensitive framework that respects the diversity of global musical traditions. By focusing on this localised musical phenomenon, the study illustrates broader cultural preservation and innovation dynamics within Limpopo's Basotho ba Lebowa community. It calls for ongoing dialogue and research to develop methodologies that reflect the unique cultural contexts of musical traditions worldwide. Ultimately, this work underscores the importance of engaged, practice-led research in documenting and revitalising endangered musical cultures in the face of globalisation and cultural homogenisation. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2025
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  • Date Issued: 2025-04-02

Productive piano pedagogy: towards a compositional approach to piano lessons in a South African primary school in Makhanda, Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Wynne, Donovan
  • Date: 2025-04-02
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/479618 , vital:78329 , DOI 10.21504/10962/479618
  • Description: Despite global trends towards creative and productive musical learning, there is little available research on how to support music educators’ efforts to adopt productive praxis in piano lessons in primary schools, and none situated in South Africa. This climate of pedagogical innovation makes possible a turn to play-based teaching methods emerging from the global north, which are aligned with African traditions of knowledge transmission in which agentive participation in authentic cultural processes is of greater value than evaluative judgements of ensuant products. The literature advocates the cultivation of music learning ecologies that privilege learner agency through composition, yet practical means of doing so within established conventions of instrumental music tuition in South African primary schools are not provided. This thesis investigates how such an ecology might be cultivated in a primary school in the Eastern Cape, with particular emphasis on how this can be achieved without compromising established pedagogical practises that are oriented toward the attainment of important external benchmarks of musical achievement. A design-based study was conducted in a primary school over the course of 12 months, in which nine young students composed their own music during piano lessons through collaborative activity in which they were afforded a degree of autonomy in their work as they acquired and consolidated knowledge of music through its creation. A play-based teaching intervention was devised, which was iteratively enacted, analysed, and redesigned through three research cycles. This resulted in findings that drove the development of a framework for teaching composition in this context, as well as tangible teaching materials. Results show that this adapted play-based model is an effective vehicle for fostering an agentive music learning ecology in piano lessons in an Eastern Cape primary school and suggest that it is reasonable to expect similar success in comparable school contexts. The insularity of a single school setting limited this research in terms of broader applicability, so further trialling of the proposed framework is recommended in a range of school situations in South Africa and beyond to establish transferability. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2025
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  • Date Issued: 2025-04-02

A critical analysis of the music educator’s role in managing adolescent music performance anxiety

  • Authors: McLachlan, Elanie
  • Date: 2024-12
  • Subjects: Music -- Physiological aspects , Music -- Instruction and study -- Psychological aspects , Music -- Performance
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/70342 , vital:78341
  • Description: Music performance anxiety (MPA hereafter) has been widely reported in adolescent musicians (Braden, Osborne & Wilson, 2015; Dempsey & Comeau, 2019; Fehm & Schmidt, 2006; Kenny & Osborne, 2006; Osborne & Kenny, 2008; Papageorgi, 2021; 2022; Patston & Osborne, 2016; Rae & McCambridge, 2004; Thomas & Nettelbeck, 2014). Even though adolescent musicians experience MPA, research indicates that music educators do not necessarily discuss MPA with them (Fehm & Schmidt, 2006; Gill, Osborne & McPherson, 2022; MacAfee & Comeau, 2022; Ryan, Boucher & Ryan, 2021). Music educators have also indicated that they are rarely taught about MPA in tertiary courses (Moura & Serra, 2021; Norton, 2016). However, adolescents have expressed wanting more assistance managing MPA from their music educators (Fehm & Schmidt, 2006). Since adolescents expressed the need for assistance from music educators in managing MPA, my interest grew in researching the music educator’s role as depicted in literature, hence the motivation for this research study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to critically analyse the role of music educators in managing MPA in adolescent musicians. The role of music educators in managing adolescents’ MPA was addressed through the following primary research question: How does literature reflect the role of the music educator in managing adolescent MPA? In addition, the following sub-question was developed: Which coping strategies and treatments are mentioned in literature to assist music educators in managing adolescent MPA? An integrative literature review was chosen as the study’s methodology to critique and synthesise literature on the topic. Critical analysis and synthesis were used to identify aspects of adolescent MPA, music educators and MPA management that have been omitted or partially addressed in past research to form a new perspective. The critical analysis yielded areas in which new knowledge is needed. These results highlight the need for school music curriculums to contain guidelines regarding MPA and that music educators should be equipped with relevant knowledge to manage MPA effectively in adolescents. A research agenda was created to address the identified shortcomings. The research agenda demonstrates that information about MPA could be included in the school music curriculum in South Africa. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-12

An annotated catalogue and pedagogical approach to clarinet music by Southern African composers: 1995–2022

  • Authors: Snyman, Grant
  • Date: 2024-12
  • Subjects: Clarinet music , Clarinet and piano music , Composition (Music)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/70405 , vital:78347
  • Description: Documenting and cataloguing Southern African clarinet music for performing, teaching, and learning is one of the best ways to preserve the region’s heritage and rich musical identity. Globally, several publications contain annotated bibliographies for the clarinet repertoire, but only a limited number include works by Southern African composers. Continued research and cataloguing of clarinet-related literature is crucial for future developments of the clarinet within a Southern African context and ensuring that the music is not “lost” or that the composers remain unknown. In the past, clarinettists (students, performers, and educators) have experienced several issues when seeking reliable sources pertaining to works by Southern African composers. This newly formed database, archive, and catalogue will assist clarinettists in sourcing “unfamiliar” works and serve as a helpful multi-purpose tool. Recent research has shown an increased interest in creating catalogues for specific musical instruments. This catalogue will not only create an awareness of Southern African composers and their compositions but is presented in a user-friendly and easily accessible format. Although several Southern African compositions exist, they are not often performed or programmed. Besides not being included in concert performances, there is (1) a lack of interest and exposure to “new” repertoire for the clarinet in Southern Africa, (2) a general lack of commercially available recordings, (3) a lack of an extensive or inclusive resource, (4) a lack of information about these composers and access to their music, and (5) an unfamiliarity with contemporary works for the clarinet written by Southern African composers. Thus, an annotated catalogue of A and B♭ clarinet music composed by Southern African composers between 1995 and 2022 has been compiled and includes extended methods for the instrument and suggested teaching methods (facilitating preparation, interpretation, and informed approaches to the performance of Southern African compositions). Composers’ biographical details, an overview of the history of the clarinet and clarinet performance practices in each one of the selected countries, and a glossary of ‘new’ and extended techniques found in these ‘Southern African’ compositions have been included. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-12

Strategies to optimize quality of nursing care of patients in public hospitals in the Bono Region, Ghana

  • Authors: Atinga Ba-Etilayoo
  • Date: 2024-12
  • Subjects: Nursing -- Ghana , Nurse and patient , Communication in nursing
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69749 , vital:78016
  • Description: The quality of nursing care delivery is closely tied to positive patient outcomes and satisfaction. However, in Ghana's public hospitals, particularly in the Bono region, the standard of nursing care often falls short. Media reports have highlighted instances of poor nursing care, leading to increased patient morbidity and mortality in this area. Consequently, this study aimed to develop strategies that could be implemented by stakeholders to optimize the quality of nursing care for patients in public hospitals within the Sunyani municipality in the Bono region of Ghana. The Donabedian model of quality was the theoretical framework that underpinned this study. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed. The study was conducted in four phases: Phase One: This empirical phase explored and described participants' perceptions of nursing care quality in Bono region's public hospitals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews including purposively selected patient participants (n=18), professional nurses (n=18) and nurse managers (n=3) and analysed qualitatively following Creswell and Tesch’s (2021) six-step process. From this analysis, three main themes related to perceptions emerged-facilitators of, barriers to and outcomes of quality nursing care—and were thoroughly discussed. Phase Two: An integrative literature review was conducted to search, select, appraise, extract, and synthesise existing relevant literature on quality nursing care in public hospitals of lower to middle-income countries (LMICs). This review followed four stages recommended by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). The identified literature was critically appraised using the John Hopkins Nursing Evidence and Non-Research Evidence appraisal tools. The appraised literature was analysed, yielding nine strategies for optimizing the quality of nursing care in public hospitals from 12 articles under two themes: “Daily nursing care-related strategies” and “Organizational related strategies”. Phase Three: The findings from Phases One and Two were synthesised to develop a conceptual framework for strategies to optimize quality nursing care in Bono region's public hospitals. This framework was based on Dickoff et al.’s (1968) theory development outline. The resulting framework guided the drafting of the (I-CARE) strategies, an acronym for Implementing ABSTRACT v organizational strategies, Commitment to attributes and practices, Augmenting outcomes, Rendering holistic and patient-centered care, and Enhancing resources and support for quality nursing care. Phase Four: The I-CARE strategies were reviewed and validated by four experts with extensive backgrounds in strategy development and quality nursing care. The experts' modifications and recommendations were incorporated in finalizing the strategies. The strategies, when implemented, are expected to enhance the optimization of nursing care quality in Bono region's public hospitals, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and satisfaction. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Care & Medicinal Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-12

A conspiracy of silence: the authorial potential of full masks in performer training, dramaturgy and audience perception in South African visual theatre

  • Authors: Murray, Robert Ian
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Liezl de Kock , People with disabilities and the performing arts , Experimental theater South Africa , Actors Training of , Theater for deaf people South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/467083 , vital:76813 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/467083
  • Description: Silent Mask Theatre in South Africa has the potential to cut across linguistic divides and deliver a product that offers an intimate, unique experience for the audience as well as the actor. South Africa not only has a complicated history, but also 11 languages (12 if one counts South African Sign Language – SASL -, which still holds a curious position of being counted official or not), and the one that theatre-makers choose to present in gives a certain “authority” to the production. Silent masks remove the need for linguistic understanding, something necessary for more abstract thought, and focusses instead on the emotional relevance and interplay between characters. In doing so, it proves an important way to create relevance for an audience, creating a delicate dance between the Mask (character and thereby text), how the actor plays it, and then the closing of meaning through the audience experience. Thus, is created a trialogue between these elements that gives the production the opportunity to speak to the hearts and minds of the audience. Globally, the study of silent character masks is still relatively new, with proponents of it only coming to the fore in the past few years (Wilsher, 2007). Mask Theatre has grown exponentially in the UK and Europe with companies like Vamos Theatre, exploring PTSD in works like A Brave Face (2018) or death in Dead Good (2021), and Familie Flöz either on the more whimsical side like Hotel Paradiso (2011) or the more hard-hitting Infinito (2006), gaining popularity and exposure. In South Africa, there is strangely not an indigenous tradition of masks, as opposed to other parts of Africa. This is fascinating, and probably points towards a more “oral tradition” of South Africa/Africa. However, the author aims to point out the ways that the silent mask entered South African consciousness at a time where more attention was being paid to “performing objects” (Proschan, 1985), and particularly in Cape Town with the advent of the Out the Box Festival. This thesis aims to contextualise Visual Theatre and Mask Theatre in a South African context, seeing within it a movement towards a more global perspective of puppetry, material performances, and performing objects. Although “ghettoised” for a long time (Taylor, 2004), performing objects emerged and became a leading case for the primal “text” of a performance. Handspring Puppet Company, Janni Younge, and the author’s company, FTH:K, became primary grounds of contestation against more conventional, text-based theatre. Starting with a reflective account of the author’s journey towards masks, the thesis branches out into a reflection on its author’s pedagogical praxis, and how silent masks work, before critically reflecting on and analysing his key works, such as Pictures of You (2008-2013), which deals with home invasions and grief, and Benchmarks (2011), which deals with the wave of xenophobia that hit South Africa around that time. . This were built from the ground up, working with current issues both in the author’s, and the country’s, mileau. In the last two decades, performing object work in South Africa has begun to flourish. This is the first thesis to investigate mask work in the country during this period. Its possibilities for Screen and Stage Acting are still being explored. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Drama, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Church music as pedagogy: An investigation through digital storytelling into the role that Southern African Christian Church music praxis played in the musical development of five professional musicians

  • Authors: Mathebula, Praise Ntsako
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Church music Africa, Southern , Indigenous music , Digital storytelling , Music of Southern Africa , Musicians Africa, Southern , Western education
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465975 , vital:76673
  • Description: Using an ethnographic and autoethnographic approach, this study investigated how the church has influenced the development and practice of five professional musicians practicing in South Africa. This research resulted from discussions with numerous musicians who had their music genesis at church, some of them well-known professionals in the country. Reflecting on the history of church music education that can be traced back to the arrival of the missionaries on the African continent and the different types of music education settings that can be found in South Africa, this thesis analyses the approach and delivery of music pedagogy that exists in the South African church setting. Discussing the introduction of Western musical tools such as tonic-solfa, choral music and four-part singing, this research contextualises the historical effect of mission education of several South African composers, including Tiyo Soga, Enoch Sontonga and John Knox Bokwe. Thereafter, using Digital Storytelling (DS) as a methodology for data collection and Ethnographic Content Analysis (ECA) as an analytic tool, co-researchers were given the opportunity to create data or share their stories in a novel manner, which has proven to develop powerful, honest and self-reflexive results. Important pedagogic themes that emerged as being part of a shared church-led approach to music teaching and learning include practice and consistent performance; collaboration; imitation; embodied and experiential learning, rote learning, and memorisation. Central to using DS as a methodology, this study found that musical identity and early pedagogical approaches to learning music play an important factor in further musical development and education. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Composition portfolio

  • Authors: Musambasi, Richie Andile
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Ethnoscience , Oral tradition , Traditional knowledge , Marimba , Music Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466094 , vital:76684
  • Description: Indigenous Zimbabwean music is complex in its make up and reveals spiritual beliefs, modes of expression, communication patterns, and forms of entertainment. The goal of this composition portfolio is to create pieces that are imbued with the spirit of indigenous Zimbabwean music making as passed on from father to son. The pieces composed include thorough-composed (pre-determined) solo and ensemble frameworks using mostly marimbas based largely on Shona scales and tuning, but also adding mbira, hosho and djembe. All of this is presented within complex structural manipulations that include African and some Western elements of formal music structure. The compositions feature two interlocking parts, known as kushaura and kutsinhira (call and respond), which are traditionally played in a simultaneous manner by two or more musicians. In this portfolio, these voices are spread across a range of players where the interplay between the parts produces complex polyphonic and polyrhythmic musical relationships. The compositions explore modal changes which add excitement, variety and an extra layer of complexity to the pieces. The final artefact is presented as a multimedia submission recorded as a documentary in real time, which is a representation of the embodied making of the music, central to this project. As music was passed down through folk tales, religious gatherings, rock paintings and sources of art, the narration is the key element in expressing that knowledge dissemination is not only text bound, but also embodied and orally shared. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Eastern Cape jazz heritage: the jazz tradition and veteran musicians of East London and Zwelitsha

  • Authors: Giyose, Thandikile Qhawekazi
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Jazz musicians South Africa Eastern Cape , Jazz South Africa Eastern Cape , International Library of African Music , Popular-music archives , Collective memory in music , South African jazz
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465964 , vital:76672
  • Description: This thesis explores the memories of musicians and music collectors as evident in the performance of traditional jazz songs in East London and Zwelitsha. I ask, how may research on musicians and their songs develop new knowledge about the aesthetics of jazz in the Eastern Cape and contribute to transforming notions of memories and archives? I argue that these songs are repositories of collective memory about the musical pasts of Eastern Cape modernity. We commemorate cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town for nurturing South African jazz but what is known of the jazz musicians who remained in the country, and those musicians whose musicality was nurtured in the Eastern Cape? Where are the stories of their musical journeys and compositions located? How did these musicians contribute to the development of a form of South African jazz, which now represents and forms a large part of our heritage and our various identities as musicians, fans and performers in South Africa? In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with veteran jazz musicians, jazz music collectors and members of the younger generation of jazz musicians who are originally from or reside in East London and Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape. The research follows a qualitative methodology, using an exploratory case study with a focused ethnographic approach, to understand how these musicians’ songs have retained memories of their lived experiences. The research is derived from oral histories of musicians to understand how the songs survive in the collective memory of musicians and their fans, contributing to the preservation of Eastern Cape’s jazz heritage. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Mediating learning of sound through cultural music and dance stories to Grade 4 farm school learners

  • Authors: Tshitshi, Hlengiwe
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Technology Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Ethnoscience , Storytelling , Folk dancing , Folk music , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463647 , vital:76428
  • Description: The current South African Natural Science and Technology (NS-Tech) curriculum for grades 4–9 encourages teachers to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into their teaching. By doing so, it is hoped that this would contextualise and make science relevant to learners. However, the contradiction is that IK is hardly discussed in the curriculum and there are no clear guidelines on how to integrate it. It is against this background that in this study I used stories about cultural beliefs and practices on traditional music and dance to support Grade 4 NS-Tech from a farm school talking about and making sense of the topic of sound. This study is underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. A qualitative case study research design was employed, and the study was conducted in the Sarah Baartman District of the Eastern Cape. Four Grade 4 learners and four Indigenous Knowledge Custodians who were all family members were participants in this study. In addition, I invited an NS-Tech teacher to be my critical friend in this study. A focus group interview (sharing circle), participatory and lesson observations and learners’ journal reflections were employed to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory were used as lenses to analyse data. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were subsequently combined to form themes. The findings of this study revealed that the following factors can significantly enable/constrain the ability of Grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology learners from a farm school to comprehend and engage with the topic of sound: (1) integration of IK into science lessons, (2) Experiential learning through hands-on activities, (3) Community involvement in knowledge acquisition, and (4) Emotional effect of loud sounds. In addition, the contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Custodians facilitated a notable enhancement in learners’ dialogue and understanding of sound. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

No way to escape: a crime fiction

  • Authors: Dzanibe, Nkosivumile
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African fiction (English) 21st century , Short stories, South African (English) 21st century , Crime fiction , Crime in literature
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465923 , vital:76668
  • Description: This study presents a model for science engagement that incorporates journalistic approaches. This model emerges from a project that aimed to create engagement and communication around a genetically modified sugar cane variety, developed by the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI). In this project, we engaged with small scale growers in the North and South Coast region of KwaZulu-Natal. This study’s methodology is based in action research and an iterative approach to science communication and engagement. It draws and reflects on an action research cycle captured through video documentary as a way to effectively and thoroughly collect, analyse and interpret data and produce through the case study. Based on this action research process a model for science engagement is proposed and reflected on and interrogated by scientists and science communicators through a focus group engagement (see model here as part of this thesis): https://drive.google.com/file/d/14UD1qd4fPcqIZrkESq5v2wgJ1Y2Q7hON/view?usp=sharing. I reflect, using video, on this model and how it incorporates principles and techniques for public engagement drawn from different approaches to journalism and communication studies, I argue that science engagement can benefit from drawing from journalistic approaches to public engagement such as those emerging from development communication, public journalism and development journalism. The submission of this thesis includes various other videos as part of the overall thesis. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Languages and Literatures, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Singing pretty: investigating female respectability in classical vocal performance in South Africa

  • Authors: Van der Walt, Alida
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Respectability politics , Integrity , Classical music , Opera South Africa , Sex discrimination against women , Intersectionality (Sociology) , Women singers South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466102 , vital:76685
  • Description: In this thesis, I consider respectability in classical vocal performance in South Africa by presenting research on six women who hold prominent positions in this field intertwined with my own experiences in this arena. I introduce the context and background to my research across the fields of respectability politics, music studies, and intersectionality before investigating two main modes of gendered bodily respectability that featured in my singer-participants’ lives. These include first extra-bodily technologies in service of respectability, referring to anything that a singer may externally and visibly apply (on)to her body to enhance its physical appeal in specific ways, in line with respectability’s requirements. In thinking through the notion of extra-bodily technologies, I outline via cyborg theory how this first mode of respectability policing operates as an intersectionally oppressive force in my own and my singer-participants’ lives. The second form of bodily discipline emerges in what I call intra-bodily markers of respectability. In developing this term, I demonstrate, based on my singer-participants’ experiences and my own, how the policing of intra-bodily respectability markers may shift our understanding of identity performativity from the discursive realm into the physical. In doing so, I think critically about the importance of language in respectability’s shaping of women’s realities. With little subversive potential found in these themes, I explore the theme of play as a subversive strategy employed by the singers in my study, contrasting the playful subversion with my own mode of ‘serious’ rebellion. Play, with its ambiguous nature rooted in theories of psychology and self-realization, becomes a fundamental aspect of human development, allowing individuals to explore their capabilities and confront societal limitations. I explore the gendered aspects of subversive play in various arenas such as physical appearance, sexuality, musicianship, race, and class, emphasizing and questioning its potential as a political action within the constraints of societal structures. The final part of the thesis explores my own experiences of embodied unbecoming from respectability’s oppressions through vocal performance. Here, I tie together the three strands presented in the body of this thesis through my singing, transgressing body in reference to what I call a feminist musicianship practice as a way of singing beyond respectability. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Togetherness, care and exclusion: adolescents’ experiences of living with a disabled sibling in a South African context

  • Authors: Foote, Tamlyn Lou-Ann
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Siblings of people with disabilities South Africa , Interpretative phenomenological analysis , Sibilings Family relationships , Sibilings Psychological aspects , South Africa Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466995 , vital:76805 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466995
  • Description: The importance of the sibling relationship in an individual’s life has been established, and various aspects of siblingship have been studied. Recently researchers have begun to explore what it means to be a sibling and how siblingship is embodied. Where disability is present in the siblingship, however, there is very little literature, particularly in the Global South. This cross-cultural, cross-language, Interpretative Phenomenological study explores how isiXhosa speaking adolescent non-disabled people, living in a socio-economically disadvantaged context in South Africa, experience their lives in relation to their disabled sibling. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and photo-production with 9 isi-xhosa speaking adolescents from a disadvantaged socio-economic context in South Africa, three master themes emerged. Firstly, non-disabled siblings (NDSs) experienced togetherness in their relationships with their disabled brothers/sisters. In their experiences of togetherness, where reciprocity was prominent, they felt a sense of we-ness. In these instances, disability did not play a central role in their relationships. Secondly, NDSs living in disadvantaged socio-economic contexts experienced care in different ways. Some experienced wanting to care and some experienced having to care for their disabled brother or sister. Where care was voluntary it was experienced as an act of love, contributing to their self-esteem or a family value. Where care was experienced as obligatory, NDSs felt lonely and unsupported, and this contributed to ambivalent feelings toward their disabled sibling. Finally, NDSs experienced themselves as outsiders. Experiences of being an outsider sometimes occurred because of their socio-economic status, and sometimes because of experienced stigma related to their sibling’s disability. In both instances this contributed to feelings of inadequacy and exclusion. To overcome these feelings, NDSs focused on becoming successful, wealthy or famous. These findings have important implications in terms of how NDSs may be supported. Furthermore, this study has important methodological implications for using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in a cross-cultural, cross-language context. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Investigating playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in South African instrumental musicians

  • Authors: Green, Erryn Mae
  • Date: 2024-04-04
  • Subjects: Musculoskeletal disorder , Musculoskeletal system Diseases , Musicians Wounds and injuries , Musicians Health and hygiene , Human engineering South Africa , Musicians Health risk assessment , Biomechanics , Musical instruments , Music genre
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435310 , vital:73146
  • Description: This study, one of the first studies in SA to investigate PRMD in a wideranging sample of instrumental musicians using a validated self-report tool, shows that PRMDs are highly prevalent among a range of SA musicians and have a considerably negative effect on musicians’ performance ability and quality of life. However, making inferences about most affected genre or instrumental group was challenging due to the small sample sizes in some categories. The results from this study confirm that the nature of PRMD development is indeed multi-factorial, with factors numerous individual and playing-related factors playing a role in the development of PRMDs in SA musicians. Better support and education on health promotion for musicians, including awareness of and prevention strategies for PRMDs in the SA context are needed which may reduce the prevalence of PRMDs. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-04

Investigating unimodal isolated signer-independent sign language recognition

  • Authors: Marais, Marc Jason
  • Date: 2024-04-04
  • Subjects: Convolutional neural network , Sign language recognition , Human activity recognition , Pattern recognition systems , Neural networks (Computer science)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435343 , vital:73149
  • Description: Sign language serves as the mode of communication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, embodying a rich linguistic and cultural heritage. Recent Sign Language Recognition (SLR) system developments aim to facilitate seamless communication between the Deaf community and the broader society. However, most existing systems are limited by signer-dependent models, hindering their adaptability to diverse signing styles and signers, thus impeding their practical implementation in real-world scenarios. This research explores various unimodal approaches, both pose-based and vision-based, for isolated signer-independent SLR using RGB video input on the LSA64 and AUTSL datasets. The unimodal RGB-only input strategy provides a realistic SLR setting where alternative data sources are either unavailable or necessitate specialised equipment. Through systematic testing scenarios, isolated signer-independent SLR experiments are conducted on both datasets, primarily focusing on AUTSL – a signer-independent dataset. The vision-based R(2+1)D-18 model emerged as the top performer, achieving 90.64% accuracy on the unseen AUTSL dataset test split, closely followed by the pose-based Spatio- Temporal Graph Convolutional Network (ST-GCN) model with an accuracy of 89.95%. Furthermore, these models achieved comparable accuracies at a significantly lower computational demand. Notably, the pose-based approach demonstrates robust generalisation to substantial background and signer variation. Moreover, the pose-based approach demands significantly less computational power and training time than vision-based approaches. The proposed unimodal pose-based and vision-based systems were concluded to both be effective at classifying sign classes in the LSA64 and AUTSL datasets. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-04

Short Composition Portfolio

The private collection: aura, the cult of celebrity and, the construct of value in saleable works of art

  • Authors: Ellis, Yvette Tamsin
  • Date: 2024-04-03
  • Subjects: Aura , Celebrities , Consumerism , Art and society , Computer art , AI art , Value
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434574 , vital:73086
  • Description: A tenet of the twenty-first century is the monetisation of everything due to commercialisation. The effects of this commercialisation have crept into every aspect of our lives, and although in the art world it has mostly been underhanded in its adoption, the traces of commercialisations touch are still evident in its functioning. Due to this underhandedness there hasn't been much thought put into what 'the monetisation of everything' truly implies for the industry, or how the value of the art object devoted to commercialisation may look like. The Private Collection (exhibition title of the practical component for submission in MFA completion) addresses the concept of object value and, more specifically, how that value is created within the art world through mechanisms of commercialisation that include celebrity cult, functioning of possession (through collecting), and taste. Research into Walter Benjamin's theory of the authenticity of the work of art, and in particular his concept of "aura," has helped inform the creation of a marketing strategy propelled by value driven mechanisms found within the Art Market for The Private Collection. Particular emphasis is placed on how brand value drives sales in this thesis. Thus, The Private Collection: Aura, the Cult of Celebrity, and the Construct of Value in Saleable Works of Art, defines The Private Collection as a tailored system built expressly for engagement with economic forces inside the art industry. As a result, the position of this study is based on the marketability of the object through particular driving forces that have seeped into the value system of the saleable work of art. The position of this thesis is that in this commercialist system, driving forces of value can be sustained within instances of the multiple. The project additionally supports this in maintaining that interaction from a fine art perspective would be limited if restricted to orthodox approaches (a gallery showing, and one print works), which is why a more economically interactive approach (e-commerce) was decided on for the exhibition component. The Private Collection offers an observation that the worth of a saleable work of art has become a warped representation of the commercial context we find ourselves in and that value is only awarded through particular kingmakers of the system. The practical component of this submission can be viewed online by clicking the image below. Please note that the website is not optimised for phone or tablet use, please instead view it on a computer (preferably a desktop) in full screen mode. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-03

Barriers faced by women in public sector leadership roles

  • Authors: Khoza, Zelda
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Women construction workers -- South Africa -- Management , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Leadership -- South Africa , Equality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64599 , vital:73770
  • Description: This research aims to analyse barriers that hinder women from occupying senior leadership posi-tions and to identify strategies that can be utilised to enable women to be appointed in these posi-tions at Transnet. The study identifies implementable strategies to assist women who aspire to be part of senior leadership and face barriers that hinder them from progressing to leadership posi-tions. The research adopts a pragmatic research paradigm, including quantitative and qualitative meth-ods, to explain the barriers associated with women advancing to leadership positions within the company. The data was collected through survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The analysis indicates that women are still under-represented in Transnet, even though efforts are being made to close this gap. Ineffective implementation of policies, due to lack of facilitating roles by HRM and line managers as expected, and lack of required support from the organisation play a significant role in creating barriers hindering senior leadership positions. The research findings can inform Human Resource Management (HRM) about the need for effec-tive implementation of policies and intensified monitoring to address the identified barriers that hin-der women from occupying senior leadership positions. Transnet should foster an organisational culture to build solid connections and engage diverse stakeholders to increase their impact and access to resources and drive positive organisational change. Transnet can leverage these find-ings to develop programmes and initiatives that support women’s career advancement and skills development. With these findings, Transnet should consider implementing strategies that provide flexible working conditions. Lastly, these findings aid Transnet in providing mentorship to women as a valuable leadership opportunity in the organisation. This study contributes to the existing literature on barriers that hinder women from occupying sen-ior leadership positions within organisations. The study also provides vital insights into the rolling out of women’s development programmes and the encouragement they bring. It offers implications for future research, policy changes, professional practices, and strategies to assist women in lead-ership positions. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring 3d printing of brass instruments: a comparative study of French horn mouthpieces

  • Authors: Barker, Dylan Bruce
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Horn (Musical instrument) , Three-dimensional printing , Instrumentation and orchestration (Band)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62755 , vital:72939
  • Description: The French horn is an orchestral instrument with a rich history that spans centuries, undergoing notable transformations in its design and functionality. A short overview of this history is provided in Appendix A. Originating as a simple coil, the French horn has evolved to encompass a complex valve system, multiple harmonic series, and a diverse range of modifications tailored to players' preferences and requirements. These modifications include mutes, grips, extra keys, and even the exploration of different materials for mouthpieces. The use of plastic rims on mouthpieces, for reasons such as allergies, thermal conductivity, and tactile sensation, has already gained traction among horn players (Tuckwell, 2002). In the realm of manufacturing and technology, the concept of additive manufacturing has emerged as a promising avenue. Referred to as the next "industrial revolution” (Berman, 2012), additive manufacturing has become increasingly accessible through desktop-scale 3D printers. This technology offers a viable method for producing cost-effective musical instruments and enhancers without compromising quality (Kantaros, 2018). As evidenced by a 2018 Roundtable report from the South African Parliament, additive manufacturing aligns with the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution, prompting governments to develop policies and strategies to harness its potential. Given the significance of additive manufacturing, a comprehensive investigation into applying these new technologies for the horn is warranted. Specifically, material choice, quality of sound, and the experience of performing on a printed mouthpiece is investigated and compared to a traditional metal mouthpiece. While the horn is comprised of many individual components, this study relates specifically to the mouthpiece. A brief appraisal of the significance of the mouthpiece will follow in the next section. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2024
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2024-04
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