Spirit possession and social panic: Amakhosi possession and behaviour among learners in selected schools in Mdantsane Township
- Authors: Meveni, Siphiwo Douglas
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Spirit possession -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cults -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11775 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1018564 , Spirit possession -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cults -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This research sought to investigate the phenomenon of strange behaviour related to spirit possession called amakhosi in Mdantsane Township in East London in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This spirit phenomenon has recently been prevalent in Township schools in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces where school children were said to be possessed by a spirit which caused them to demonstrate a strange kind of destructive behaviour. These occurrences were also reported in the newspapers and community radio stations. All these media communications reported that teachers, parents and community leaders were increasingly concerned over a growing trend wherein children purchase muti called amakhosi which makes them to behave mysteriously and at times climbed school walls with their bear hands and at time becoming violent to the extent of threatening other learners and educators. The informants included community members, learners and educators. In a mainly qualitative research method, empirical data was collected from five selected high schools by means of observations, individual interviews and group discussions. The main aim of this study was to better understand this amakhosi phenomenon and to determine whether it is a spiritual, drug related or a social phenomenon. The findings of the study suggested that amakhosi possession is partly a spiritual phenomenon and should not be overlooked as it can result into serious crimes leading to death just like in the recent cases of satanic killing reported among the youth in South Africa. Secondly, there is also a strong element of drug abuse among the youth associated with amakhosi rituals. Lastly, amakhosi is more than just a spiritual issue. It is a socio-economic problem which mostly involves the youth who are struggling in identifying their roles and positions in the post apartheid South Africa. The main recommendation is that the amakhosi phenomenon needs a „wholistic‟ approach and not to just intervention by involvement of prayers and traditional healers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Meveni, Siphiwo Douglas
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Spirit possession -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cults -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11775 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1018564 , Spirit possession -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cults -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This research sought to investigate the phenomenon of strange behaviour related to spirit possession called amakhosi in Mdantsane Township in East London in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This spirit phenomenon has recently been prevalent in Township schools in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces where school children were said to be possessed by a spirit which caused them to demonstrate a strange kind of destructive behaviour. These occurrences were also reported in the newspapers and community radio stations. All these media communications reported that teachers, parents and community leaders were increasingly concerned over a growing trend wherein children purchase muti called amakhosi which makes them to behave mysteriously and at times climbed school walls with their bear hands and at time becoming violent to the extent of threatening other learners and educators. The informants included community members, learners and educators. In a mainly qualitative research method, empirical data was collected from five selected high schools by means of observations, individual interviews and group discussions. The main aim of this study was to better understand this amakhosi phenomenon and to determine whether it is a spiritual, drug related or a social phenomenon. The findings of the study suggested that amakhosi possession is partly a spiritual phenomenon and should not be overlooked as it can result into serious crimes leading to death just like in the recent cases of satanic killing reported among the youth in South Africa. Secondly, there is also a strong element of drug abuse among the youth associated with amakhosi rituals. Lastly, amakhosi is more than just a spiritual issue. It is a socio-economic problem which mostly involves the youth who are struggling in identifying their roles and positions in the post apartheid South Africa. The main recommendation is that the amakhosi phenomenon needs a „wholistic‟ approach and not to just intervention by involvement of prayers and traditional healers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The socio-cultural factors affecting the participation of women in agricultural development: Khezana village in Alice district
- Authors: Majali, Vuyiseka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/557 , Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study sought to investigate socio-cultural factors that contribute to the invisibility of women in agricultural activities at Khwezana village, Alice district. The present study was underpinned by a people’s –centered developmental approach paired with the feminist perspective based of ethnographic research methods, participant observation and basic individual interviews. The study mainly focused on female residents of the village, those who are active in agriculture and also those who are not practicing crop production. Rural women of South Africa have historically played a significant role by contributing in the sustainable livelihoods of the country as well as their communities. However, it has been revealed that there are factors that impede the participation of women in agricultural development. The study revealed that socio-cultural factors such as limited access to land, access to credit (due to tradition and culture circumstances), limited education and culture change in general are the major factors that significantly influence the low agricultural activity in the study village.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Majali, Vuyiseka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/557 , Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study sought to investigate socio-cultural factors that contribute to the invisibility of women in agricultural activities at Khwezana village, Alice district. The present study was underpinned by a people’s –centered developmental approach paired with the feminist perspective based of ethnographic research methods, participant observation and basic individual interviews. The study mainly focused on female residents of the village, those who are active in agriculture and also those who are not practicing crop production. Rural women of South Africa have historically played a significant role by contributing in the sustainable livelihoods of the country as well as their communities. However, it has been revealed that there are factors that impede the participation of women in agricultural development. The study revealed that socio-cultural factors such as limited access to land, access to credit (due to tradition and culture circumstances), limited education and culture change in general are the major factors that significantly influence the low agricultural activity in the study village.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
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