THE DOMBA LANGUAGE VARIETY AS A VEHICLE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/1016-8427/1616Abstract
Among Vhavenḓa, domba is an indigenous initiation institution that both men and women attend. This is a unique indigenous institution which prepares young men and young women together in order to understand the importance of marriage, child-birth and other aspects of life. And as a result, this paper outlines the use of the language variety associated with this institution as well as its educational significance among the Vhavenḓa. The use of this variety, when domba is in session, plays an important role in educating young men and women to be responsible for their families and properties. In addition, cultural values and norms which are no longer observed today in many African communities are also taught by this institution. Although this variety promotes safe sex and sex only after marriage, it has also served as a breeding ground for a gendered variety of the language because it advocates that men and women should not be treated equally. Despite some difficulties, an understanding of the role played by the domba language variety in education by the Venda people and of the education received by initiates in this institution will allow us to recapture the space we need to reinvent ourselves, and to fashion knowledge systems and strategies to ensure a responsible adult life. This will empower us to become independent people capable of producing a value system worthy of our dignity.References
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