Perceptions of the Vhavenḓa Youth regarding Murundu and Vhukomba Initiation Schools: A Case Study from Tshimbupfhe-Davhana Villages, Vhembe District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6697/19708Keywords:
Traditional schools, Vhavenḓa, youth, Sankofa, culture, murundu, vhukombaAbstract
This study investigates the perceptions of Vhavenḓa youth regarding murundu (initiation schools for boys) and vhukomba (initiation schools for girls) in the Tshimbupfhe-Davhana villages in the Vhembe District, South Africa. From most African perspectives, traditional schools facilitate the transition from childhood to adulthood through rites of passage. These schools are rooted in the cultural and spiritual traditions of communities. They are designed to teach youth life skills, values, and cultural knowledge that prepare them for future adult responsibilities. The curriculum in traditional schools focuses on moral development, politeness, cultural practices, social responsibilities, and sometimes physical endurance. This study employed face-to-face semi-structured interviews to collect the data, focusing on a sample of 30 Tshivenḓa-speaking youths. The research is undergirded by the Sankofa theory as a framework for understanding the perceptions of the Vhavenḓa youth regarding the murundu and vhukomba. The findings revealed that these schools impart essential life lessons, including respect for elders, community engagement, and personal development, which are often absent in formal education systems. The study suggests that fostering a stronger connection between the youth and their language and cultural heritage will help sustain these traditions, ensuring their continued relevance and integration into the community’s social fabric.
References
Asante, M. K. 1990. Kemet, Afrocentricity and Knowledge. Trenton: Africa World Press.
Bless, C., C. Higson-Smith, and A. Kagee. 2006. Fundamentals of Social Research Methods: An African Perspective, 4th ed. Cape Town: Juta.
Brynard, P. A., S. X. Hanekom, and D. J. Brynard. 2015. Introduction to Research in Management-Related Fields. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
Cekiso, M., and Meyiwa, T. 2014. "Gendered Naming and Values Attached to AmaXhosa Amakrwala (graduate-initiates)." Journal of Social Sciences 40 (1):75-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718923.2014.11893304
Creswell, J. W. 2007. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Du Plooy, S. 2006. "Female Initiation: Becoming a Woman among the Basotho." Master's dissertation, University of the Free State.
Hinton, L. 2011. Revitalizing Endangered Languages: A Practical Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Krauss, M. 2007. "The World's Languages Are in Crisis." Language 83(1): 4-10. https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.1992.0075
Kumar, R. 2005. Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications.
Ladzani, K. Y. 2014. "Moral Regeneration in the Lives of Vhavenḓa Youth through the Indigenous Knowledge System: Applied Ethnography of Communication-based Approaches with Special Reference to Tshivenḓa." Doctoral thesis, University of South Africa.
Ladzani, K. 2022. "Re-Imagining Tshivenḓa Initiation Schools as Repositories of Life Skills in African Societies in the COVID-19 Era: A Conceptual Intervention." Indilinga African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems 21(1):93-101.
Letseka, M. 2013. "Educating for Ubuntu/Batho: Lessons from Basotho Indigenous Education." Open Journal of Philosophy 3(2):337-344.
https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2013.32051
Mabena, D. K. 1999. "The Role of Initiation Schools in the Identity Formation of Southern Ndebele Adolescent Boys." Master's dissertation, University of South Africa.
Maharasoa, M. M. A., and. Maharaswa, M. B. 2004. "Men's Initiation Schools As a Form of Higher Education within the Basotho Indigenous Knowledge System." South African Journal of Higher Education 18(3):106-114. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajhe.v18i3.25484
Malisha, L. 2005. "An Analysis of the Impact of Traditional Initiation Schools on Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Case Study of Rural Thulamela Municipality." Master's dissertation, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Malisha, L., P. Maharaj, and M. Rogan. 2008. "Rites of Passage to Adulthood: Traditional Initiation Schools in the Context of HIV/AIDS in the Limpopo Province, South Africa." Journal on Health, Risk and Society 10(6):585-598. https://doi.org/10.1080/13698570802533713
Mavundla, T. R., F. Mbengo, and K. B. Ngomi. 2020. "Perceived Influence of Value Systems on the Uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision among Men in Kweneng East, Botswana." SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS 17(1):22-29.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17290376.2020.1810748
Mguzulwa, S., and T. Gxubane. 2019. "The Impact of Youth Gang Violence on the Educational Attainment of Male High School Learners in Khayelitsha." Social Work/ Maatskaplike Werk 55(3). http://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pub
https://doi.org/10.15270/55-3-739
Mhlahlo A. P. 2009. "What is Manhood? The Significance of Traditional Circumcision in the Xhosa Initiation Ritual." Master's dissertation, Stellenbosch University.
Milubi, M. 2000. "Male Initiation Rituals among the Vhavenḓa People: A Cultural Perspective." South African Journal of Anthropology 8(3):112-119.
Mohlaloka, S. B., L. Jacobs, and N. C. De Wet. 2016. "The Influence of Traditional Male Initiation (Lebollo) On School Discipline: Educators' Perspectives." Deviant Behavior 37: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2015.1071132
Mohlaloka, S. M. B. 2014. "Towards Policy Implementation: Exploring Behaviour of Male Learners Who Underwent Traditional Initiation Schooling." Master's dissertation, University of the Free State.
Mudau, P. P. 2024. "Exploring the Importance of Traditional Schools in Maintaining the Heritage Language: A Study of Tshivenḓa from Tshimbupfhe, South Africa." Forum for Linguistic Studies 6(5):213-225. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.7156
Mudau, P. P. 2025. "Respect and Politeness as Ingredients of Indigenous Forms of Address: A Phenomenological Study of Tshivenḓa from Mavhulani, South Africa." African Identities 24(2):1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2025.2452397
Mudau, P. P., I. P. Mandende, and M. Mushaathoni. 2024. "Indigenous Language Preservation: A Study of the Tshivenḓa Speech Community in South Africa." Journal of Intercultural Communication 24(4):1-12. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v24i4.969
Murovhi, A., P. Matshidze, V. Netshandama, and E. Klu. 2018. "Traditional Child Rearing Practices in Vhavenḓa Families South Africa." Journal of Gender, Information, and Development in Africa 7(1):21-37. https://doi.org/10.31920/TCR_7_1_18
Ndou, A., and A. H. Mavhandu. 2022. "Could Vhavenda Initiation Schools be a Panacea for HIV and AIDS Management in the Vhembe District of South Africa?" Curationis 45(1): 23-56. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v45i1.2356
Ntombana, L. 2011. "Should Xhosa Male Initiation Be Abolished?" International Journal of Cultural Studies 14(6):631-640.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1367877911405755
Ramphabana, L. B., and S. F. Rapholo. 2025. "The Intersection of Culture, Tradition, and Delayed Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse: Insights from the Vhavenḓa Tribe." Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 37(1):1-18.
https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/15974
Republic of South Africa. 2021. Customary Initiation Act 2 of 2021. Government Gazette No. 44217. Pretoria: Government Printer.
Statistics South Africa. 2022. Quarterly Labour Force Survey: Quarter 1 2019 [Online]. https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/po211/p02111stQuarter2019-pdf (accessed on 19 February 2025).
Stinson, K. 2008. "Male Circumcision in South Africa: How Does It Relate to Public Health?" African Journal of AIDS Research 7(1):1-8.
https://doi.org/10.2989/AJAR.2008.7.1.1.429
Van Rooyen, L., F. Potgieter, and L. Mtezuka. 2006. "Initiation School amongst the Southern Ndebele People of South Africa: Depreciating Tradition or Appreciating Treasure?" International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 2(13):13-41.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2006.9747964
Venter, R. 2013. "Xhosa Male Initiation: Freedom of Choice Versus the Need to Belong." Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 25(2):139-147. https://doi.org/10.2989/17280583.2013.767263
Vincent, L. 2008. "Boys Will Be Boys': Traditional Xhosa Male Circumcision, HIV and Sexual Socialisation in Contemporary South Africa." Culture, Health and Sexuality: An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care 10(5):431-446.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13691050701861447
Wilkinson, D., and Birmingham, P. 2003. Using Research Instruments: A Guide for Researchers. London: Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203422991
Williman, J. 2011. Research Methods: A Practical Guide for the Social Sciences. London: Routledge.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright will be vested in Unisa Press. However, as long as you do not use the article in ways which would directly conflict with the publisher's business interests, you retain the right to use your own article (provided you acknowledge the published version of the article) as follows:
- to make further copies of all or part of the published article for your use in classroom teaching;
- to make copies of the final accepted version of the article for internal distribution within your institution, or to place it on your own or your institution's website or repository, or on a site that does not charge for access to the article, but you must arrange not to make the final accepted version of the article available to the public until 18 months after the date of acceptance;
- to reuse all or part of this material in a compilation of your own works or in a textbook of which you are the author, or as the basis for a conference presentation.
