Shaping Moral Values and Guiding Youth through Tshivenḓa Proverbs: A Literary Analysis of Tshindane’s U gidima hu fhirwa nga u tshimbila (2023)

Radzilani  Rendani; Mbulaheni Mudau

doi:10.25159/2663-6697/20233

Authors

Radzilani Rendani University of South Africa
Mbulaheni Mudau University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6697/20233

Keywords:

moral values, youth , Tshivenḓa proverbs, literary analysis, Afrocentricity theory

Abstract

This study explores the role of Tshivenḓa proverbs in fostering moral values and guiding youth behaviour within the Venda community, with particular attention to their pedagogical function in literature. Proverbs, as carriers of collective wisdom, operate not only as linguistic expressions but as instruments of intergenerational moral instruction. Using a literary analysis, the study examines proverbs embedded in Tshindane’s U gidima hu fhirwa nga u tshimbila (2023), a narrative centred on a young girl’s life and the consequences of impulsive decision-making, where the titular proverb, u gidima hu fhirwa nga u tshimbila (walking is better than running), anchors themes of patience, wisdom, and measured action. Nine key proverbs are analysed for their denotative and connotative meanings and for how they function within plot and characterisation. Framed by Afrocentricity, the analysis provides a culturally grounded account of how indigenous knowledge systems can sustain moral consciousness and cultural continuity among African youth. The study, therefore, aims to show how Tshivenḓa proverbs in Tshindane’s novel operate as instruments of moral instruction by examining their meanings and narrative roles through an Afrocentric lens, asking in particular: How do these proverbs shape youth moral values and behaviour, and what does an Afrocentric reading reveal about their pedagogical and culture-sustaining functions?

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