Breaking the Seal: Decoding Rites of Passage in Tshivenḓa Poetry

Moffat Sebola

doi:10.25159/1753-5387/20334

Authors

Moffat Sebola University of Limpopo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0903-283X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/1753-5387/20334

Keywords:

culture , gender, Domba, initiation, Murundu, poetry, rites of passage

Abstract

This article analyses two poems that thematise Murundu and Domba, initiation rites for boys and girls in Tshivenḓa culture. Despite these rites being imperatively central to Vhavenḓa, they remain strictly bound to secrecy, silence, and mystery, resulting in their minimal documentation. However, Ralson Ramudzuli Matshili’s two poems on Murundu and Domba enlighten the reader on how the rituals operate. Guided by semiotic theory and thematic analysis, this article examines the poems’ use of symbolic language to reveal the inner workings and meanings of the rites. The article shows that the rites operate at a level surpassing other rituals, as they contribute to the construction and expression of the initiates’ transformed identities. Ultimately, the article foregrounds poetry as a key commentator on culture and notions of masculinity and femininity, and thus adds to the discourse on gender and culture.

Author Biography

Moffat Sebola, University of Limpopo

Department of Languages

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