Exploring the indigenous religious identities of African adolescents in selected South African secondary schools

Abstract

This study was undertaken to explore the indigenous religious identities of African adolescents in selected secondary schools in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The empirical investigation used a qualitative, phenomenological collective case study design. The framework for the study was provided by constructivist theory and African indigenous knowledge and was justified by an extensive literature study. Purposive sampling was used to select forty-two learners from Grades 8 to 11, thirty- three of whom were from African initiated churches, eight belonged to various Christian denominations and one was an atheist. The most significant finding was that the indigenous religious identities of adolescents are not adequately accommodated and supported in South African secondary schools. Accordingly, recommendations were made for affirming adolescents’ indigenous religious identities in the implementation of RE in the classroom.

Lolu cwaningo lwenziwa ngenhloso yokuhlaziya nokuhlolisisa izimo nezici zobunjalo bentsha empisholo esesigabeni sokuthomba (adolescents) elandela izinkolo zomdabu noma zendabuko efunda ezikoleni ezingamasekhondari ezikhethiweyo esifundazweni saseMpumalanga, eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo obelugxile ezintweni eziphathekayo nezibonakalayo lwasebenzisa idizayini yocwaningo lwezigameko ekhwalithethivu ebhekisisa isigameko ngasinye ngenhloso yokuhlaziya izimo kanye nezinto ezinokufana okuthile phakathi kweqoqwana lwezigameko ezimbadlwana (phenomenological collective case study design). Uhlaka locwaningo kwahlinzekwa yitiyori egxile ekutheni abantu bakha ulwazi kanye nokuqonda kwabo ngokususela ezimweni abadlule kuzona futhi abahlangabezane nazo ezimpilweni zabo (constructivist theory) kanye nolwazi lwendabuko lwase-Afrika, futhi lokhu kwasekelwa kwaphinde kwafakazelwa ngohlaziyo olubanzi lwemibhalo ephathelene nezihloko ezihlobene nalokhu. Kwasetshenziswa indlela yokukhetha ababambiqhaza ngokubheka izimo nezici zabo kanye nezinhloso zocwaningo (purposive sampling) futhi ngaleyo ndlela kwaqokwa abafundi abangama-42 abafunda iBanga lesi-8 kuya kwele-11; futhi abangama-33 kulaba bafundi ngabalandeli bamabandla endabuko ase-Afrika, kanti abayisishiyagalombili bebevela emabandleni obuKhrestu ahlukahlukene, futhi bekunomfundi oyedwa ongumhedeni (ongakholelwa kuNkulunkulu). Umphumela osemqoka kakhulu owatholwa ocwaningweni wukuthi azibhekelelwa futhi azisekelwa ngokwanele nangokugculisayo izimo nezici zobunjalo bentsha esesigabeni sokuthomba elandela izinkolo zendabuko efunda ezikoleni ezingamasekhondari eNingizimu Afrika. Ngenxa yalokho-ke kwenziwa izincomo zokuthi kumele zibhekelelwe izimo nezici zobunjalo bentsha esesigabeni sokuthomba elandela izinkolo zomdabu ekufundisweni kwesifundo sezenkolo (RE) ekilasini.