Mvukululo ya mvelele na vhunne: tsedzuluso ya manwalwa a sialala a Tshivenda tshitirikini tsha Beitbridge, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Maṅwalwa a sialala ndi maṅwalwa a songo tou ṅwaliwaho o shumiswaho nga tshaka nnzhi dza Vharema u bva izwo kale u bvukulula mvelele na vhunṋe zwavho. Ṱhoḓisiso iyi yo ṱoḓisisa nga ha ndeme ya maṅwe maṅwalwa a sialala a Vhavenḓa vha Beitbridge, Zimbabwe ane a bvukulula mvelele na vhunṋe zwavho. Ṱhoḓisiso iyi ndi ya ndeme ngauri tshifhinga tsha vhukoloni na tshifhinga tsha murahu ha vhukoloni zwo shela mulenzhe kha u ngalangala ha mvelele na vhunṋe zwa Vharema kha ḽa Afrika hu tshi katelwa na ḽa Zimbabwe. Maṅwalwa a sialala e ṱhoḓisiso ya ḓisendeka ngao ndi nyimbo na mitshino zwa sialala, mirero na maambele. Ngona ye ya shumiswa ndi ya khwaḽithethivi. Iyi ngona yo vha ya ndeme sa izwo i tshi ita uri muṱoḓisisi a wane mafhungo ane a kwama kutshilele kwa vhathu. Ho shumiswa mbudzisavhathu, khweshenere na u ṱalela kha u kuvhanganya mafhungo. Tsengulso yone yo ḓisendeka nga thyiori dza vhuṱalula mvelele “cultural relativism” na ṱhuṱhuwedzo ya mvelele ‘cultural determinism’. Thyiori idzi mbili dzi bvukulula uri vhathu vha tshila nga nḓila dzo fhambanaho nahone zwine vha tenda khazwo zwi a fhambana, fhedzi tsha ndeme ndi uri vha tea u ṱanganedza u fhambana havho. Ndeme ya thyiori idzi yo vhonala sa izwo Vhavenḓa vha Beitbridge vha tshi dzula vho ṱangana na vhathu vha dziṅwe tshaka. Ṱhoḓisiso yo wana uri vhunzhi ha Vhavenḓa vha tshiṱirikini tsha Beitbridge, Zimbabwe a vha shumisi maṅwalwa a sialala a fanaho na mirero na maambele nga u angaredza. Vhana vhavho vhone a vha ḓivhi zwinzhi nga maṅwalwa a sialala ngauri a vha vha anetsheli zwi fanaho na ngano na thai, kana u tamba mitambo ya zwidade na zwiṅwe. Zwikoloni na hone maṅwalwa a sialala ha funzwi. U sa vha hone ha maṅwalwa a sialala vhutshiloni ha vhathu avha zwi ita uri vha sa ḓivhe mvelele na vhunṋe zwavho. Nyimbo na mitshino ya sialala zwone zwo wanala zwi sa dzhenelwi nga vhathu vhanzhi. Ḽiṅwe hafhu ndi ḽa uri Vhavenḓa tshiṱirikini itshi a vha ḓihudzi nga u shumisa luambo lwavho, vha anzela u shumisa nyambo dza tshaka dzi re nnzhi; vhana zwikoloni na musi vha tshi tamba a vha shumisi nyambo dzavho. Vha aluwa vha sa ḓivhi mvelele na vhunṋe zwavho. Tshiṅwe hafhu muvhuso na wone a u eḓanyisi vhuimo ha tshaka dzi re na vhathu vhanzhi na dzi si na vhathu vhathu vhanzhi; izwi zwa ṱuṱuwedza uri Vhavenḓa vha ḓinyadze. Ṱhoḓisiso yo fhedza nga u themendela uri Vhavenḓa vha tshiṱirikini tsha Beitbridge kha ḽa Zimbabwe vha ḓirwe khana nga luambo lwavho, nahone vha funze vhana zwa sialala, hu tshi katelwa na maṅwalwa a sialala. Ho dovhiwa ha themendelwa uri vha muvhuso vha fanela u ṱuṱuwedza uri nyambo dzoṱhe dzi dzhiiwe dzi tshi eḓana, nahone dzi dovhe dzi funzwe nga nḓila ya u eḓana zwikoloni; maṅwalwa a sialala na one a katelwe kha kharikhulamu. Izwi zwi ḓo ita uri mirafho yo fhambanaho kha ḽa Zimbabwe i ḓivhe mvelele na vhunṋe zwayo.

Orature is unwritten literature which most African ethnic groups have used for time immemorial to express their culture and identity. This study explored the use of Vhavenḓa’s genres of orature to express their culture and identity in Zimbabwe. It is important because the effects of the colonial and post-colonial periods left most African ethnic groups without their culture and identity. The Vhavenḓa genres of orature, i.e indigenous songs and dance, proverbs and idioms were examined in expressing culture and identity. The study employed the qualitative research methodology. Research questionnaires and interviews as well as observation for data-gathering and analysis were the major sources of information. The two main theoretical frames guiding the study are Cultural Relativism and Cultural Determinism. These theories were very much relevant in approaching the Vhavenḓa social life which embraces their culture and identity. The research findings were that most Vhavenḓa in Beitbridge district, Zimbabwe do not use orature such as proverbs and idioms in their day-to-day language. The youth have little knowledge on such genres of orature such as traditional songs and dance, and proverbs and idioms. In most schools, orature is not given much attention as compared to other subjects in the school curriculum. Most people seemed not to be interested in the indigenous songs and dances. Moreover, some of the Vhavenḓa in Beitbridge, mostly the youth, look down upon their language and prefer the languages of the majority ethnic groups. In addition, the Government contributed towards the minority languages receiving lower status, especially in the media as compared to other languages. Most of these minority languages spoken in the Southern border of Zimbabwe still have a lower status when compared to Ndebele and Tshishona. The study recommended that the Vhavenḓa in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, should be proud of their culture. The Government should view all Zimbabwean languages as equal. Orature should be taught effectively by teachers who are speakers of the language. The efficacy of teaching orature will facilitate the passing on of the knowledge from one generation to another and different generations in Zimbabwe will appreciate their culture and identity.