Exploring muti murder and the supernatural in selected Southern African novels: the case for (magical) realism.

Abstract

This study explores the appropriateness of Western genre categories and cosmologies to understanding muti murder and other supernatural elements in selected southern African fiction namely Alexandra McCall-Smith’s The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (1998), Christine Mary Elliott’s Sibanda and the Rainbird (2013), Zakes Mda’s Ways of Dying (1995) and Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City (2010). Postcolonial theory is adopted to navigate through the research questions of this study. Each chapter offers a distinct analysis of the novels noting that muti murder affects a text’s classification. Mda employs Intsomi to express muti murder in Ways of Dying, while Beukes in Zoo City employs faith-based magical realism. CM Elliott’s Sibanda and the Rainbird and McCall-Smith’s The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency maintain the conventions of realism despite referencing muti murder which is a concept believed to have supernatural effects.

Olu uphando lukhangela ukufaneleka kwe ndidi zase ntshona ngoku qonda izinto ezifana no muti oza ngoku bulala nezinye izinto eziyimilingo kwi ncwadi ezikhethiweyo zase ntshona Africa, ezifana ne ka Alexandra McCall-Smith’s The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (1998), Christine Mary Elliott’s Sibanda and the Rainbird (2013), Zakes Mda’s Ways of Dying (1995) ne ka Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City (2010). iPostcolonial theory eyona ekhethiweyo yoba ihluze imibuzo eza noluphando. Isahluko nganye siza nophando oluhlukileyo, ngoku qaphelisa uba umuti oza ngoku bulala unako ukuchaphazela indlela esizifunda ngayo ezincwadi. Apha koluphando sifumanisa uba uMda kwi Ways of Dying usebenzisa indlela zokubalisa Intsomi xa eveza lo mba wo muti kwaye uBeukes kwi Zoo City usebenzisa iMagical realism edibanisa izinto ze nkolelo. uCM Elliott kwi Sibanda and the Rainbird no McCall-Smith ku The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency bakwazile ugcina imithetho yeRealism nangona nje beshukuxa into enemiphumela engaphezulu kweyemvelo njengo muti.

Lolu uphando luphica ukufaneleka kwe zigaba zase ntshona ngoku qonda izinto ezifana no muti oza ngoku bulala nezinye izinto eziyimilingo kwi ncwadi ezikhethiweyo zase ntshona Africa, ezifana ne ka Alexandra McCall-Smith’s The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (1998), Christine Mary Elliott’s Sibanda and the Rainbird (2013), Zakes Mda’s Ways of Dying (1995) ne ka Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City (2010). iPostcolonial theory eyona ekhethiweyo yokuthi ihlaziye imibuzo eza naloluphando. Isahluko ngasinye siletha uphando oluhlukileyo, ngoku qaphelisa ukuthi umuti oza ngoku bulala unako ukuchaphazela indlela esi yifunda ngayo lezincwadi. Kulolu uphando sifumanisa ukuthi uMda kwi Ways of Dying usebenzisa indlela zokulandisa ezifana nomlando we nganekwane uma eveza loludaba lo muti, kwaye uBeukes kwi Zoo City usebenzisa iMagical realism ehlanganisa izinto ze nkolelo. uCM Elliott kwi Sibanda and the Rainbird no McCall-Smith ku The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency bakwazile ugcina imithetho yeRealism nangona nje bexoxa ngento enemiphumela engaphezulu kweyemvelo njengo muti.