Cultural and social uses of orality and functional literacy: A narrative approach

Abstract

Lesotho’s educational system and development are largely influenced by missionaries and colonisers who taught the three ‘Rs’ (reading, writing and numeracy skills) to the Basotho. Most of those enlightened Basotho were to carry on the duties of either educating others or as missionary workers. Some became clerks, interpreters, police officers, nurses and Sunday school teachers. This article is an account of a functionally literate Mosotho male adult learner who was herding livestock and taught himself reading and writing skills. In his narrative, Hlalefang (not his real name) compares literacy to money and a watch or a clock. He further expresses how people like him have managed to muster some basic and restructure the cognitive and oral history and archival memories, through intuitiveness. The story is based on the work of Paulo Freire where culture influences the discourse of literacy. A qualitative narrative story-telling approach was used to relate Hlalefang’s lived-experiences as he navigated his ways and challenges using orality acquired through various life encounters. This inspirational cultural narrative demonstrates that culture and social uses are imperatives in functional literacy. The article challenges those in adult education, literacy, development practitioners and policy-makers to consider some aspects of culture and to be innovative in their approaches to multi-literacies.

Turning the herding lifestyle into a learning opportunity: Experiences from Lesotho

“…(Makau, 36 years old, male herder) This story traces the treatment of the broken leg from the onset of the treatment, and the care proceeds until the recovery phase of the animal. The story affirms the findings in recent studies (Johnson 2016;Ngozwana 2014), which agree that IK is passed on from older generations to younger ones using informal oral methods.…”

“…(p. 4) This definition views IK as deeply rooted within the cultural homogeneity of the indigenous community as a guide to their fundamental ways of life. Recent studies (Johnson 2016;Ngozwana 2014) all concur that IK is dynamic and orally passed on from older generations to the younger ones. Nyiraruhimbi (2012), on the other hand, identifies three types of IK as follows.…”

“…Recent studies on IK (Frąckowiak 2017;Johnson 2016;Magni 2016;Ngozwana 2014;Nyiraruhimbi 2012;Osborne, Cutter & Ullah 2015;Pitikoe & Morojele 2017) all refer to IK as localised knowledge that is generated and owned by the local communities. However, in this article I borrow the definition of IK by Odora Hoppers (2017a), who refers to IK as:…”

“…This article addresses the complex ways through which Basotho herders acquire indigenous knowledge (IK) through their herding practice. Evidence reveals that Basotho perceive herding as a cultural rite of passage that transforms males into 'real Basotho men', who are considered responsible and resilient enough to withstand the shocks and stresses of life (Johnson 2016). While in the past, herding was a binding practice for all Basotho males, of lately the popularity of herding is seen and felt in the rural areas of Lesotho while the urban-based males enrol in formal education programmes (Pitikoe 2017).…”

“…Such herders would, in turn, give their accrued livestock a personalised and distinct ear mark (Pitikoe & Morojele 2017). Lefoka (2007), Johnson (2016), Morojele (2009) and Nthunya (1996) studied herding in Lesotho, where they identify herding as a convenient employment opportunity for those males who did not have an opportunity to participate in any form of education or had to drop out of the system before completion. Studies on herding (Makoa & Zwilling 2005, Nthunya 1996, Ratau 1988, Morojele 2009and Opong 1997 all concur that such herders usually seek employment from the local wealthy livestock owners for a minimum social contract (verbal or written) of 12 months, upon completion of which they are remunerated with live animals, whose number and type is determined by the employer such that it equates to the current market value for a live cow.…”