The Preservation of Xitsonga Culture through Rainmaking Ritual: An Interpretative Approach

Babane, M.T.; Chauke, M.T.

doi:10.1080/0972639x.2015.11886717

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…These results are in line with research that shows that many African communities practice traditional ceremonies as a means of survival during extreme weather events and other natural hazards, and this practice has the potential to facilitate the most effective responses to climate change [55]. For South Africa, rain ritual ceremonies between African communities and Vatsonga are carried out with the aim of influencing the climate during periods of drought to allow rain to fall for the benefit of humans and animals [56]. Such local belief system helps maintain socio-ecological resilience, creating social cohesion during crises [5].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Linking Conservation, Community Knowledge, and Adaptation to Extreme Climatic Events: A Case Study in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

2021

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This study is based on ethnographic research that analyzes how traditional knowledge and local beliefs on biodiversity conservation relates to the local ability to adapt and be resilient to climatic changes in two communities around Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique: Nhanfisse in the buffer zone and Muanandimae in the core area. A total of 78 semi-structured interviews with heads of households were conducted. We found that both communities carried out practices and held beliefs associated with conservation, such as protecting trees and animal species considered sacred or perceived as beneficial for human life in terms of water provision and agricultural production. In addition to traditional ceremonies that respond to extreme climatic events such as drought and flood, other adaptation strategies used by the communities include moving to neighboring areas in search of better living conditions and using forest products in times of scarcity. We discuss that the management of the park should be agreed on, in a shared way, between local communities and conservation agents to ensure that these areas continue to perform the ecological, subsistence, and spiritual functions required. Our research results contribute to a better understanding of local adaptation dynamics towards extreme climatic events and improvement of management strategies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Linking Conservation, Community Knowledge, and Adaptation to Extreme Climatic Events: A Case Study in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

2021

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“…Many studies exist on people's perceptions of climate change and risks, on traditional ecological knowledge, and on beliefs about the causes of natural disasters. However, emphasis is mostly given to Christian beliefs that attribute the causes of natural disasters to God (e.g., IFRC 2014, p. 11;Jarawura 2014), and to the description of diverse rainmaking ceremonies (e.g., Babane and Chauke 2015;Başgöz 2007). These studies give little explanation about people's underlying reasoning for those beliefs which make God cause natural hazards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining the uncertainty: understanding small-scale farmers’ cultural beliefs and reasoning of drought causes in Gaza Province, Southern Mozambique

Salite

2019

Agric Hum Values

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This paper explores small-scale farmers' cultural beliefs about the causes of drought events and the reasoning behind their beliefs. Cultural beliefs vary across countries, regions, communities, and social groups; this paper takes the case of farmers from Gaza Province in southern Mozambique as its focus. Findings show that the farmers have a limited knowledge and understanding of the scientific explanation about drought. Thus, farmers' beliefs about the causes of drought are strongly based on the indigenous (the power of spirits) and Christian philosophies that attribute drought to supernatural forces, such as ancestors or God, and as a punishment for (some unknown) wrongdoings. Farmers have a distinct and under-explored repertoire of possible wrongdoings to justify the punishments driven by those cultural beliefs. Some of their reasoning is static, while some is mutable, and is based on their observation and perception of the negative, unexpected, or harmful recent or current events which happen in their surrounding environment, and which they believe could be avoided or prevented. Farmers' beliefs about drought causes, and their underlying reasoning for those beliefs, are what will primarily influence their perception of their own capacity to adapt, their motivation to respond, and their behavioral responses. Yet, their social groups exert a great influence on their choices of response. The paper concludes that more context-specific investigations into the socio-psychological nature of farmers' beliefs are required prior to interventions in order to better help farmers to respond to future drought risks.

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“…Further, Huffman (2009) examines archaeological evidence on prehistoric ritual spaces and behavior in pre-colonial agricultural societies in southern Africa, including those of the Nguni, Sotho-Tswana, Shona and Tsonga, and notes that in times of severe drought, rainmakers climbed special hills to 'make the rain fall'. Babane and Chauke (2015) provide information on the unique ways of dealing with drought among the Vatsonga ethnic group in the Limpopo province of South Africa. These groups of Xitsonga speakers are also found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland where they are interchangeably referred to as Machangana, Shangani or Shangaans.…”

Section: Literature Reviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The "Sorondrano" rain ritual: perception and driving forces of actors in the face of climatic variability in southern Madagascar

Rasolondraizafy¹

2022

TSSJ

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This paper aims to analyze the manifestation of the “Sorondrano” rain ritual and to assess community perceptions of its expected impacts in the face of extremely dry years over the past 38 years. Specifically, it attempts to characterize the relationship of the Ntandroy to their history and their ways of controlling their environment through this ritual practice and to highlight the conditions and requirements, norms and principles applicable to make the success of the ritual activity effective and reassuring in cases of repetitive droughts. The ethnographic field study was conducted with 44 respondents who had not left the localities in the past 10 years and were selected by purposive sampling. Data was further analyzed qualitatively by content analysis given the prevalent use of Likert type scales analyses. The surveys showed that the majority of the participants have witnessed the ritual ceremony in their lives and affirm its notoriety. They perceived its performance in the face of the eight cases of climatic drought recorded from 1981 to 2019, fitting in the harmonization of procedural steps that the sacrifice is performed without any error. The results imply the continued engagement in the Community - Supernatural Being relationship for the sustainable management of climatic drought cases and above all support the Ntandroy social religion as true coping strategies promoting rainfall as a local economic revival.

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The Preservation of Xitsonga Culture through Rainmaking Ritual: An Interpretative Approach

Cited by 6 publications

References 2 publications

Linking Conservation, Community Knowledge, and Adaptation to Extreme Climatic Events: A Case Study in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Linking Conservation, Community Knowledge, and Adaptation to Extreme Climatic Events: A Case Study in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Explaining the uncertainty: understanding small-scale farmers’ cultural beliefs and reasoning of drought causes in Gaza Province, Southern Mozambique

The "Sorondrano" rain ritual: perception and driving forces of actors in the face of climatic variability in southern Madagascar

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