Use of public urban green spaces for spiritual services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Ngulani, T.; Shackleton, Charlie M.

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2018.11.009

Cited by 44 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…For example, informal urban green spaces in southern Africa are often used as places to 'escape' and to communicate with one's ancestral spirits (Cocks et al, 2016). Similarly, such informal spaces may be used as places for outdoor religious practices and worship (Ngulani and Shackleton, 2019), with some urban residents regularly traveling considerable distances to gather and pray at specific sites (Ngulani and Shackleton, 2019). Informal green spaces may also be sites for collection of particular plant species used in traditional or spiritual rituals (Davenport et al, 2011;Cocks et al, 2012).…”

Section: Suitabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

Shackleton

Gwedla

2021

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Colonialism is a significant legacy across most aspects of urban form, the nature and distribution of public green spaces, and tree species composition in many cities of the Global South. However, the legacy effects of colonialism on urban green infrastructure and the uses thereof have only recently come under scrutiny. Here we collate information from South Africa on urban greening and interpret it through a colonial and apartheid legacy lens in relation to the distribution and types of urban nature found and their resonance with contemporary needs as an African country. The analysis indicates marked inequalities in public green space distribution and quality between neighborhoods designated for different race groups during the colonial and apartheid periods, which continues to be reproduced by the post-colonial (and post-apartheid) state. Additionally, in the older, former colonial neighborhoods non-native tree species dominate in parks and streets, with most of the species having been introduced during the colonial period. Such colonial introductions have left a burdensome legacy of invasive species that costs billions of Rands annually to keep in check. Lastly, the forms of nature and activities provided in public urban green spaces remains reminiscent of the colonial norm, with little recognition of African worldviews, identity and needs. We conclude in emphasizing the necessity for urban authorities and planners to address these anachronistic legacies through adopting a more inclusive and co-design approach with respect to the extent, location and types of urban nature provided, as well as the types of cultural symbols and activities permitted and promoted.

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Section: Suitabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

Shackleton

Gwedla

2021

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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“…Culturally sacred spaces are those that are used for particular ceremonies or rituals in accordance with particular cosmologies. Ngulani and Shackleton (2019) described the use of specific public green spaces in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, for worship practices. In other cosmologies, access to particular forms of nature is vital in respecting and nurturing bonds with one's ancestors who "live in nature", as evidenced through Cocks et al (2016) finding that 84% of urban Xhosa respondents in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), South Africa, said that it was necessary to have access to nature to communicate with their ancestors, and 92% affirmed that their household performs cultural rituals to communicate with their ancestors.…”

Section: Cultural Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Ecosystem Disservices in the Global South

Davoren

Shackleton

2021

Cities and Nature

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As much as people benefit from the ecosystem services provided by nature, ecosystem disservices also impact daily lives. This is especially true for many urban communities in the Global South due to (1) the often greater diversity of ecosystem disservices and (2) higher vulnerabilities, which together can lead to greater impacts of ecosystem disservices in many Global South settings. This chapter provides an overview of the current understandings of urban ecosystem disservices and their assessment and management with an emphasis on the Global South, albeit with reference to the Global North where useful. This overview reveals a lack of detailed and systematic empirical research on urban ecosystem disservices generally, but even more so in the Global South, despite the greater diversity and vulnerability in Global South settings. This needs to be acknowledged in urban ecology framings of urban dynamics in the Global South and translated into better integration of both ecosystem services and disservices within common research, policy or management frameworks. It is only through such integration that appropriate context-relevant policy directions and management options can be identified, thereby promoting the wellbeing of urban citizens in the Global South.

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“…For example, in Bangkok the trend to tree monocultures has led to a low species diversity, which impacts the diversity of cultural services that can be provided (Thaiutsa et al 2008). In Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), some groups worship outdoors in nature, and require particular spaces, but these can be compromised by other users not respecting those spaces or littering them, or poor maintenance by the city authorities (Ngulani and Shackleton 2019). In Nigeria, Adedeji (2021) describes the close biocultural relationships of the Yoruba in Osogbo, which were suppressed under colonial rule and town planning that ignored sacred spaces and opportunities to interact with nature.…”

Section: Perceptions On Urban Cultural Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultural Urban Ecosystem Services

et al. 2021

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There is an increasing recognition of the contribution of cultural ecosystem services to human wellbeing, however, research is scarce on the topic in the Global South. Evidence on urban cultural ecosystem services tends to focus on recreation and cities from the Global North. Cultural services such as social cohesion and cultural heritage are often overlooked from research. Global South realities are different from the Global North, given the proportion of indigenous communities, urbanisation dynamics, and environmental inequities. This chapter will address these topics by synthesising research carried out in the Global South and contrasting results with general discourses derived from studies in the Global North. The chapter closes by considering the way forward towards the research of ecosystem services in the Global South.

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Use of public urban green spaces for spiritual services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Cited by 44 publications

References 55 publications

The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

Urban Ecosystem Disservices in the Global South

Cultural Urban Ecosystem Services

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