Noleen Turner is an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is retired from active University teaching but is enjoying 'retirement' in pursuing her research interests in the fields of Zulu oral traditions
Humor: An International Journal of Humor Research, Jan 26, 2018
This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu ... more This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.
This paper looks broadly at the situation of the Government’s Language Policy in schools and at t... more This paper looks broadly at the situation of the Government’s Language Policy in schools and at the declining numbers of pupils opting to take isiZulu as a first additional language subject in KwaZulu-Natal compared to Afrikaans. In particular, the recent court case against Durban High School (DHS) in 2008 will be examined as well as the impact of this case generally with regards second language teaching in KwaZulu-Natal.
The point of departure in this article is the call by the Minister of Higher Education and Traini... more The point of departure in this article is the call by the Minister of Higher Education and Training in 2011 to introduce compulsory indigenous African language courses at tertiary institutions. The current language policy of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the practicalities and difficulties of introducing the compulsory course at tertiary level is examined. The current language policy of the present South African Government and the negative attitudes of potential African language learners at schools and universities are discussed and a recommendation made for a possible way forward.
With reference to the discussion by Jaco Alant on orality, I would like to emphasise certain poin... more With reference to the discussion by Jaco Alant on orality, I would like to emphasise certain points raised which correlate with my overview of 'Zulu Oral Traditions'. Firstly, 'the study of orality deals specifically, not so much with speaking in its everyday sense ... but, in fact, with particular culturally defined forms of speaking. As such, orality studies are about oral genres'. Secondly, 'the crucial factor in distinguishing between orality and literacy should lie in certain characteristics of the language used. An oral conception of language may well, at times, manifest itself as writing, just as a highly literate conception of language may be put across orally'. Ong makes the important point that 'oral cultures concern themselves with doings, with happenings, not with being as such: they narrativize their own existence and their environment'. (1988:8).
This article gives an overview of the kinds of critical content that were expressed in the izibon... more This article gives an overview of the kinds of critical content that were expressed in the izibongo of previous, powerful Zulu kings such as Shaka, Dingane and Cetshwayo and assesses the role of the old izimbongi against that of their modern counterpart, the current inyosi of King Goodwill Zwelithini, the current Zulu king. The imbongi was free in the times of the really powerful Zulu kings to pass any criticism he saw fit within the ambit of the king’s praises, in order to alert the king to his peoples’ opinions as well as caution him on certain actions. Today the role of the imbongi is far more tenuous. In times gone by, this man not only played a major role as exalter of the reigning monarch, but used to be the official channel through whom the opinions and general feelings of the populous were reflected back to the king. He was the leveller, responsible for lifting the king’s spirits when he was down by praising him, and bringing him down a peg or two when he flew too high, ende...
In the izibongo analysed in this article, the vast majority of male izibongo have at least one me... more In the izibongo analysed in this article, the vast majority of male izibongo have at least one mention of male virility and sexual attractiveness; for many, that is the main theme of the poem. The penchant for including these types of references, enables males to entrench these qualities as those which are seen to be not only praiseworthy, but also desirable arid the mark of a man. Since it is mainly men who compose their own praises and those of their contemporaries, they are in a sense able to influence and control their environment by reinforcing the desirability and acceptability of these qualities in their society by consistently including them in their personal praise poetry.
This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu ... more This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.
This paper highlights the Oral History efforts of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, which was esta... more This paper highlights the Oral History efforts of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, which was established in 1995 and is named after a famous deceased game ranger from the Imfolozi Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Magqubu Ntombela, who dedicated his life as a game guard to wildlife conservation from 1914 to 1993. This Foundation intends to prevent the loss of records containing the history, culture and conservation of the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park area (HIP), which are reflected in the names of the places, mountains, rivers and streams as well as in the oral stories of its past custodians. It aims through projects such as the revision of the HIP area map as well as recording the oral narratives of the old and retired game guards, to preserve part of the ‘soul of the country’, which is in such danger of slipping away and being buried in the mire of modern technology. There is a great need in South Africa to safeguard its intangible heritage by collecting, recording and archiving memories of co...
Humor: An International Journal of Humor Research, Jan 26, 2018
This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu ... more This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.
This paper looks broadly at the situation of the Government’s Language Policy in schools and at t... more This paper looks broadly at the situation of the Government’s Language Policy in schools and at the declining numbers of pupils opting to take isiZulu as a first additional language subject in KwaZulu-Natal compared to Afrikaans. In particular, the recent court case against Durban High School (DHS) in 2008 will be examined as well as the impact of this case generally with regards second language teaching in KwaZulu-Natal.
The point of departure in this article is the call by the Minister of Higher Education and Traini... more The point of departure in this article is the call by the Minister of Higher Education and Training in 2011 to introduce compulsory indigenous African language courses at tertiary institutions. The current language policy of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the practicalities and difficulties of introducing the compulsory course at tertiary level is examined. The current language policy of the present South African Government and the negative attitudes of potential African language learners at schools and universities are discussed and a recommendation made for a possible way forward.
With reference to the discussion by Jaco Alant on orality, I would like to emphasise certain poin... more With reference to the discussion by Jaco Alant on orality, I would like to emphasise certain points raised which correlate with my overview of 'Zulu Oral Traditions'. Firstly, 'the study of orality deals specifically, not so much with speaking in its everyday sense ... but, in fact, with particular culturally defined forms of speaking. As such, orality studies are about oral genres'. Secondly, 'the crucial factor in distinguishing between orality and literacy should lie in certain characteristics of the language used. An oral conception of language may well, at times, manifest itself as writing, just as a highly literate conception of language may be put across orally'. Ong makes the important point that 'oral cultures concern themselves with doings, with happenings, not with being as such: they narrativize their own existence and their environment'. (1988:8).
This article gives an overview of the kinds of critical content that were expressed in the izibon... more This article gives an overview of the kinds of critical content that were expressed in the izibongo of previous, powerful Zulu kings such as Shaka, Dingane and Cetshwayo and assesses the role of the old izimbongi against that of their modern counterpart, the current inyosi of King Goodwill Zwelithini, the current Zulu king. The imbongi was free in the times of the really powerful Zulu kings to pass any criticism he saw fit within the ambit of the king’s praises, in order to alert the king to his peoples’ opinions as well as caution him on certain actions. Today the role of the imbongi is far more tenuous. In times gone by, this man not only played a major role as exalter of the reigning monarch, but used to be the official channel through whom the opinions and general feelings of the populous were reflected back to the king. He was the leveller, responsible for lifting the king’s spirits when he was down by praising him, and bringing him down a peg or two when he flew too high, ende...
In the izibongo analysed in this article, the vast majority of male izibongo have at least one me... more In the izibongo analysed in this article, the vast majority of male izibongo have at least one mention of male virility and sexual attractiveness; for many, that is the main theme of the poem. The penchant for including these types of references, enables males to entrench these qualities as those which are seen to be not only praiseworthy, but also desirable arid the mark of a man. Since it is mainly men who compose their own praises and those of their contemporaries, they are in a sense able to influence and control their environment by reinforcing the desirability and acceptability of these qualities in their society by consistently including them in their personal praise poetry.
This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu ... more This article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.
This paper highlights the Oral History efforts of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, which was esta... more This paper highlights the Oral History efforts of the Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, which was established in 1995 and is named after a famous deceased game ranger from the Imfolozi Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Magqubu Ntombela, who dedicated his life as a game guard to wildlife conservation from 1914 to 1993. This Foundation intends to prevent the loss of records containing the history, culture and conservation of the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park area (HIP), which are reflected in the names of the places, mountains, rivers and streams as well as in the oral stories of its past custodians. It aims through projects such as the revision of the HIP area map as well as recording the oral narratives of the old and retired game guards, to preserve part of the ‘soul of the country’, which is in such danger of slipping away and being buried in the mire of modern technology. There is a great need in South Africa to safeguard its intangible heritage by collecting, recording and archiving memories of co...
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