The views of women in the Limpopo Province of South Africa concerning girls' puberty rites: research

Abstract

This study was a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research study, conducted in the Northern Region of the Northern Province (now Limpopo) among Vatsonga / Manchangana in four selected areas. The ethnographic strategy was used to gain access to the puberty rites and to view and describe it from an emic perspective. The techniques for data collection included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and feedback workshops. Initiated and uninitiated women view the rite differently. Initiated women see it as an important cultural practice while the uninitiated women see it as a dangerous practice.


Die navorsingsontwerp van hierdie studie was kwalitatief, verkennend, beskrywend en kontekstueel, uitgevoer in die Noordelike streek van die Noordelike Provinsie (nou Limpopo), onder die Vatsonga / Manchangana in vier geselekteerde areas. Die etnografiese strategie is gebruik om toegang te verkry tot die pubertiteitseremonie sodat dit vanuit 'n kontekstuele perspektief beskryf kon word. Die insameling van data is gedoen deur middel van deelnemende waarneming, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroepbesprekings, onderhoude met sleutelinformante en werkswinkels vir terugvoer. Vroue wat die inisiasie deurloop het en dié wat nie geïnisieer is nie se siening omtrent die seremonie het verskil. Geïnisieerde vroue sien dit as 'n belangrike kulturele praktyk, terwyl die ongeïnisieerdes dit as 'n gevaarlike praktyk beskou.


(Health SA Gesondheid: interdisciplinary research journal: 2003 8(3): 47-60)