Curriculum enrichment through indigenous Zulu games

Abstract

In the South African context, education has emerged from missionary, colonial and
Afrikaner ideology (Euro-centric education) (Gelderblom, 2003) to outcomes-based
education without tapping into the rich knowledge base of the African population. An
African philosophy of education has not yet been embraced and it is deemed
necessary in an effort to understand the African way of life (Mkabela & Luthuli,
1997). The aim of the study was to document and analyze indigenous Zulu games for
possible curriculum enrichment of physical education in schools and the promotion
of cross-cultural interaction between learners. This necessitated the identification
and description of indigenous Zulu games in order to assess their potential in
obtaining overt educational outcomes related to the cognitive, affective, psychomotor
and social development of school learners. Quantitative (questionnaires) and
qualitative data (focus group discussions, interviews, video and audio tape
recordings) were triangulated to constitute context and gather data from isiZuluspeaking
participants (N=274). A sample of 217 grade seven learners (10-17 years
old) and 57 adults (40 years and older) participated in the research. The majority of
the most prominent clans from six communities, three urban and four rural schools in
selected areas in KwaZulu-Natal (Northern, Southern and Western areas) were
represented in the sample. The dissemination and presentation of indigenous Zulu
games as means for reaching educational outcomes hold significant potential and
value for curriculum enrichment and social inclusion in the South African school
context. Indigenous Zulu games, a symbolic representation of the Zulu cultural
expression, hold potential to be utilized and to meaningfully contribute to the
physical, cognitive, affective, social and cultural developmental needs of learners.

Keywords: Indigenous games; Zulu culture; Curriculum.

SAJRSPER Vol. 30 (1) 2008 pp. 89-103