The views of amakrwala on the meaning of umqombothi and commercial alcohol use during the initiation ceremonies
- Authors: Mavimbela, Mzoli
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Youth -- Alcohol use , Alcoholism -- South Africa , Alcoholism -- Psychological aspects , Initiation rites -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Degree
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60862 , vital:68801
- Description: Ulwaluko or initiation ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies practiced by the amaXhosa ethnic group to mark male adolescents’ transition from boyhood to manhood. Every young Xhosa male is anticipated to undergo this ceremony in order to be respected and be viewed as a true man by the society. There is a dearth of literature on amakrwala’s views regarding the meaning of traditional beer (umqombothi) and commercial alcohol (brandy or beer) use during the initiation ceremony. Thus, this study addresses this gap, as it adds to the existing spectrum of knowledge on the meaning of alcohol use during the amaXhosa initiation process. The socio-cultural theory was selected as the theoretical framework for the study. This study took a qualitative nature which was exploratory-descriptive and contextual in design employing a non-probability purposive-criterion based technique to sample 16 identified amaXhosa adult males between the ages of 18 to 24 years who recently went through the initiation ceremony. Sixteen individual semi-structured telephonic interviews were conducted. Data collected was analysed using thematic data analysis. Various data verification strategies were employed to ensure trustworthiness. Research ethics applicable to this study were guided by the principles contained in the Belmont report (1979). The findings showed that during the amaXhosa initiation ceremony both commercial alcohol and umqombothi played significant but different roles during each stage of the ceremony. The majority of amakrwala viewed umqombothi as a significant beer for ancestors to divinely bless isiko while brandy and beer were viewed as sweets or beers for fun which accompanied umqombothi. Brandy and beer were viewed as beers required by abafana teaching amakrwala manhood in the lighthouses. Thus, negative behaviours portrayed by abafana during imigidi after drinking alcohol were viewed as a great concern by amakrwala. 7 Alcohol use in ulwaluko was viewed as good by the amakrwala but they emphasized that there should be guidelines that monitor responsible drinking.
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- Date Issued: 2021
A sociological investigation on alcohol abuse among the Xhosa youth: the case of Sibangweni village in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mancayi, Sibulele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Alcoholism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Alcoholics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Youth -- Alcohol use , Youth -- Substance use
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40878 , vital:36250
- Description: The issue of alcohol abuse appears to be an area of concern across the world and South African communities seem not to be exempt to this issue. Unlike in the past, where alcohol abuse was an issue that affected elderly people in mostly urban settings, the seems to be a growing trend of this phenomenon in rural communities. Furthermore, the youth are the most affected social group by the habit of alcohol abuse. There are numerous causes of alcohol abuse and cultural influence can be identified as one of them. However, what needs to be ascertained is whether culture promotes or discourages drinking patterns that could ultimately cause alcohol abuse. With focus on the rural community of Sibangweni on the outskirts of Umtata in the Eastern Cape; qualitative research interviews were conducted with fifteen participants to investigate the nature of the relationship of the Xhosa culture and alcohol abuse among the youth in the community. Through a thematic analysis of the data that was collected through structured interviews it became clear that the is room for improvement in terms of maintaining consistency in the tenets of cultural practices. It became apparent that when practiced according to the traditional cultural framework, the Xhosa culture does not necessarily lead to alcohol abuse, even though consuming alcohol is a part of the culture. What also became clear is that culture could actually be an intervention mechanism to behavioural related issue in society.
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- Date Issued: 2019