Department of Human Sciences
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Browsing Department of Human Sciences by Author "Khosa, H. P."
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Item Open Access A Reformed Church Perspective On “Muthuso wa vhana” (Vhavenda Traditional Immunisation Practice): A Case Study Of The Soutpansberg Synod Of The Reformed Churches In South Africa(2025-09-05) Mawedzha, Ntsieni; Khosa, H. P.; Muthivhi, M. E.Muthuso wa vhana is a ritual that the Reformed churches in South Africa object to. The study focuses on investigating the understanding of the members of the Reformed Churches about Muthuso wa vhana. Muthuso wa vhana is a ritual done by the traditional doctor to prepare the newborn child to live a healthy life on earth and to be protected against evil spirits and the risk of being affected by diseases such as ngoma and lathavha. The reason is that the child must be protected, and the child should not have a problem when he plays or finds himself or herself among the children who have gone under the ritual Muthuso wa vhana. Muthuso wa vhana is to treat a newborn child with medicine to protect the child against diseases and evil spirits before the child is allowed to go out of the hut. After the umbilical cord fell off, the family summoned the traditional doctor to come and treat the child with traditional medicine. The Vhavenda people believe that if the traditional doctor has treated the child, he or she is safe to go out of the hut. An explorative research design using qualitative methodology was adopted in this study. The literature review provides an account of ongoing discussions by other scholars and researchers on related topics. Individual interviews were conducted to obtain data from mothers who hold beliefs about Muthuso wa vhana, even though they are church members, and regard Muthuso wa vhana as a wrong practice for Christians. The population for this study consisted of mothers who know Muthuso wa vhana, traditional healers, both women and men, pastors, and parents who have taken their children to Muthuso wa vhana. The age of the population ranges from 43 to 80 years. The research adopted the following steps to analyse the data: familiarisation, indexing, charting, mapping, and interpretation. The research findings explored the community's knowledge and understanding of Muthuso wa vhana, including its various forms like taboo, Tshiunza, incision/sacrificial immunisation, and giving a name, along with the purpose behind these practices, such as disease prevention and protection from witchcraft. The church's position on Muthuso wa vhana is discussed, highlighting doctrinal considerations and scriptural references. Additionally, the study examines reasons for the church's adherence to Muthuso wa vhana, including religious and cultural factors, challenges faced by the community, fears regarding consequences and death, and pressures from family members.Item Embargo Liturgical Inculturation in the Context of Christian and African Burial Rites within Shikundu Areas in Collins Chabane Local Municipality(2025-09-05) Makamu, Mboni Collins; Khosa, H. P.; Mudimeli, L. M.Religion plays a crucial role during funerals. It also impacts beliefs regarding death, burial, and mourning. People decide how they prefer to be sent off after death based on their religious beliefs, this includes types of ceremonies and any rituals which need to be done for their souls to be well accepted where they believe souls go after death. The co-existence of Christian and African burial rites has breed conflicts between the two forms of liturgies. It is undeniable that they call for liturgical inculturation since they both operate in the same context. This study was about the purpose study was to explore was to explore liturgical Inculturation in the Context of Christian and African Burial Rites in Collins Chabane Local Municipality. The study was exploratory and qualitative in nature. An interview schedule was used to collect data from participants. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to sample participants. The study uses qualitative research approach and exploratory research design. A purposive sampling method will be used to select 4 church leaders and 4 traditional doctors from Shikundu areas under Collins Chabane Local Municipality The major objectives of the study were to explore understanding about liturgical inculturation, to determine conflict between Christian and African practices with regard to burial rites, to determine the differences between Christian and African Burial rites, to determine the process of Christian burial rites and African burial rites, to explore Challenges of collaborating Christian burial rites and African burial rites and to suggest liturgical inculturation between Christian and African burial rites. The major findings of this study is that liturgical inculturation is when two different are fused to become one in the same context. Again, Christian and African burial rites are conducted in the same context, that is, they are conducted at the same time to the same people. Furthermore there is a conflict between Christian and African burial since the former regards the later as abomination before God. The study further revealed that the difference between the Christian burial rites and African burial rites is that Christian burial rites are solely founded on the scriptures while the African burial rites are connected with appeasing ancestors. Again, the study showed that the challenge of achieving liturgical inculturation lies in the reality that the purpose of conducting Christian burial rites is to send the deceased to God as his or her final destination. While on the other hand the purpose of conducting African burial rites is to connect the deceased with his or her ancestors. The study recommended that ministers of the Christian religion should establish forums that would cater to African traditional leaders in order to discuss how liturgical inculturation could be achieved.Item Open Access Reforming reformed liturgy: An African decoconial study of liturgical practices in the Black Reformed Churches of South Africa (RCSA)(2024-09-06) Mudau, Ndidzulafhi; Khosa, H. P.; Mudimeli, L. M.The introduction of Western Christianity has resulted in the colonisation of African societies, with little regard for the indigenous religious beliefs and knowledge systems of the people. A predicament confronts African Christians whereby adherence to integrity necessitates the observance of Western cultural customs in their religious practices, while simultaneously upholding their native African cultural heritage. This study focuses on the reading of African Decolonial literature, with the aim of Decolonising Christian Liturgy for the worship services in South African black Reformed churches, focusing on the order of worship in the African context. Research questions were used to unpack the problem in question and come up with strategies that help to Decolonise Reformed Liturgies and, in the process, enrich them with an African outlook. The study was organised around four research models: exploratory, descriptive, normative, and action research. The population of interest for the study comprised male and female youths and adults at the black RCSA, specifically in Limpopo Province's Vhembe District in South Africa. The research utilises focus groups and interviews as methods of data collection. The purpose of these tools was to enhance the researcher's understanding of the participants' perspectives and viewpoints on the Reformed Order of Liturgy, as well as its potential for decolonisation. This has significant implications for the church's identity and the spiritual experiences of believers during worship. Chapter One primarily aimed to introduce the process of reformation and decolonisation of Reformed Liturgy within an African setting, with a specific emphasis on the black Reformed Church in South Africa (RCSA). Chapter Two focused on presenting secondary material from multiple sources, specifically emphasising and demonstrating the historical development of the worship order in black Reformed churches. Moreover, it functioned as a manual for examining the decolonial viewpoint of black Reformed churches and striving to research methodologies used to obtain and analyse data as part of the research process. Chapter Four explored how missionaries utilised church rituals to achieve colonial domination over the African mindset. Furthermore, it examines the several approaches through which church ritual was used to establish control over the African mindset. Chapter Five explored the reasons behind the need for the Reformed Liturgy to undergo reformation and decolonisation.