Doro Rekufa and Tsvitsa:

مرکز و کتابخانه مطالعات اسلامی به زبان های اروپایی

منو

" Doro Rekufa and Tsvitsa: "
Plan Shenjere-Nyabezi

Document Type	:	AL
Record Number	:	1083622
Doc. No	:	LA127251
Call No	:	‭10.1163/26836408-0110102002‬
Language of Document	:	English
Main Entry	:	Plan Shenjere-Nyabezi
Title & Author	:	Doro Rekufa and Tsvitsa: [Article] : Beer, Animals and Death Rituals among the Ndau of South Eastern Zimbabwe\ Plan Shenjere-Nyabezi
Publication Statement	:	Leiden: Brill
Title of Periodical	:	Utafiti
Date	:	2015
Volume/ Issue Number	:	11/1-2
Page No	:	1–16
Abstract	:	Despite Westernization and particularly the advent of Christianity and its widespread entrenchment on the African continent, traditional indigenous rituals continue to constitute an integral part of African religious belief systems and practices. This article presents the results of an ethnoarchaeological study of two death rituals that are conducted by the Ndau people of south eastern Zimbabwe. The rituals are a demonstration of attitudes towards death and beliefs about the role of the dead among the living. The Ndau do not believe that death signals and represents the end of life. In the same vein and perhaps more importantly, the Ndau do not believe that death just happens. It is caused by human agency out of jealousies, hatred and conflict among the living. These beliefs are central to the two rituals presented and discussed here: the first ritual is conducted to ascertain cause of death and the second to bring back the spirit of the deceased from a temporary state of limbo immediately after death. Meat and beer are central to these rituals, firstly as offerings to the deceased and secondly as an important part of the living celebration of the rituals. The paper then explores some interpretive implications of the rituals from an archaeological perspective. Despite Westernization and particularly the advent of Christianity and its widespread entrenchment on the African continent, traditional indigenous rituals continue to constitute an integral part of African religious belief systems and practices. This article presents the results of an ethnoarchaeological study of two death rituals that are conducted by the Ndau people of south eastern Zimbabwe. The rituals are a demonstration of attitudes towards death and beliefs about the role of the dead among the living. The Ndau do not believe that death signals and represents the end of life. In the same vein and perhaps more importantly, the Ndau do not believe that death just happens. It is caused by human agency out of jealousies, hatred and conflict among the living. These beliefs are central to the two rituals presented and discussed here: the first ritual is conducted to ascertain cause of death and the second to bring back the spirit of the deceased from a temporary state of limbo immediately after death. Meat and beer are central to these rituals, firstly as offerings to the deceased and secondly as an important part of the living celebration of the rituals. The paper then explores some interpretive implications of the rituals from an archaeological perspective.
Descriptor	:	African Studies
Descriptor	:	animal sacrifice
Descriptor	:	death rituals
Descriptor	:	ethno-archaeology
Descriptor	:	funerary rites
Descriptor	:	Ndau
Descriptor	:	Sociology Anthropology
Descriptor	:	south eastern Zimbabwe
Location & Call number	:	‭10.1163/26836408-0110102002‬