The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe
There is a gap in studies focussing on Ndau traditional religion and water. Most research addresses nature conservation rather than examining how water is perceived by the Ndau people. This study aims to explore the relationship between the Ndau and water, filling the gap in understanding the signif...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2024-10-01
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| Series: | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/10041 |
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| author | Elijah E.N. Dube |
| author_facet | Elijah E.N. Dube |
| author_sort | Elijah E.N. Dube |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is a gap in studies focussing on Ndau traditional religion and water. Most research addresses nature conservation rather than examining how water is perceived by the Ndau people. This study aims to explore the relationship between the Ndau and water, filling the gap in understanding the significance of water in the Ndau traditional religion of Zimbabwe. The study was based on a literature review focussing on published works, available as open access on the Internet regarding the Ndau people and their relationship with nature. It was presented from an emic perspective by the author, who was born and bred among the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The author was conscious of the need not to impose his own views. Triangulation of information from other sources was utilised to ensure the integrity of the data presented in this article. The main findings indicate that the Ndau people of Zimbabwe have a complex relationship with water, which they regard as sacred. They believe that water is protected by spirits. Taboos assist the Ndau in safeguarding water resources for both present and future generations. The study concluded that Ndau traditional leadership, along with the broader Ndau community, should take further action to preserve wetlands and water resources. The sacredness of water among the Ndau must be upheld to ensure the sustainability of these vital resources.
Contribution: The article contributes to the discourse on water and spiritualities, focussing on the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The place of water among the Ndau had not been explored before. The article contributes to the Journal’s focus on sustainable development goals, specifically number 6: Clean water and sanitation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9fd54cbba7c84ea0b248a852c2abfb99 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0259-9422 2072-8050 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-9fd54cbba7c84ea0b248a852c2abfb992025-08-20T02:17:58ZafrAOSISHTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies0259-94222072-80502024-10-01802e1e610.4102/hts.v80i2.100416034The place of water in the Ndau religion of ZimbabweElijah E.N. Dube0Department of Religion Studies, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, PretoriaThere is a gap in studies focussing on Ndau traditional religion and water. Most research addresses nature conservation rather than examining how water is perceived by the Ndau people. This study aims to explore the relationship between the Ndau and water, filling the gap in understanding the significance of water in the Ndau traditional religion of Zimbabwe. The study was based on a literature review focussing on published works, available as open access on the Internet regarding the Ndau people and their relationship with nature. It was presented from an emic perspective by the author, who was born and bred among the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The author was conscious of the need not to impose his own views. Triangulation of information from other sources was utilised to ensure the integrity of the data presented in this article. The main findings indicate that the Ndau people of Zimbabwe have a complex relationship with water, which they regard as sacred. They believe that water is protected by spirits. Taboos assist the Ndau in safeguarding water resources for both present and future generations. The study concluded that Ndau traditional leadership, along with the broader Ndau community, should take further action to preserve wetlands and water resources. The sacredness of water among the Ndau must be upheld to ensure the sustainability of these vital resources. Contribution: The article contributes to the discourse on water and spiritualities, focussing on the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The place of water among the Ndau had not been explored before. The article contributes to the Journal’s focus on sustainable development goals, specifically number 6: Clean water and sanitation.https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/10041waterndau peoplendau traditional religionsustainable development goalsindigenous knowledge systems. |
| spellingShingle | Elijah E.N. Dube The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies water ndau people ndau traditional religion sustainable development goals indigenous knowledge systems. |
| title | The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe |
| title_full | The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe |
| title_short | The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | place of water in the ndau religion of zimbabwe |
| topic | water ndau people ndau traditional religion sustainable development goals indigenous knowledge systems. |
| url | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/10041 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elijahendube theplaceofwaterinthendaureligionofzimbabwe AT elijahendube placeofwaterinthendaureligionofzimbabwe |