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Girls' puberty songs and their relation to fertility, health, morality, and religion among the Zulus

Africa38 • Published In 1968 • Pages: 173-198

By: Krige, Eileen Jensen.

Abstract
This source is concerned with a discussion and analysis of songs used in girls' puberty and maturity ceremonies as well as on other occasions, particularly during ceremonies to the deity Inkosazana. Brief descriptions of maturity ceremonies and ceremonies to Inkosazana are given and the author provides the texts to 17 songs used in these ceremonies. The roles on unmarried girls as ceremonial actors and possible sources of evil befalling the community are featured in Krige's analysis. She concludes that the study of song content is important and that such a study '… has brought to light a very clear connection between girls' puberty rites and certain other rites associated with fertility, rain, and the prevention of seasonal disease in man and the crops' (p. 183). Krige also includes a brief critique of Gluckman's analysis of Zulu ritual.
Subjects
Puberty and initiation
Majority
Music
Literary texts
Organized ceremonial
Sexuality
Spirits and gods
Purification and atonement
culture
Zulu
HRAF PubDate
2005
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Southern Africa
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnographer
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Eleanor C. Swanson ; 1979
Field Date
no date
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Notes
Eileen Jensen Krige
The texts of the songs have been indexed for Music (533) and Texts (539) and the researcher interested in puberty ceremonies should consult either of these subjects in addition to Puberty and Initiation (881) and Majority (884).
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
29010790
LCSH
Zulu (African people)