Doctoral Degrees (Greek, Latin and Classical Studies)

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Dimensions of oracle-speech in the Near Eastern, Mediterranean, and African contexts: a contribution towards African orality
(University of the Free State, 2001-07) Masoga, Mogomme Alpheus; Nel, P. J.; Moleleki, M. A.
English: Divination is receiving ever more attention in the media. Communities, groups of people and individuals are asking questions, voice opinions, and make judgements on the function of this important branch of African life and philosophy. The thesis attempts to address this issue. Relating African divination to the rich and universal tradition of divination and oracle, it argues that this important part of African life be brought to the forefront for purposes of research and scholarship. This generally marginalised part of African life and culture, should be accorded its rightful place in academia. To this end, the researcher gives an account of his own life history as it was informed by divination and divination oracles. He further provides data on African divination oracles drawn from sample interviews with diviners. In this context, 'the data is comparatively interpreted in terms of existing oral theories and scholarship on Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean divination and oracle. The thrust of the thesis is that it aims to both provide some insight into divination as practiced by African people and to bring this previously marginalized discourse and its practices into the centre of debate and scholarship.