Kultuurverwerwing by Suid-Sothogesinne in 'n stedelike konteks

Abstract

English: This thesis focuses mainly on three subjects: The nature of the process of culture acquisition as it is encountered amongst selected Southern Sotho families in an urban neighbourhood of Greater Bloemfontein; the extent to which the child develops a clear cultural identity within the urban family context; and the family as primary context of culture acquisition. The study is qualitative, holistic and interpretative in its approach. The datacollection techniques (in-depth interviews, semi-structured interviews and participant observation) as well as data-analysis techniques (categorisation, comparison, generalisations, theoretical explanations) have therefore been employed to gain reflective and theoretical insight. The families in the study vary in structure to include the typical nuclear families, single-parent families, male-headed multigenerational families and female-headed multigenerational families. The mean income level of families is average to below average but all the families show an inclination towards social and economic mobility. The majority of the parents are full-time employed in non-professional positions while only 22,72 percent received tertiary education. It has been established that the majority of the parents are urbanised in their way of thinking and acting and that they feel positive about city life in general. Marriage relationships within families were discussed in terms of three characteristics, namely jointness, closure and fidelity. With regard to closure the question was posited: To what extent is the marriage couple's involvement in their marriage and consequently their relationship with each other, in conflict with their relationships and obligations towards their relatives? It seems as if married couples in general regard closure as ideal but they are often forced by custom and circumstance to accept the interference and presence of relatives in their lives and the rendering of assistance on occasion also seems unavoidable. The characteristic of jointness refers to malelfemale expectations of roles in the marriage. Aspects such as decisionmaking, budgeting, sharing of chores and the amount of time spent in one another's company were investigated. Spouses differ in their views: the majority of the men perceive chore-sharing as a modem phenomenon and claim that they are willing to share the household chores of their wives. In the majority of cases, this seemed to be only lip service. The same applies to decision-making and budgeting. Even where husbands and wives both eam an income, it is considered best if the husband makes the decision regarding the buying of so-called big items, such as a stove. Fidelity of marriage partners was not directly determined. Couples were however, asked to indicate how they spend their free time. Some of the couples do share activities like shopping, going to church and visiting friends together. Sharing free time is not, however, regarded by the wives as a sign of companionship and in most cases leisure time is organised according to gender. These couples are also parents and as such have certain tasks. It was established that mothers to a certain extent still follow the traditional practices during pregnancy and after birth. Parents give an ascribed status to the child. Traditionally it was very important to be aware of one's status and to act accordingly, but in the urban context acquired status became more important. Thus parents strive to give their children a good school education with a view to better future prospects. Parents are also responsible for nurturing, training and protection of their children. Mothers are still mainly responsible for nurturing and training the children. They emphasise that children should be independent and assign household tasks that are congruent with children's capabilities. Fathers are mostly in the background, although the younger fathers are becoming more involved in the physical and emotional nurture of babies and toddlers. Traditionally fathers were expected to see to the moral training and ritual protection of children. It seems that this task of the fathers is continuing in the urban context. In the study the profile of the children in families is presented through a discussion of the cultural identity of teenagers and young adults still in their parents' home. Identity is subdivided into the three dimensions of personhood, selfhood and individuality. Personhood refers to those cultural forms and social forces that together confer on the individual an array of social positions and render him/her accountable as a moral being. In accordance with this definition the nature of children's social relationships was investigated, as well as the moral responsibilities linked to the relationships. In their relationship with their parents, children have a high regard for their mothers as confidantes and advisors. In contrast with related literature, children reported that they also experience a close relationship with their fathers, although not of the same intensity as with their mothers. In general the traditional position and responsibilities of the eldest sister and brother in the sibling group are maintained. As can be expected, the relationships with their peer group are of paramount importance to children and through their interaction with friends they develop a richer understanding of the socio-cultural perspectives of other persons. In comparison their relationships with members of the opposite sex are even more important to them than relationships with friends of the same sex. This aspect is also one of the points of conflict with their parents because the young people would like to follow the modem trends of a dominant westernised way of courting while their parents prefer a more traditionalised procedure. In analysing the selfhood of children it was noticeable that they mostly used abstract terms, as well as descriptive references to concrete actions and contextual qualifications to describe themselves. In the majority of the answers children indicated a spontaneous and unconscious preference for a socio-centric orientation. With this orientation they emphasise the public self while the private self remains in the background. From the research data it was clear that children are reluctant to show too much individuality in their behaviour. In reaction to questions on certain traditional customs and behaviour the majority of the children indicated that they are not familiar with traditional practices or that they do not have any strong convictions on the matter. On the other hand it was deduced that they do not consciously break away from their parents' learning and values.

Afrikaans: Hierdie studie fokus hoofsaaklik op drie onderwerpe: Die aard van die proses van kultuurverwerwing by geselekteerde Suid-Sothogesinne in 'n stedelike woonbuurt van Groter Bloemfontein; die mate waarin die kind binne die konteks van die stedelike gesin 'n duidelike kulturele identiteit ontwikkel; en die gesin as primêre konteks van kultuurverwerwing. Die studie is kwalitatief, holisties en interpretatief in benadering. Die tegnieke van data-versameling (in-diepte onderhoude, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en deelnemende waarneming) sowel as die tegnieke van dataanalise (kategorisering, vergelyking, veralgemenings, teoretiese verklarings) is dus aangewend om refleksiewe en teoretiese insig te verwerf. In die studie word die volgende gesinstrukture aangetref: tipiese kerngesinne, enkelouergesinne, multigenerasiegesinne met 'n manlike hoof en multigenerasiegesinne met 'n vroulike hoof. Die deursnee inkomstevlak van gesinne is gemiddeld tot ondergemiddeld, maar al die gesinne neig tot sosiale en ekonomiese mobiliteit. Die meerderheid van die ouers is voltyds in diens in nie-professionele poste, terwyl slegs 22,72 persent tersiêre opleiding ontvang het. Daar is bevind dat die meerderheid van die ouers in hul denkwyse en gedrag verstedelik is en in die algemeen positief oor stadslewe voel. Huweliksverhoudings in gesinne is in terme van drie kenmerke, naamlik eenheid, geslotenheid en in 'n mindere mate getrouheid, bespreek. Met betrekking tot geslotenheid is die vraag gestel: In watter mate is die egpaar se betrokkenheid by hul huwelik, en daaruitvoortvloeiend hul verhouding met mekaar, in konflik met hul verhouding en gepaardgaande verpligtinge met hul verwante? Dit wil voorkom asof egpare in die algemeen geslotenheid as die ideaal beskou, maar dat hulle dikwels geforseer word deur gebruike en omstandighede om die inmenging en teenwoordigheid van verwante in hul lewe te aanvaar, asook dat hulpverlening by geleentheid onvermydelik is. Eenheid as kenmerk van die huwelik verwys na die manlike/vroulike verwagtinge van rolle in die huwelik. Sake soos besluitneming, geldbestuur, taakverdeling en die hoeveelheid tyd wat egpare in mekaar se geselskap deurbring is ondersoek. Eggenotes verskil in hul sieninge: Die meerderheid van die mans sien die deel van take as 'n moderne verskynsel en beweer dat hulle huishoudelike take met hulle vrouens sal deel. In die meeste gevalle blyk dit bloot lippediens te wees. Dieselfde gevolgtrekking is ook van toepassing op besluitneming en geldbestuur. Selfs in gevalle waar mans en vroue beide 'n inkomste verdien, is die mening dat dit beter is indien die man oor die sogenaamde 'groot' items, soos die aankoop van 'n stoof, die besluit neem. Getrouheid van huweliksmaats is nie direk bepaal nie. Egpare is wel gevra om aan te toon hoe hulle hul vrye tyd deurbring. Sommige egpare deel aktiwiteite, byvoorbeeld hulle doen saam inkopies, gaan saam kerk toe of besoek hulle vriende saam. Die gesamentlike benutting van vrye tyd word egter nie deur die vroue as 'n aanduiding van kameraadskap beskou nie, en in die meeste gevalle is vryetydsbesteding georganiseer volgens geslag. Hierdie egpare is ook ouers en as sodanig het hulle sekere take. Daar is vasgestel dat moeders steeds in 'n mate sekere tradisionele gebruike gedurende swangerskap en na geboorte volg. Ouers gee 'n toegeskrewe status aan hul kind. Tradisioneel was dit baie belangrik om bewus te wees van hierdie status en daarvolgens op te tree, maar in die stedelike konteks het verworwe status belangriker geword. Ouers strewe dus daama om 'n goeie skoolopvoeding aan hul kinders te voorsien met die oog op beter toekomsvooruitsigte. Ouers is ook verantwoordelik vir die versorging, opleiding en beskerming van hulle kinders. Moeders is steeds hoofsaaklik vir die versorging en opleiding van kinders verantwoordelik. Hulle beklemtoon dat kinders onafhanklik moet wees en ken huishoudelike take toe aan kinders ooreenkomstig hulle vermoêns. Die vaders is grotendeels op die agtergrond, maar jong vaders is toenemend betrokke by die fisiese en emosionele versorging van babas en kleuters. Tradisioneel is dit van vaders verwag om na die morele opleiding en rituele beskerming van die kinders om te sien. Dit wil voorkom asof hierdie taak van vaders in die stad kontinueer. In die studie word die profiel van die kinders in gesinne aangebied aan die hand van die kulturele identiteit van tieners en jong volwassenes wat nog in hulouerhuise is. Identiteit word in drie dimensies onderverdeel, te wete die persoon, die self en individualiteit. Die persoon verwys na daardie kulturele vorme en sosiale kragte wat tesame aan die individu 'n verskeidenheid sosiale posisies toeken en hom/haar as 'n morele wese verantwoordelik maak. In ooreenstemming met hierdie definisie is die aard van die kinders se sosiale verhoudings, asook hulle morele verantwoordelikhede verbandhoudend met die verhoudings ondersoek. In hulle verhouding met hulle ouers het kinders 'n hoê agting vir hul moeders as vertroueling en raadgewer. In kontras met verbandhoudende literatuur, het die kinders gerapporteer dat hulle ook 'n hegte verhouding met hul vaders geniet, alhoewel dit nie van dieselfde intensiteit as die verhouding met die moeders is nie. In die algemeen word die tradisionele posisie en verantwoordelikhede van die oudste suster en broer in die onderlinge verhoudings van die kroosgroep gehandhaaf. Soos te wagte, is die verhoudings van kinders met hul portuurgroep van besondere belang vir kinders en deur hul interaksie met vriende ontwikkel hulle 'n ryker begrip van die sosio-kulturele perspektiewe van ander mense. In vergelyking is die verhoudings met lede van die teenoorgestelde geslag selfs nog belangriker as die verhoudings met vriende van dieselfde geslag. Dit is ook een van die wrywingspunte tussen ouers en kinders omdat die jong mense graag die moderne tendense van 'n dominant westerse hofmaakstyl wil volg en ouers 'n tradisionalistiese prosedure verkies. In die analise van die self van kinders is dit opvallend dat hulle veral van abstrakte terme, asook beskrywende verwysings na konkrete aksies en kontekstuele kwalifikasies gebruik maak om hulself te beskryf. In die meeste van die antwoorde het kinders 'n spontane en onbewustelike voorkeur vir 'n sosiosentriese georiênteerdheid aangedui. Met hierdie oriêntasie het hulle die publieke self beklemtoon, terwyl die private self in die agtergrond bly. Vanuit die navorsingsdata was dit duidelik dat kinders 'traag' was om te sterk individualisties in hul gedrag voor te kom. In reaksie op vrae oor sekere tradisionele gebruike en gedrag het die meerderheid kinders aangedui dat hulle nie daarmee bekend is nie, of dat hulle nie sterk standpunte daaroor het nie. Aan die ander kant word afgelei dat kinders nie bewustelik wil wegbreek van die leringe en waardes van hulouers nie.