SN NDABA

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SN NDABA

MY ETHNIC GROUP:ZULU

17 May 2024, 18:02 Publicly Viewable

SN NDABA, 50736477

BLOG: STUDY UNIT 6

 

 

I come from the Zulu ethnic group and in my culture, we have many teachings and beliefs that I was taught since I was child and these beliefs and teachings made me to be who I am today but the most important beliefs and teachings that have shaped my worldview is Respect and Ancestors.

since I was a child, I was told that ancestors are very important in our lives, we believe they are our protection, and they bring light in our lives. We even make sacrifices for our ancestors we slaughter a goat, cow and even chickens and not believing in ancestors if you are a Zulu in my culture they see it as something abnormal and has I grow and being exposed more to the world I realize that the ancestors they do exist and they do make a difference in my life I do believe they are protecting me  and I believe I am connected to my ancestors spiritually and it has made me view the world in terms of when a person dies it does not mean they are gone forever but they live spiritually and they are people who can actually communicate with our loved ones in my culture we call them Sangoma.

Respect is very important in my Zulu ethnic group we are taught to respect elders and not only to respect your family members but also to respect everyone and to take every elder has your mother and father and no matter how wrong the elder is in some situations just because you are a child an elder will always be right and we were taught when an elder is addressing you must not look at them or even respond by doing that you are showing respect and it shows that you come from a good home and you are well trained and not doing things that show respect in my culture they assume your parents or family as failed to raise you properly even though that's not always the case because there are people who come from really good homes and they were raised  well but when they are not at home they behave differently and when they are around their families they behave the way they are expected to behave I can say respect has shaped my worldview in terms of I can see that respect is very important especially if you want to survive in this world we are living in, respecting another person is very important no matter what's the persons age or status respect can get you really far in life there are many things you can achieve.

I believe respect is something that should be taught to everyone regardless of where you come from, even though there are cultures who teach their children respect, but different ethnic groups have different way of teaching, what is important is doing the important things that we were taught because elders have reasons of teaching us these things and they are helpful. 

My Social Networks

7 Apr 2024, 21:16 Publicly Viewable

SN Ndaba, 50736477

STUDY UNIT 4: BLOG

 

Network of kinship is the different relationships we have with people and how we socialize and interact with them. I can say in my life I have bonds and connections with people that play different roles.

My mother and father I consider them my backbone and they are the ones that support me the most and they are closest to me, but my mother is the one person I run to whenever I need something, she is the one that I am most comfortable with. My mother takes care of me, and my needs and she also take care of the whole household like cleaning, cooking etc. even though she works 5 days a week I always wonder how she does it. She is always there for me in every way emotionally, financially she gives me all the support I need in my academics and my dreams I consider her my number one fan and supporter.

As for my father he is the provider in my life and in our household, he takes care of buying groceries and also paying for bills he also fix broken things around the house, most of the time he is not home because of work so I don't bond with him that much that's why I am much more comfortable with my mother than my father. I am scared of my father he is the person that I can't sit down with and have a conversation even when I need something I am not comfortable enough to go to him, but I know that he cares for me and also supports me and my goals I want to achieve.

My family members from my father's side we really don't get along they really not involved in my life. The family members that are involved in my life are on my mother's side they really do give me support and they do show me love and care, they always cheer for me in everything I achieve in my life.

Friends and lectures are people that I met along the way in my life as I started University I can say they play a role in making my university life easier and I can attest  that you really do need people in University that can help you in your academics in order to do well and they really have been of help to me to do well in my academics.

My community and neighbors these are the people that play a role of "I scratch your back you scratch my back" we really do help each other for example: my neighbor whenever she needs sugar or teabags, we always help her with that, and we also ask for help if we need it.

We really do need people in our lives that can help you and have a positive impact in your life. All the relationships I have they really do play a huge role in my life and without them my life would be hectic.

 

 

  

A DAY IN MY LIFE

14 Mar 2024, 11:46 Publicly Viewable

SN NDABA, 50736477

STUDY UNIT 3:BLOG

 

I have to say my life is hectic and boring and i had to wake up today because I had to go to a family gathering and I am tired as always but today it felt like I was hit by a train I could feel my body in pain and my joints aching.

First thing I do in the morning is to stand outside my balcony and gaze at the breath taking view and admire nature as the trees sway in the wind and the birds tweeting with a melodious tone it always feels like music to my ears this is a great start for my day.

The only thing I could think about on my way to the family gathering is the drama they always pull out and made me wonder what's gonna be like this year. When I got there I could hear someone shouting and cursing as I walked in, I knew this is not going to be a good day and it's always the same people everyday my uncle and aunt can't just put their differences aside and lets just have a fun family gathering just like the old times.

Today it seems like things are much more worse than before I have never seen my uncle so angry before. He was fuming the way he was clenching his fists and how he was gritting his teeth and breathing heavily how he yelled it sounded like an angry bear it made everyone to go quiet.

The silence was getting too much and I could feel the tension is getting high the only thing I could see is how my family members had disappointed faces and they started leaving, I decided to speak to them I thought I could make sense and they would stay but at that moment I felt like a mother addressing 13 year old's telling them the wrong things they shouldn't do. Whatever I said it was like my words were blown by the wind because no one listened to me they got up and left. I also decided to head back home because what I came for was completely ruined.   

My personal stereotypes.

10 Mar 2024, 15:07 Publicly Viewable

SN Ndaba, 50736477

STUDY UNIT 2: BLOG

My stereotype is based on the rituals and ceremonies that Xhosa men perform and how they believe that by performing they should be referred to as “men and not a boys anymore”.

On the book titled “Body Rituals Among the Nacirema” that was written by Horace Miner (1956), it explains how the rituals and ceremonies were done and also expresses how these rituals were cruel and exotic. I must say these rituals and ceremonies were really harsh and cruel and that’s how I also view the rituals that are performed by the Xhosa tribe what these men go through is bizarre just because of the belief that when you perform these rituals you will no longer be referred to as a boy but as a man.

Growing up I was exposed to a single story the only culture I knew was the Zulu culture and I was also surrounded by Zulu people I was not exposed to other cultures. In my culture young men are not expected to go for initiation to get circumcised in my culture you become a man when you have cows. Since I was not exposed to other cultures, I created a stereotype about the young men from the Xhosa tribe that when they go for initiation it turns them into bitter and angry men, when they return from the initiation they come back as changed men that are malicious.

After I have moved to a different province and I was exposed to different cultures it made me realize that the rituals the Xhosa men perform doesn’t change their character or personality.