Year: 2025
Type: book
Abstract: This book was made possible by the National Institute for the Humanities & Social Sciences (NIHSS), South Africa. This book is grounded in the indigenous knowledge expertise and extensive community activism of Tshivenda indigenous leader Mphatheleni Makaulule. The author focuses on the environmentalism of the community-based organization, Dzomo La Mupo (DLM) which Mphatheleni had created in the former apartheid homeland of Venda, South Africa in the Vhembe District Municipality. Her research explores DLM’s predominantly female members known as the makhadzi who work to revive the traditional eco-cultural roles of women, and work towards preserving indigenous knowledge systems to protect local forests, rivers, wetlands, and sacred natural sites. DLM strives towards strengthening local communities and ecological governance through intergenerational learning, the revival of indigenous seed and agriculture, and efforts to protect food sovereignty. The book details the complex land laws as they intersect with globalization and gender in South Africa’s post-apartheid era. What we share is how the laws obscure women’s land rights and how this complicates makhadzi eco-cultural roles and ecological knowledge in Venda. Together, Mphatheleni and the author also discuss the various campaigns DLM has organized to protect the environmental such as their fight against coal companies such as MC Mining Ltd, formerly Coal of Africa. The author also discusses the water crisis in South Africa and what this means for the already water scarce region of Venda. Lastly, we touch on the complexities of indigenous agriculture and farming and Mphatheleni’s views about organic farming. Ultimately, Mphatheleni and Ross want to build a deeper understanding about Dzomo La Mupo”s continued efforts to restore indigenous knowledge systems and bring awareness around their activism. The hope is that people will become inspired to protect the environment in their communities to promote Earth jurisprudence. While the original research for this book emanated from Kim Ross’ doctoral studies at the African American and African Studies Department at Michigan State University, the content was extensively updated and revised by Unisa Press and with the financial support of the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences – working with the researcher and journalist Stef Terblanche. CONTENTS Acknowledgements ixPositionality Statement xiiiIntroduction xivWhere it all began: The journey with Vho-Makaulule unfolds xix chapter oneShaping a vision for the community 1chapter twoSacred Sites 18chapter threeLand and gender in the context of customary leadership and globalisation 38chapter fourRestoring the ecocultural role of makhadzi 60chapter fiveMakhadzi community activism 75chapter sixThe politics of water 91chapter sevenFood security and Indigenous farming 105Conclusion 119Bibliography 125Index 137
Source: Unisa Press eBooks
DOI: 10.25159/135
Author: Kimberly B Ross
Institution: University of Michigan
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4416092573