Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes

The article juxtaposes Shona children’s songs and English nursery rhymes in order to unravel the contesting human factor values and epistemological codes and modes of socialisation. It largely approaches the songs as cultural texts that are quintessentially an expression of the ethos and culture of...

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Main Authors: Muwati, Tendai, Tembo, Charles, Mutasa, Davie E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis (Routledge) 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02572117.2016.1186897
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2815
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author Muwati, Tendai
Tembo, Charles
Mutasa, Davie E.
author_facet Muwati, Tendai
Tembo, Charles
Mutasa, Davie E.
author_sort Muwati, Tendai
collection DSpace
description The article juxtaposes Shona children’s songs and English nursery rhymes in order to unravel the contesting human factor values and epistemological codes and modes of socialisation. It largely approaches the songs as cultural texts that are quintessentially an expression of the ethos and culture of a people. These cultural texts embody a set of values that underpin consciousness and performance. Anchoring the discussion on the fundamentals of the human factor approach, and within the broader matrix of Afrocentricity, the article contends that in neocolonial Africa, children’s socialisation is a contested site. The exposure of children to cultural texts from disparate cultural zones creates a fundamental human crisis. This is precisely the case because the two categories of songs advance diametrically variant and irreconcilable codes of cognitive enrichment. For instance, English nursery rhymes are part of the discursive infrastructure for solidifying European hegemony. They impose a foreign and alien memory which potentially dislocates children’s consciousness. This is manifest in the manner in which ‘London’ and other symbols of the Western order are canonised. On the other hand, indigenous Shona children’s songs provide a functional and value-laden curriculum of life and instruction. The symbolism is drawn from the Shona people’s lived and livable experiences.
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spelling ir-11408-28152022-06-27T13:49:06Z Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes Muwati, Tendai Tembo, Charles Mutasa, Davie E. Shona children's songs Livable experiences. The article juxtaposes Shona children’s songs and English nursery rhymes in order to unravel the contesting human factor values and epistemological codes and modes of socialisation. It largely approaches the songs as cultural texts that are quintessentially an expression of the ethos and culture of a people. These cultural texts embody a set of values that underpin consciousness and performance. Anchoring the discussion on the fundamentals of the human factor approach, and within the broader matrix of Afrocentricity, the article contends that in neocolonial Africa, children’s socialisation is a contested site. The exposure of children to cultural texts from disparate cultural zones creates a fundamental human crisis. This is precisely the case because the two categories of songs advance diametrically variant and irreconcilable codes of cognitive enrichment. For instance, English nursery rhymes are part of the discursive infrastructure for solidifying European hegemony. They impose a foreign and alien memory which potentially dislocates children’s consciousness. This is manifest in the manner in which ‘London’ and other symbols of the Western order are canonised. On the other hand, indigenous Shona children’s songs provide a functional and value-laden curriculum of life and instruction. The symbolism is drawn from the Shona people’s lived and livable experiences. 2017-09-05T14:54:16Z 2017-09-05T14:54:16Z 2016 Article 0257-2117 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02572117.2016.1186897 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2815 en South African Journal of African Languages;Vol. 36, No. 1 open Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
spellingShingle Shona children's songs
Livable experiences.
Muwati, Tendai
Tembo, Charles
Mutasa, Davie E.
Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title_full Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title_fullStr Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title_full_unstemmed Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title_short Children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of Shona children’s songs and imported English nursery rhymes
title_sort children’s songs and human factor development: a comparative analysis of shona children’s songs and imported english nursery rhymes
topic Shona children's songs
Livable experiences.
url http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02572117.2016.1186897
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2815
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