Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe

This thesis cracks open three BaTonga artefacts, the ncelwa (smoking pipe), buntibe (orchestral drum) and Nyaminyami Walking Stick (wooden sculpture) as the key nonverbal visual codes in the visual cultural communication of BaTonga in Zimbabwe. Using artefactual ethnisemiotics, the study shows how v...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Saidi, Umali
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Midlands State University 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2899
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1779905246696308736
author Saidi, Umali
author_facet Saidi, Umali
author_sort Saidi, Umali
collection DSpace
description This thesis cracks open three BaTonga artefacts, the ncelwa (smoking pipe), buntibe (orchestral drum) and Nyaminyami Walking Stick (wooden sculpture) as the key nonverbal visual codes in the visual cultural communication of BaTonga in Zimbabwe. Using artefactual ethnisemiotics, the study shows how visual cultural communication is played out and is used by the BaTonga in negotiating for socio-cultural space in Zimbabwe. BaTonga historical experiences show characterisation of displacement and a continued struggle to uphold their identity and culture. Their experiences along the Zambezi valley as well as redefinition of their livelihoods in the new arid terrain far removed from the Zambezi, given the construction of the Kariba hydroelectric power project, has for long contributed among other forces to their marginalisation. To assert their visibility, the BaTonga have subtlety used various visual means to negotiate for space in the country. This thesis, thus, critiques three BaTonga cultural artefacts showing how significant they are in the communicative cultural life of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe. In making this analysis and exploration, the study makes a reflection of how BaTonga represent themselves visually in their culture and even outside their own cultural boundaries. To critique the Tongan cultural communication is also a process of generating an understanding of how the BaTonga project their identity and de-marginalisation. Cultural survival of these people, against other ethnic groups in Zimbabwe is crucial for them and for Zimbabwe in that, as the study demonstrates, the barometer of population which has also been used to justify continued dominance of the BaTonga by the Shona or Ndebele in the country is but null and void. The study advances artefactual ethnisemiotics as an alternative approach to artefacts and visual communication; areas which have also received little attention in the country and even in the region. Through artefactual ethnisemiotics, the study shows that everyday objects are important visual ethnisemiotic pieces that embody a great deal of meanings from which construction of cultural messages are made possible by users. Focus on everyday objects in use brings in new approaches to the study of visual cultural communication, heritage and broadly cultural studies in that, before archaeologists or anthropologists can wait to dig the pieces and characterise them as ossified pieces of history, artefactual ethnisemiotics allows resuscitation, appreciation as well as documentation of a living culture performed in visual communicative ways.
format Thesis
id ir-11408-2899
institution My University
language English
publishDate 2017
publisher Midlands State University
record_format dspace
spelling ir-11408-28992022-06-27T13:49:07Z Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe Saidi, Umali Artefacts Artefactual ethnisemiotics, Visual cultural communication Deheritagisation Cultural determinism Nyaminyami This thesis cracks open three BaTonga artefacts, the ncelwa (smoking pipe), buntibe (orchestral drum) and Nyaminyami Walking Stick (wooden sculpture) as the key nonverbal visual codes in the visual cultural communication of BaTonga in Zimbabwe. Using artefactual ethnisemiotics, the study shows how visual cultural communication is played out and is used by the BaTonga in negotiating for socio-cultural space in Zimbabwe. BaTonga historical experiences show characterisation of displacement and a continued struggle to uphold their identity and culture. Their experiences along the Zambezi valley as well as redefinition of their livelihoods in the new arid terrain far removed from the Zambezi, given the construction of the Kariba hydroelectric power project, has for long contributed among other forces to their marginalisation. To assert their visibility, the BaTonga have subtlety used various visual means to negotiate for space in the country. This thesis, thus, critiques three BaTonga cultural artefacts showing how significant they are in the communicative cultural life of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe. In making this analysis and exploration, the study makes a reflection of how BaTonga represent themselves visually in their culture and even outside their own cultural boundaries. To critique the Tongan cultural communication is also a process of generating an understanding of how the BaTonga project their identity and de-marginalisation. Cultural survival of these people, against other ethnic groups in Zimbabwe is crucial for them and for Zimbabwe in that, as the study demonstrates, the barometer of population which has also been used to justify continued dominance of the BaTonga by the Shona or Ndebele in the country is but null and void. The study advances artefactual ethnisemiotics as an alternative approach to artefacts and visual communication; areas which have also received little attention in the country and even in the region. Through artefactual ethnisemiotics, the study shows that everyday objects are important visual ethnisemiotic pieces that embody a great deal of meanings from which construction of cultural messages are made possible by users. Focus on everyday objects in use brings in new approaches to the study of visual cultural communication, heritage and broadly cultural studies in that, before archaeologists or anthropologists can wait to dig the pieces and characterise them as ossified pieces of history, artefactual ethnisemiotics allows resuscitation, appreciation as well as documentation of a living culture performed in visual communicative ways. 2017-10-04T15:49:43Z 2017-10-04T15:49:43Z 2016 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2899 en open Midlands State University
spellingShingle Artefacts
Artefactual ethnisemiotics,
Visual cultural communication
Deheritagisation
Cultural determinism
Nyaminyami
Saidi, Umali
Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title_full Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title_short Cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the BaTonga in Zimbabwe
title_sort cracking the nonverbal code: analysing cultural artefacts of the batonga in zimbabwe
topic Artefacts
Artefactual ethnisemiotics,
Visual cultural communication
Deheritagisation
Cultural determinism
Nyaminyami
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/2899
work_keys_str_mv AT saidiumali crackingthenonverbalcodeanalysingculturalartefactsofthebatongainzimbabwe