Participants gained valuable insights during a webinar entitled "Critical reflections on the erosion of post-colonial African funeral traditions". Held at the Unisa Giyani branch on 8 November 2023, this enlightening session, led by Prof Magezi Baloyi on behalf of the Research Institute of Theology and Religion in Unisa’s College of Human Sciences (CHS), explored the impact of colonialism on traditional African funeral practices. Keynote speakers, the Honourable Ndhavezitha Shitlhangoma Errick Mdavula and the Honourable Prince Makhuva Gulukhulu Mathebula, shed light on the erosion of traditional mourning processes, urging a re-examination of cultural identity and the restoration of indigenous knowledge. They highlighted the value to be gained by the re-establishment of African funeral traditions as a transformative step towards decolonisation.

From left: The Honourable Prince Makhuva Gulukhulu Mathebula, Aluwani Ramabulana, The Honourable Ndhavezitha Shitlhangoma Errick Mdavula, Hosi Shigamane Bohani Edward, and Prof Magezi Baloyi

Groundbreaking webinar

The webinar was conducted predominantly in Xitsonga, with an interpreter translating into English. CHS Executive Dean, Prof Zethu Nkosi, opened the event, emphasising the importance of culture and traditions. The central theme of the webinar was the erosion of traditional African funeral traditions in the post-colonial context.

Baloyi, in his introductory remarks, situated colonialism as a force that sought to displace African culture from the core of knowledge. The successful imposition of Western epistemology has resulted in the erosion of various facets of African life, visible notably in the transformation of funeral practices following unjust wars and during the Covid-19 pandemic. This became starkly evident in the abandonment of traditional African mourning and burial practices, with a simultaneous adoption of Western customs. The dislocation caused a significant portion of the African population to question their own culture rather than preserving and defending it. The once-revered attributes of respect, dignity and the spirit of ubuntu, characteristic of African mourning practices, were negatively affected.

Main theme

At the heart of the webinar was the critical message that colonialism was not solely a political struggle, but also a cultural battle waged with the aim of erasing African culture from the nexus of knowledge. This erosion, evident in the way traditional funeral practices have come to be viewed, requires the urgent reclamation of aspects of African identity within the evolving context of civilisation and industrial revolution. While the need to accommodate changes brought about by development and industrial revolution was acknowledged, the urgency of re-entrenching African funeral traditions was nevertheless emphasised. The webinar did not call for the restoration of every African practice, but underscored the importance of dealing with pertinent issues concerning death and dying to maintain a balanced cultural identity.

It was argued that the erosion of African funeral traditions undermines the broader transformational project of decolonisation. The opinion was put forward that by abandoning indigenous practices, Africans are inadvertently contributing to the centralisation of colonial epistemologies. The restoration of African knowledge to its deserved central place was proposed as a key strategy for decolonising African identity. During the webinar, traditional leaders stressed the importance of women obtaining equal rights with men in modern times. This underlined the intersectionality of issues within the broader context of cultural erosion, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to reclaiming African identity.

Urgent action required

This enlightening webinar has emphasised that the erosion of customary African funeral traditions requires immediate attention. The dislocation from indigenous practices has left many African people without a cultural and traditional anchor in their mourning processes. As discussions continue, it becomes imperative to find ways to re-establish these long-held funeral traditions, ensuring the restoration of African knowledge to the heart of cultural practices. Through this, the identity of Africa will be encouraged to emerge from the shadows of colonialism and play its rightful part in a meaningful and holistic decolonisation.

* By IHlubi Veli Mabona, Marketing Assistant. College of Human Sciences