Revitalizing the psyche of a Tsonga nation in a multicultural society

Abstract

Africa is a multicultural continent whose member states have constitutions and provisions of uplifting various cultures and the lives of its people. Vatsonga among others are part of a multicultural society in Africa who by design or default, are facing a myriad of challenges pertaining to their culture and identity. Vatsonga are located in the south eastern parts of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. In all these countries they have and are still being called by different names. This is so because the population was divided by frontiers which do not represent their linguistic and cultural identity. As a result Vatsonga remain as minority groups in different countries. This has caused Vatsonga to be disintegrated and come to believe that they are separate entities despite speaking one language and practicing the same culture. Vatsonga are sometimes called and quite a significant population of them call themselves by names such as Machangana, Shangani, Shangaan or Magaza basing on the misconceptions which were perpetuated by the narratives that their founder was Soshangane. Hence some use a double barrel identity of Vatsonga-Machangana. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of the cultural and linguistic identity challenges faced by Vatsonga in Southern Africa. It also seeks to challenge the portrayal of Vatsonga as a group which came into being only after Soshangane Manukosi of the Ndwandwe subjugated part of their population. This study also endeavours to decolonize Tsonga history and revitalize the psyche of Vatsonga population by arguing from an Ubuntu and Decoloniality point of view. The article also argues that despite man-made boundaries, Vatsonga are one entity across countries in southern Africa who need be to united and identified as one group.

Keywords

• revitalising psyche
• Tsonga
• multicultural society