Revealing the Potency of Ancient Wisdom: Traditional AmaXhosa and AmaZulu Indigenous Practices Before Modernity

Abstract

It cannot be overlooked that the indigenous amaXhosa and amaZulu people always had unique traditional ways of living that are significantly entrenched in their respective epistemologies and ontologies. Nevertheless, with the advent of imperialism, apartheid, globalisation and modernity, many of these indigenous practices have been distorted under the guise of civilisation. That said, this article revitalises and celebrates some of these local practices by unearthing their sociocultural and indigenous significances, and usages among amaXhosa and amaZulu. To achieve this aim, cultural relativism is applied as a theory to drive the discussions, while data information is elicited from the (in)direct experiences of researchers, as well as the existing body of knowledge. Three notable findings emerge. First, the indigenous amaXhosa and amaZulu communities greatly relied on indigenous techniques for health and security, blending spiritual, medicinal and community-based practices. Second, before modernity, the two ethnic groups had multifaceted social and governance systems that were established in indigenous structures. Third, these indigenous practices were labelled by imperialist mentalities as uncivilised and required re-invention. Against the pervasive challenge of distorting and erasing indigenous practices and associated schools of thought, there is a necessity to regain them, particularly for purposes of decoloniality, historical consciousness and memory as well as transformation.