Reporting from the Angle of Reality: A Comparative Analysis of Sukuma Proverbs and the Social Construction of Power Relations in Traditional Leadership
Corresponding Author(s) : Esther J. Masele
Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS),
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2023)
Abstract
The Sukuma comprise one of many ethnic groups which respect their traditional
leadership. Even after the introduction of new authority by the independent
Tanzanian government, they still exercise their traditional leadership of chiefs
(Ntemi), which is purely patriarchal. However, there are more evidences from the
literature, which suggest that proverbs are useful in articulating power relations in
groups as what persist in the Sukuma society. Following this reason, this paper,
highlights power relations resulting from the comparative analysis of traditional
leadership history and Sukuma proverbs. Specifically, the paper is designed to answer
two questions: How does the Sukuma traditional leadership history reflect power
relations among the Sukuma? In which ways do the Sukuma proverbs mirror the
social construction of power relations in traditional leadership? The study was
conducted in Kishapu District in Shinyanga, Tanzania.
(Received: 23rd October 2022; Accepted: 20th May 2023; Revised: 27th May 2023)
Keywords
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- Alase, A. 2017. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative
- Research Approach. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies 5(2): 10–19.
- Bali, T. A. L. 1990. Women in Irrigation Agriculture: A Case Study of Batemi of Ngorongoro
- District in Arusha Region, M.A. thesis, University of Dar es Salaam.
- Chikwelu, E. J. 2017. Never Marry a Woman with Big Feet: The Proverbial Oppression of
- Women in Igbo African Culture: An Investigation of the Semantics of female Devaluation
- in Igbo African Proverbs. MA Thesis, University of Kwazulu-Natal.
- Chippo, P. 2011. The Sunday Standard Newspaper’s Representations of Women in Botswana.
- M.A Dissertation, University of Botswana.
- Diabah, G. & Amfo, A. N. 2018. To Dance or Not to Dance: Masculinities in Akan Proverbs and
- their Implications for Contemporary Societies. Ghana Journal of Linguistics, 7(2): 179–198.
- http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjl.v7i2.8.
- Finnegan, R. 2005. Oral Tradition and the Verbal Arts: A Guide to Research Practise. New York:
- Taylor and Francis e-Library.
- Furniss, G. 1995. The Power of Words and Relation between Hausa Genres. In: Furniss, G and
- Gunner, L. (Eds.). Power, Marginality and African Oral Literature. New York: Cambridge
- University Press, pp. 1–22.
- Gawile. D. R. 2011. Religious Discourse and Gender Stereotype. M.A. dissertation, University
- of Dodoma.
- Gibore, N. S. & Bali, T. A. L. 2020. Community Perspectives: An Exploration of Potential Barriers
- to Men’s Involvement in Maternity Care in a Central Tanzanian Community. PLoS ONE. 15(5)
- –27.
- Gunderson, F. 1999. Musical Labour Associations in Sukumaland Tanzania: History and
- Practise, PhD dissertation, Wesleyan University.
- Gunner, L. 1995. Power, Marginality and African Oral Literature. New York: Cambridge University
- Press.
- Husserl, E. 1931. Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (D. Carr, Trans.). Evanston, IL:
- Northwestern University Press
- Hofmeyr, I. 1992. Gender, Patterns of Story-Telling and Forced Removals: A Transvaal
- Perspective: Collected Seminar Papers. Institute of Commonwealth Studies, 44. pp.39–53.
- Jule, A. 2008, A Beginner’s Guide to Language and Gender. Toronto: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
- Kabaji, S. E. 2005. The Construction of Gender through the Narrative Process of the African
- Folktales: A Case Study of the Maragoli, PhD thesis, University of South Africa.
- Kopytoff, I. 2005. Women’s Roles and Existential Identity. In: Oyewumi, O (Ed.), African Gender
- Studies: A Reader. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Lee, J. 2015. Chinese Proverbs: How are Women and Men Represented? Multidisciplinary Journal
- of Gender Studies, 4(1): 559–585. doi: 10.4471/generos.
- Masele, J. 2017. Gender Relations in the Discourse of Sukuma Songs. PhD thesis, University of
- Dodoma.
- Mhache, E. P. 2014. Gender Division and Utilization of Natural Resources: A Case Study of
- Mindu-Tulieni and Makombe Village in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. HURIA 16: 26–49.
- Neubauer B. E., Witkop C. T. B. & Varpio, L. 2019. How Phenomenology can Help us Learn
- from the Experiences of Others. Perspectives in Medical Education 8(2): 90–97. https://doi.org/
- 1007/ s40037-019-0509-2
- Nfah-Abbenyi, J. M. 2005. Gender, Feminist Theory, and Post-Colonial Women’s Writing. In:
- Oyewumi, O. (2005). African Gender Studies: A Reader. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
- Publishers.
- Salamh, S. B. & Maalej. Z. A. 2018. A Cultural Linguistics Perspective on Animal Proverbs, with
- Special Reference to Two Dialects of Arabic. AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, 2(4):
- –40. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol2no4.2
- Sanauddin, N. 2015. Proverbs and Patriarchy: Analysis of Linguistic Sexism and Gender
- Relations among the Pashtuns of Pakistan. PhD Thesis, University of Glasgow.
- Seital, P. 1999. The Powers of Genre: Interpreting Haya Oral Literature. New York: Oxford
- University Press.
- Senkoro, F. E. M. K. 2005. Understanding Gender through Genre: Oral Literature as a Vehicle for
- Gender Studies in East Africa. Gender, Literature and Religion in Africa, Gender Series 4: 1–16.
- Songoyi, E. 2005. The Form and Content of the Wigashe Dance Songs of the Sukuma. PhD
- dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
- Womack, M. & Marti, J. 1993. The Other Fifty Percent: Multicultural Perspectives on Gender
- Relations. USA. Waveland Press.
References
Alase, A. 2017. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative
Research Approach. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies 5(2): 10–19.
Bali, T. A. L. 1990. Women in Irrigation Agriculture: A Case Study of Batemi of Ngorongoro
District in Arusha Region, M.A. thesis, University of Dar es Salaam.
Chikwelu, E. J. 2017. Never Marry a Woman with Big Feet: The Proverbial Oppression of
Women in Igbo African Culture: An Investigation of the Semantics of female Devaluation
in Igbo African Proverbs. MA Thesis, University of Kwazulu-Natal.
Chippo, P. 2011. The Sunday Standard Newspaper’s Representations of Women in Botswana.
M.A Dissertation, University of Botswana.
Diabah, G. & Amfo, A. N. 2018. To Dance or Not to Dance: Masculinities in Akan Proverbs and
their Implications for Contemporary Societies. Ghana Journal of Linguistics, 7(2): 179–198.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjl.v7i2.8.
Finnegan, R. 2005. Oral Tradition and the Verbal Arts: A Guide to Research Practise. New York:
Taylor and Francis e-Library.
Furniss, G. 1995. The Power of Words and Relation between Hausa Genres. In: Furniss, G and
Gunner, L. (Eds.). Power, Marginality and African Oral Literature. New York: Cambridge
University Press, pp. 1–22.
Gawile. D. R. 2011. Religious Discourse and Gender Stereotype. M.A. dissertation, University
of Dodoma.
Gibore, N. S. & Bali, T. A. L. 2020. Community Perspectives: An Exploration of Potential Barriers
to Men’s Involvement in Maternity Care in a Central Tanzanian Community. PLoS ONE. 15(5)
–27.
Gunderson, F. 1999. Musical Labour Associations in Sukumaland Tanzania: History and
Practise, PhD dissertation, Wesleyan University.
Gunner, L. 1995. Power, Marginality and African Oral Literature. New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Husserl, E. 1931. Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (D. Carr, Trans.). Evanston, IL:
Northwestern University Press
Hofmeyr, I. 1992. Gender, Patterns of Story-Telling and Forced Removals: A Transvaal
Perspective: Collected Seminar Papers. Institute of Commonwealth Studies, 44. pp.39–53.
Jule, A. 2008, A Beginner’s Guide to Language and Gender. Toronto: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Kabaji, S. E. 2005. The Construction of Gender through the Narrative Process of the African
Folktales: A Case Study of the Maragoli, PhD thesis, University of South Africa.
Kopytoff, I. 2005. Women’s Roles and Existential Identity. In: Oyewumi, O (Ed.), African Gender
Studies: A Reader. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Lee, J. 2015. Chinese Proverbs: How are Women and Men Represented? Multidisciplinary Journal
of Gender Studies, 4(1): 559–585. doi: 10.4471/generos.
Masele, J. 2017. Gender Relations in the Discourse of Sukuma Songs. PhD thesis, University of
Dodoma.
Mhache, E. P. 2014. Gender Division and Utilization of Natural Resources: A Case Study of
Mindu-Tulieni and Makombe Village in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. HURIA 16: 26–49.
Neubauer B. E., Witkop C. T. B. & Varpio, L. 2019. How Phenomenology can Help us Learn
from the Experiences of Others. Perspectives in Medical Education 8(2): 90–97. https://doi.org/
1007/ s40037-019-0509-2
Nfah-Abbenyi, J. M. 2005. Gender, Feminist Theory, and Post-Colonial Women’s Writing. In:
Oyewumi, O. (2005). African Gender Studies: A Reader. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Publishers.
Salamh, S. B. & Maalej. Z. A. 2018. A Cultural Linguistics Perspective on Animal Proverbs, with
Special Reference to Two Dialects of Arabic. AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, 2(4):
–40. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol2no4.2
Sanauddin, N. 2015. Proverbs and Patriarchy: Analysis of Linguistic Sexism and Gender
Relations among the Pashtuns of Pakistan. PhD Thesis, University of Glasgow.
Seital, P. 1999. The Powers of Genre: Interpreting Haya Oral Literature. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Senkoro, F. E. M. K. 2005. Understanding Gender through Genre: Oral Literature as a Vehicle for
Gender Studies in East Africa. Gender, Literature and Religion in Africa, Gender Series 4: 1–16.
Songoyi, E. 2005. The Form and Content of the Wigashe Dance Songs of the Sukuma. PhD
dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
Womack, M. & Marti, J. 1993. The Other Fifty Percent: Multicultural Perspectives on Gender
Relations. USA. Waveland Press.