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Exploring Modernity in African Orature: the Bena Case Study

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Exploring Modernity in African Orature: the Bena Case Study Exploring Modernity in African Orature: The Bena Case Study Der Fakultät für Geschichte, Kunst- und Orientwissenschaften der Universität Leipzig eingereichte D I S S E R T A T I O N zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE (Dr. phil.) vorgelegt von Angelus Jacob Mnenuka geboren am 03. Juni 1978 in Morogoro, Tansania Leipzig, den 06. November 2017 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I officially began working on this PhD project on 1st April 2014. This dissertation appears to be accomplished by me alone. But the fact is, there is a very long list of people and institutions ‘behind the scene’ who have contributed to this thesis. This section is fully dedicated to these kinds of people. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude towards all of them. However, it would look terribly awkward if one of the following names of people and institutions would not have appeared on this page. I am grateful to the following institutions: The Republic United of Tanzania through The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) and Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) on the one hand, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on the other for awarding me the scholarship that enabled me to study for a PhD at the University of Leipzig, Germany. I would also express my sincere thanks to my employer, the University of Dar es Salaam for granting me a four-year study leave. And finally, but not least, is the Institute of African Studies (Afrikanistik) of the University of Leipzig (Universität Leipzig) in which I spent three years and seven months doing this research. These institutions are run by people, some of whom we tend not to value their contribution. I take this opportunity to thank all of them, especially office cleaners in my studying office who were very patient every time they found me in the office during cleanliness time. I thank individuals who supported me right from the beginning when I was developing my proposal, some of whom had made enormous contributions. These are Prof Daniel Mkude, Prof Mugyabuso M. Mulokozi, Prof F.E.M.K. Senkoro, and Dr Shani Omari. Not to forget Prof Kulikoyela K Kahigi, my MA supervisor, whose substantial contributions moved me from linguistics to Swahili literature. Other people that must be mentioned here are different directors at the Institute of Kiswahili Studies: Prof. Yohana Msanjila and Dr Ernesta Mosha. These have been so supportive that sometimes I think they did what I was supposed to do. Included in this group is Dr Edith B. Lyimo, the Head of Swahili Literature, Communication and Publishing. She tirelessly reminded me of numerous issues that I either forgot or am completely unaware of. My thanks are also due to my office mate Dr Rhoda P. Kidami for her tender and soft heart. She has ii not only been capable of carrying out some my official duties in my absence but she has been very supportive and cooperative right from the day we saw each other. Living far away from home is most often challenging to some people like myself, especially when one lives in a society that does not share a cultural and ontological background. However, in Leipzig, especially in the Institute of African Studies, things were different to me. I was felt it as a home far away from home. The people in the institute are good, polite, and very cooperative. Each one seemed happy to help me whenever I seemed puzzled by something. I am deeply indebted to Natascha Bing who made sure that my registration and all details regarding academic issues are settled. She really deserves a huge ‘Thank you!’ Dr Julia Schwarz sacrificed her time to read some of my thesis chapters and contributed substantially to this thesis. Next to Julia, is Dr Irene Brunotti. Apart from re-reading my chapters many times, she has been incredibly supportive in social issues. Asante sana dada yangu! I would be unjust if I do not mention Ms (Frau) Monika Große on this list. She resolved all my academic enquiries in the Institute. My special thanks go to the members of the promotion commission of my PhD defence, Prof Dr Michael P. Streck, the chairman, and Prof Dr Katja Werthmann. Finally, I would like to thank Prof Dr Adam Jones and Dr Ari Awagana. The two have been helpful in some circumstances in which I found myself completely stuck. I am indebted to my colleagues Rachel Muchira and Rukiyah Bakari for reading some of my chapters and offering constructive comments. My guide Mr Alfred Mgecha deserves many thanks for his massive support in collecting Bena data. Frowin Mgani, Joseph Mhehwa, Perida Mgecha, and Patricia Mabena for providing me with different meanings of some Bena vocabulary that appeared strange to me. I am also grateful to Rev. Dr. Lechion Peter Kimilike for providing me with adequate data on Bena language and culture in general, and above all for reading one of the chapters of this dissertation. I thank my Tanzanian colleagues Dr Deusdedit Rwehumbiza, Dr John M. Lekenangula and Dr Nives K. Ngullu, Deogratias Martin Kibona for sharing and encouraging one another in the whole PhD program. My special thanks go to my parents who, apart from wishing me good studies, missed me a lot of time. They have been very supportive since my childhood and kept encouraging me to go further iii and further in my studies. They also added significant data in this study. Many thanks to my wife Nganile Erick Kyamba and beloved and beautiful children Amuwene and Lupyana for missing me. Skyping, chatting and telephone talks could not bridge the physical distance between us. Above all, my sincere gratitude goes to my supervisor Prof Dr Rose Marie Beck for accepting me as her doctoral student. I really appreciate that tremendous honour given to me. She has been not only supportive but incredibly patient. I am very proud to have such a smart supervisor! And finally, Prof Dr Aldin K Mutembei. He has been one of the people who kept on pushing me to study for PhD, he has offered substantial academic support in writing this work. His readiness and warm-heartedness during difficulties are unbelievable! Nyeva! Mgendelage uludodi ulukafu luladenyeka – ‘Walk on a fresh walking stick, the dry one will break’ iv DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my beloved parents: my father Jacob Peter Mbochile and my mother Paulina Abraham Nguwila v ABSTRACT To be modern and modernity are among notions about which people frequently talk past each other at all levels. There is no settled meaning of modernity so far. On the one hand, academics take different approaches to the notion, resulting in more than three theories of modernity. In their everyday life, non-scholars conceptualise modernity based on its immediate effects. This research stems from the same premises that there is no single notion of modernity nor can people have a universal understanding of it. This study endeavours to explore modernity in Bena orature. It attempts to expose what Bena people think of modernity as they present opinions in their aesthetic communication - orature. To meet that aim, the study adopted grounded theory which enables the researcher to develop a theory from available data. Bena orature was collected, analysed, and using grounded theory methods, I formulated the Bena theory of modernity. Apart from Bena orature, post-performance discussions, additional informal discussions, and secondary data from among the Bena and other societies were employed to accomplish the objectives of the study. In the analysis of data, several categories emerged, one of which appeared to be the strongest. In grounded theory, this is referred to as the core category. The core category is the theme or concept which is regarded as the main issue discussed in the society under study. In this study, wellbeing was determined to be the core category over and above the others because of its ability to explain other categories. It was revealed that wellbeing is one of the concepts which not only surfaces in Bena society but to which many other issues are related, both in aesthetic and ordinary communication. Sometimes, it may appear as if people disagree on several issues. This might translate into disagreeing on some truths amongst themselves, but in fact, they disagree on how to enhance wellbeing among Bena. Owing to that, the research ends by formulating a theory of modernity of wellbeing. Put differently, what really concerns Bena society in this modern world is attempting to enhance wellbeing, both at the individual and societal levels. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................... i DEDICATION .................................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ..........................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................... vi 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ........................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Background to the Study ............................................................................................. 2 1.3 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Objectives of the Study ...................................................................................................... 6 1.5
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