Masihambisane, lessons learnt using participatory indigenous knowledge research approaches in a school-based collaborative project of the Eastern Cape

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Early Literacy Development: An Analysis of IsiXhosa and IsiZulu Traditional Children’s Folktales and Songs

“…It is carried and performed through language, for example, proverbs, riddles, myths, folktales, songs and dance and is reflected in different social dimensions such as agriculture, medicine, craft and skills, judiciary system and social values (Mapara 2009: 153;Gudhlanga et al 2012: 74). This implies that IKS has its own epistemology, social, educational and ethical relevance (Battiste 2005;Gudhlanga et al 2012;Meyiwa et al 2013) which is often embedded in folklore.…”

“…They are also scaffolded to higher levels of linguistic competence as the folktale could be translated into an IsiXhosa proverb that "Imbulu yaswel'umsila ngokuyalezela / A rabbit sacrificed its tail because of delegation". This implies that apart from the social values and beliefs embedded in traditional folktales, they are also good communicative, educational and ethical tools (Battiste 2005;Meyiwa et al 2013). …”

“…IKS research has spread to other fields such as education and African languages, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (Hoppers 2004;Nyota et al 2008;Mapara 2009;Gudhlanga et al 2012;Meyiwa et al 2013). In South Africa, IKS became part of the curriculum after 1994 in order to acknowledge the history and cultural heritage of the country (Department of Education (DoE) 2002(DoE) , 2005; Department of Basic Education (DBE) 2012: 5).…”

“…It ensures that learning is contextualised within local knowledge and oral language. Oral language comprises riddles, rhymes, songs, folktales, proverbs, legends and myths which are of cultural and educational value (Mapara 2009;Meyiwa et al 2013). In this paper, the researchers analyse IsiXhosa and Isi-Zulu children's folktales and traditional children's songs in order to explore the kind of knowledge they provide to young learners to strengthen their literacy skills.…”

“…This corresponds with the NLS framework, which embraces the integration of schooled literacy and home or community literacy (Baker et al 2006in Stein 2008, as discussed earlier. This illustrates that the knowledge taught in schools is shaped by the local context that depicts social identity (Nyota et al 2008;Meyiwa et al 2013). Therefore, the learners' socio-cultural experiences provide rich indigenous knowledge which can be integrated in the teaching and learning of literacy to young children (Prosper 2012).…”