Afrikaans: Die menigvuldige religieuse groeperinge onder die Sotho beskou hulself
as soveel onafhanklike kerke. Alhoewel die separatisme vanuit die
Volkekunde as voorbeeld van akkulturasie bestudeer is, is aandag gegee
aan die verhouding kerk en sekte asook die aanleiding tot skisma en
heresie. Die aantal bewegings sowel as die getal aanhoriges het oar
die afgelope eeu aansienlik gegroei. Volgens die beste gegewens was
daar 4 000 bewegings in 1980 terwyl die RSA-sensus (1980) die aanhoriges
op 29,3% van die totale swart bevolking bereken het.
Tydens ondersoek is opnames in sowel die platteland as stedelike gebiede
gemaak en TI aansienlike reeks leierspersone uit separatistebewegings
ondervra. Ter illustrasie is ses bewegings verder uitvoerig beskrywe.
Daar is bevind dat die wese van die separatisme as 'n afwyking oor TI
hele spektrum van links na regs aangedui kan word. Die meer ortodokse
bewegings word op TI ~r-regse posisie gekry. Hulle is oor die algemeen
behoudend ten opsigte van die kerke waaruit hulle ontstaan het en TI
verlengstuk in leer en liturgie van hierdie kerke. Ver-links plaas ons
dan daardie bewegings wat in 'n hoe mate afwyk van die kerke waaruit
hulle ontstaan het en oak so akkommoderend teenoor die tradisionele
Afrika-religie staan dat manisme en selfs magiese praktyke in die ·1eer=
stellige en liturgiese kenmerke onderskei kon word.
As belangrikste enkele oorsaak vir die ontstaan van nuwe separatiste groepe moet die herhalende stryd om oppergesag tussen bestaande en
jonger leiersfigure aangedui word. Verdere besondere kenmerke wat aangedui kon word, is die besondere rol van die vrou as leiersfiguur en volgeling; die besondere waarde wat aan helingsrites met "geseende
water" geheg word; asook die wyse waarop die leiersfiguur by baie
bewegings die ou funksies van stamhoof en kragdokter so in horn
verenig dat religieuse bewegings soms soos stameenhede inn nuwe
gedaante vertoon.
Die separatisme moet as paging tot aanpassing inn akkulturasie-opset
gesien word. Aan die linkerkant van die spektrum word die christelike
en tradisionele religie tot TI dubbeldorige vennootskap verbind wat
volgelinge TI sosiale geborgenheid bied.
English: The manifold religious movements among the Sotho see themselves as so many independent churches. Though separatism was studied from an anthropological point of view as an example of acculturation, the relationship
between church and sect and motivation towards schism and heresy could
not be ignored. The number of movements and their adherents have greatly
increased during the last century. According to the best information
there were at least 4 000 of these movements in the RSA in 1980.
According to the 1980-census the adherents comprised 29,3% of the total
black population.
During the research surveys were conducted in rural as well as urban
areas in both of which intensive interviewing was conducted with leaders
of separatist movements. Six of these movements were studied in depth.
The nature of separatism could be indicated on a broad spectrum lying
from left to right. On the far right one found the more orthodox
movements which retained many qualities of their churches of origin
in faith and liturgical order. On the far left had to be placed those
movements differing profoundly from their churches of origin and which
showed such extensive accommodation of the traditional religion of
Africa, that manistic and magical elements could readily be indicated
in their faith and liturgical order.
The most important reason for the origination of new separatist groups
was the recurrent contest for autonomous power between existing and
younger leaders. Further characteristics were the particular role of
women both as officiants and followers; the excessive value attached
to healing rituals conducted with "blessed water" , as well as the
way in which the leaders of these movements combined the old roles
of tribal chief and power doctor in their persons giving their
movements a similar configuration as the tribal entities of old.
Separatism was basically evaluated as being examples of adaptation
in acculturative context. On the left side of the spectrum the
Christian faith and traditional religion were often combined into
a dual partnership giving its adherents a special feeling of
social security.
