Die separatisme en religieuse bewegings onder die Sotho van die RSA

Abstract

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.