The significance of music in the performance of svikwembu ritual practices amongst the Shangana Tsonga people of semi-urban southern Mozambique
This research investigates the significance of music in svikwembu. one of the most regularly used ritual practices amongst the Shangana Tsonga people of southern Mozambique, specifically in the Maputo province. The significance and importance of music is applied to all practitioners of svikwembu. Svikwembu includes trance (spirit possession), divination, consultation (leu pahla), exorcism (kufemba) and healing practices. Music activity has different functions in each of the above-mentioned practices. Specific instruments (gocha, ngoma, ntxomana, and whistle) and styles of music (Ndau, Nguni, mahlonga and Monhe) are used and performed in these set ritual practices. The main purpose of this thesis is to find out why music has to be performed in order to establish communication between the practitioners of the medium of svikwembu (traditional healers) and spirits (Ndau, Nguoi, mahlonga and Monbe). This thesis aims to fill a gap in the field of knowledge concerning music, trance and spirit possession of the Shangana Tsonga of southern Mozambique
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