Browsing by Author "Makamani, Rewai"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    African proverbs and conflict management: A study of selected Shona, Oshiwambo, Yoruba and Swahili proverbial expressions.
    (2013) Makamani, Rewai
    This study employs a Dialectical – Relational Approach to analyse selected Shona, Oshivambo, Yoruba and Swahili proverbs in a bid to show that African proverbs have vast potential in mitigating and possibly preventing conflict that has ravaged the continent thus almost threatening to reverse gains made in economic, political, educational and social spheres in recent years on the continent. Informed by Ubutuism, the study argues that African proverbs have a role to play not only in the economic development of the continent, but also in maintaining positive social relations with the rest of the world as is demanded by modern diplomacy and the quest for dignified social existence. In the study, I reveal that the Aristotelian three proofs of ethos, pathos and logos are inherent in African proverbs and can be used in all spheres of life in modern Africa to add value in education, commerce, politics and socialization systems both for the youth and adults. The study makes a critical analysis of proverbial expressions that deal with love, respect, endurance, care, goodwill and humility to reveal not only how proverbs should inform African education systems, but that their incorporation in many spheres of life would provide answers to vices such as greed, brutality (e.g. killing of people for various reasons), lack of ethical conduct, lack of respect for adults, sexual promiscuity and corruption. A purposive sampling of proverbs has been employed in this study.
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    An analysis of the influences of discourse in the anthology: 'Zimbabwean Poetry in English'.
    (2010) Makamani, Rewai
    This article reviews the book "Zimbabwean Poetry in English", compiled and introduced by Kizito Muchemwa.
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    Conflict-sensitive journalism: A practical handbook for journalists in southern Africa
    (Department of Communication, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)., 2019) Mare, Admire; Moyo, Dumisani; Chasi, Colin; Rodny-Gumede, Ylva; Makamani, Rewai; Tsarwe, Stanley; Jaji, Rose; Mapudzi, Hatikanganwi; Mpofu, Nkosinothando; Ellis, Hugh; Peel, Clayton
    This publication is based on presentations delivered at a media, conflict and peacebuilding training workshop aimed at building the capacity of African journalists to report on conflict and peacebuilding in Southern Africa. The two-day workshop on “Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Southern Africa” brought together sixteen print, radio, television, and digital journalists who report on conflict and peacebuilding in the region. The journalists came from seven Southern African countries—Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, eSwatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and Namibia. It was organised in July 2018 by the Department of Communication, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and supported by the Social Science Research Council’s African Peacebuilding Network (APN) grant program. The workshop adopted a combination of theoretical and practical sessions with critique and interactive exercises and was facilitated by experienced academics and practitioners who combined the fundamental theories in the field with the rich experiences of their practice to engender a holistic understanding of issues. Journalists were introduced to concepts and key issues in conflict and peacebuilding, given an understanding of the link between peace, and conflict, as well as led to reflect on the roles, ideologies, and practices of the media in conflict and peacebuilding. The workshop looked at civil strife in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The issue of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa also took centre stage. Journalists were urged to adopt conflicts-sensitive journalism, which borrows heavily from Afrocentric ideals such as Ubuntu and communitarianism. The issue of ethical reporting was also buttressed. Moreover, the issue of the safety of journalists in conflict situations also received significant attention. The workshop also provided an opportunity to link together Southern African journalists and scholars whose work focuses on conflict and peacebuilding to share experiences and learn new ways to approach their writing in the belief that this would help mitigate the risks of the media contributing to conflict.
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    Contradictory HIV/AIDS rhetoric(s) in Zimbabwe: An analysis of selected online media texts: Paper presented at the African Association of Rhetoric 2nd Biennial International Conference at the University of KwaZulu Natal, 1-3 July, 2009.
    (2009) Makamani, Rewai
    This article employs text analysis within the framework of the arena model (Mazzoni, 1991, Anfara, 2006, http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs), to examine fourty one online media texts to reflect on the Zimbabwean HIV/AIDS intervention model and how it impacted on HIV/AIDS rhetoric used by government officials and online media. The article reveals that HIV/AIDS rhetoric was mainly used by politicians from the previous government of Zimbabwe as a face and face management strategy (Goffman (1955/1967)/ Tracy (1990) in Bull (2008) to paint a positive image of government and ZANU PF before relevant stakeholders like potential voters, donors, regional and international communities. The article demonstrates that the strategy of using HIV/ AIDS rhetoric for political grandstanding did not yield success owing to inherent flaws in the HIV/AIDS intervention model used and lack of commitment. The article further reveals that the Zimbabwean HIV/ AIDS model that rests heavily on a subsystem arena which oftentimes overlapped as a political party engineered leadership arena that excluded the much vital macro arena, is the architect of the contradictory HIV/AIDS rhetoric under discussion. I proceed to argue that despite the government officials’ use of all sorts of appeals, imagery, symbolism and endorsements in the public media and other platforms, the online media’s use of whistle blowing, thematisation, visuals and intertextuality, managed to send effective messages locally and abroad that dislodged misleading rhetoric produced by political agents and emitted by pro- government media. Findings in this study lend to the conclusion that the Zimbabwean HIV/AIDS intervention model rendered government officials HIV/AIDS rhetoric as nothing beyond plain face saving acts that unfortunately did not yield the interlocutors’ desired effect for the macro arena’s experiences were overwhelmingly parallel to messages churned by politicians. In the article, I analyse speeches by political agents, HIV/AIDS activists, and online media reports by UN officials, Human Rights Watch (July 2005), UNAIDS and WHO (2005). Lastly, articles on rape committed against girls and women particularly during the 2002 and March 2008 elections are also examined.
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    A critical discourse analysis of the impact of Operation Murambatsvina (Operation Drive Out Filth) on people living with HIV ad AIDS in Zimbabwe as reflected by newspaper reports.
    (NUST, Department of Communication, 2014) Makamani, Rewai
    Between May and June 2005, the Government of Zimbabwe embarked on a nation - wide blitz dubbed Operation Murambatsvina (Operation Drive out Filth). It was purportedly aimed at cleaning up the country by destroying all illegally built structures including flea market stalls, informal workshops and dwelling units of poor people thereby rendering thousands homeless and desperate. This national blitz received wide media coverage both at home and abroad. This study analyses persuasive strategies used by Zimbabwean newspaper reports on Operation Murambatsvina (OM) in a bid to reflect on how newspapers persuaded readers to accept their viewpoints on how OM affected people particularly HIV and AIDS victims. The study reveals that newspaper reports employed a wide range of linguistic strategies (e.g. thematisation, metaphors, deictic referencing, rhematisation, nominalization, direct speech) to expose OM as a gross violation of all the provisions made in the HIV and AIDS policy document for Zimbabwe of 1999. The operation brought to question government’s commitment to the plight of HIV and AIDS victims. The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), whose incorporation of a number of analytical tools, facilitated an in- depth analysis of the said newspaper reports. More than thirty newspaper reports and a number of online media articles were selected for analysis in this study.
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    From "Nehanda Nyakasikana" to the national anthem: Poetic aesthetics and the articulation of local and national sensibilities in Solomon Mutswairo's poetry.
    (2010) Makamani, Rewai; Choto, Isaac
    This chapter employs text analysis to explore the stylistics of the poems of Solomon Mutswairo ranging from his earliest poems in Madetembedzo Akare Namatsva (1958, 1988), to the lyrics of the national anthem, “Ngaikomborerwe Nyika yeZimbabwe”, his last offering. Through the use of text analysis it is feasible to analyse linguistic features pertinent in the poet’s works. In this chapter, we note that the accomplished Zimbabwean author mainly employs simple and straight forward language to navigate sophisticated local and national issues ranging from philosophical, religious, economic to topical political concerns. Though our primary focus is on stylistic analysis, inevitably we also address some key thematic concerns that permeate Mutswairo’s poetry. This is so because form and content are intricately related, the former facilitated the revelation of the latter. Throughout his career as a poet, novelist, literary critic and academic, Solomon Mutswairo passionately addresses a repertoire of thematic concerns namely, the Chiweshe chieftancy, land politics, exploitation, African religion, the liberation struggle, sovereignty, governance, love, respect, death and nature. All these thematic concerns are closely linked to the poet’s life experiences characterized by his childhood socialization in Chiweshe communal lands, missionary education, colonial exploitation and subjugation, overseas university education, high school and university teaching. Mutswairo’s poems analysed in this chapter are found in the anthologies, Nduri DzeZimbabwe (1983) and Madetembedzo Akare Namatsva (1988), the poem “Nehanda Nyakasikana” in the epic novel Feso, and the lyrics of the national anthem, “Ngaikomborerwe Nyika YeZimbabwe”. It is the preoccupation of the chapter that repetition, personal address forms, the apostrophe technique, the Mhiramudzimu incantation register, metaphoric and imagistic language and rhetorical questions are the key poetic devices that characterize the poet’s stylistics.
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    Preserving oral traditions: Some reflections on students' performances during cultural festivals held at the NUST (Namibia's University of Science and Technology) from 2009 to 2012.
    (NUST, Department of Communication, 2013) Makamani, Rewai
    This paper analyses the role of tertiary institutions in the preservation of oral traditions and cultures in Namibia, with specific reference to cultural festivals held from 2009 to 2012 at the NUST. A number of institutions in Namibia hold annual cultural festivals in keeping with the Namibian cultural policy that is based on unity in diversity. The NUST cultural festival reflects the diversity of cultures within the NUST community to represent the multi-cultural environment of the institution. The study argues that, by hosting cultural festivals, institutions such as the NUST play a leading role in the preservation of material and oral cultures of people. Preservation of oral traditions is made possible when the performances at such festivals are recorded and used as authentic sources for teaching within tertiary institutions. Interviews with students doing the Bachelor of Communication degree at the NUST indicate that if such materials are used for teaching, students are inspired to learn more about such cultures. In addition to teaching, preservation is achieved through publicity in the media, scholarly publications, and social networking. In the study, I employed a descriptive analysis within the framework of ethnography of communication.
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    A SWOT analysis of the Department of Communication courses: A case of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Professional Purposes (EPP).
    (NUST, Department of Communication, 2012) Makamani, Rewai
    This study attempts a SWOT analysis of the higher level English Communication courses offered by the Department of Communication at the NUST (Communication Skills, Professional Writing and Professional Communication), in order to probe the current situation and use the findings to argue a case for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Professional Purposes (EPP) as alternative higher level courses. The study aims at carving a niche for an English curriculum that meets the demands made upon the learners by target situations. Therefore, the problem that this study seeks to address is that whereas learners face a heterogeneous target situation characterised by varieties of English, (English foe Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP), English for Specific Business Purposes (ESBP), English for Legal Purposes (ELP), English for Medical Purposes (EMP), English for Economics (EE) and English for Science and Technology (EST), as the case may be, (Dudley - Evans and St. John, 1998), the higher level courses expose students to mainly a generalised English curriculum which, by and large, does not fully address the requirements of the target situation. Findings from the study are aimed at bolstering efforts to implement an ESP curriculum that meets the expectation of learners as is demanded by the target situation. The study employs a descriptive analysis of data within the qualitative research paradigm.
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    Television and film as popular culture.
    (NUST, Department of English Communication., 2009) Makamani, Rewai
    This article is part of a Unit for the BA in Media Studies module.