AbstractThis article focuses on humor embedded in the delivery and lyrics of a form of song sung by Zulu women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa still widely practiced in rural areas, called amaculo omgonqo ‘puberty songs.’ The aim is to ascertain how and why young Zulu females sing these unusual songs which are normally sung in the days preceding two rites of passage ceremonies; firstly, the umhlonyane ceremony, which is held to mark a young girl’s first menstruation during her puberty years, and secondly, approximately 10 years later, the umemulo ‘coming of age’ ceremony which is held for young girls who have reached marriageable age. Analysis is made of the unusual use of scatological and ribald language in these songs, which are sung by young girls before these two ceremonies. These songs are rendered socially acceptable only because of the context in which they are sung, and for the bawdy humor which is core to the lyrics.
Gendered Historiography: Theoretical Considerations and Case Studies
