Promotion and preservation of indigenous knowledge in the age of globalisation: The case of puo ya hlompho among the Basotho

Abstract

Puo ya hlompho (honorifics) is a form of respectful behaviour widespread in southern Africa. Its manifestation has often been interpreted as a traditional verbal taboo, where married women must avoid uttering the names of their in-laws, especially those named after the elders of the family. The fundamental somatic meaning of this also applies to the physical act of speaking. The linguistic taboo is prevalent in recent traditional songs composed by Basotho women and marks women’s language as special and different from that of men. Against this backdrop, this article, which is exploratory in nature, examines Basotho accordion songs that reflect the use of puo ya hlompho among the Basotho. We analyse three purposely selected accordion songs in which the use of puo ya hlompho is evident. This qualitative research study has indigenous knowledge systems as its theoretical foundation. The study employs an interpretivist paradigm to understand the rationale for these Basotho accordion songs by examining the linguistic and social implications of puo ya hlompho in the songs.