Venda Culture: Child Raising

In the traditional and modern Venda Culture generally babies and young infants are cared for by their grandmothers, which in Venda are known as Gugu.

The role of the mother traditionally in the Venda culture is to work in the fields, tending the crops and collecting food and ensuring enough water for the whole family. These days many mothers have jobs in the local cities such as Louis Trichardt or in our case at some of Louis Trichardt accommodation establishments or farms in the area.

The traditional role of a man / father in the Venda culture is building and caring for cattle. Today a lot of men go to work either in the area or further afield. Both on the traditional side and modern age the father is not really involved in parental care.

When a child is old enough there is a separation of the girls and boys for the large majority of the day. The girls will help their mothers and grandmothers in the fields and around the home. The boys however go out herding and they will protect the crops against baboons and other animals.

Venda Cultural Dress for Children

According to Venda culture, the infant has no specific attire and remains naked, but for a string of wild cotton, (ludede) which is tied around its waist until the weaning stage when they are given the tshideka.

The tshideka is a basic garment, worn by both sexes, and consists of a piece of square cloth sewn on the Ludede to cover the private parts, however the buttocks remain uncovered. Two squares can be used, one for the front and the other for the back. When an infant is immunized it is given the lukunda to be worn round the wrist and ankle to protect them against evil spirits.

As the child is weaned, clothes are used to differentiate sex, the boy puts on the Tsindi, and girls a Shedo.

Venda Children's Music

From an early age it is essential for a kid to start learning dance routines and drum playing. As Venda children start spending less time with their grandmothers and more time with other children they begin to participate in music making more and more and sing songs and musical games, which are known in Venda as "nyimbo dza vhana"

Venda Children Games

The Venda children love making things and many of the top craftsmen started learning their skills at a very early age from their Grandmother or father.

Little boys make cars which they push a round for most of the day.

The Venda children and adults play a number of games, probably the best known is played by making a number of holes in the ground and moving stones around in a logical and tactical manner.

Another favourite pastime is football and the Venda boys like their fathers are football crazy.