FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

LOCAL GOVERNANCE STUDIES

NAME:

SURNAME

REG NO

VINCENT

MANYAWI

R157598E

KUDAKWASHE. C

NYANDEBVU

R154485J

RAY CLEMENCE

TONDOI

R156453Z

MODE OF ENTRY:

PARALLEL

MODULE:

LGS 212

LEVEL:

2.1

LECTURER:

MR V.CHAKUNDA

QUESTION: Critically examine the view that culture mediates

attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters.

INTRODUCTION
Despite the increasing frequency and severity of the catastrophes that strike humankind, it is
becoming increasingly possible to prevent and mitigate the effects of disaster.Culture can be
regarded as an important factor which contributes immensely towards the mitigation of the
impacts of the disasters. This discussion therefore seeks to show how culture helps mediating
the attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters. The paper will also critically analyse the
extent to which culture can be regarded as an important factor when mitigating the impacts of
disasters drawing arguments from a number of schools of thoughts.
DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS
1. Disaster
Is a sudden calamitous that seriously disrupts the functioning of the community or society
and causes human, material and economic or environmental losses that exceed the
communitys or societys ability to cope using its resources . It is also defined as any event,
typically occurring suddenly, that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life,
deterioration of health and health services, and which exceeds the capacity of the affected
community on a scale sufficient to require outside assistance (Landsman, 2001).
2. Mitigation
It means to take actions which will lessen a disasters consequences and subsequent hazards.
Mitigation is also defined as a sustained action to reduce or eliminate risk to people and
property from hazards (disasters) and their effects Sena (2006)
3. Culture
Refers to integrated patterns of human behaviour that include language, thoughts,
communication, actions customs, beliefs values and instrumental and racial ethnic, religious
or social groups.
IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL BELIEFS IN MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF
DISASTERS.

Many cultural beliefs are key factors to consider when talking about the mitigation of the
impacts of disasters. Number of cultural activities such as ritual ceremonies ,male
circumcision ,oral tradition, reading of the holy scriptures and some of the cultural practises
like building top of mountains and nomadic herding by the people in the sub Saharan Africa
are key factors towards the mitigation of the impacts of both geological ,biological and
hydro-metrological disasters.
1. Male circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some of the foreskin from the male private part
Byakika (2008).In a number of cultures this was practised for so many years ago and in some
it is still practised. This practise is rooted in the cultures and one cannot be regarded as a man
without undergoing such a process. This cultural practise is mostly common in the Shangani
people here in Zimbabwe. This has helped to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS which is
one of the biological disaster which is mostly common all over the world. Modern world has
adapted this cultural practise and modern scientist and medical doctors are opting for this
practise as a way to reduce the spread of AIDS. This is also the case with the Masaai people
of Kenya .Boys are circumcised and once they are circumcised they became warriors who
pledge to serve their people .even though this to them is just a spiritual practise This help
them to reduce the rate at which disease are spread between sexes Saitor (1986).Therefore
culture can be regarded as the instrument used when mitigating the impacts of disasters.
However looking at this cultural practise the other school of thought agree that it has
contributed immensely towards the spread of HIV and AIDS especially in this modern world
Gray (2007) .Those who are circumcised are increasing becoming reluctant believing that
they are totally protected from HIV and AIDS. This is not true, circumcision only reduce the
spread but not totally protect one from it .the study carried out in Uganda is a testimony to
this as indicated by Gray (2007).people are increasingly becoming affected by HIV and AIDS
because of this reluctance therefore culture can sometimes cause problems towards the
mitigation of disasters.
2. Oral tradition
Oral traditions are an important element that can be used to pass history from one generation
to another. Most of the disasters that happened years ago are still kept in mind and are told to
the young ones so that they can be aware of the disasters their areas are prone to so that they
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can be always prepared. Different cultures use their history to predict the future, some of
natural disasters occurred preserved in some of the songs and literature .This oral traditions
maybe constructed in part to ensure the adaption of a society to the environment Minc
(1986).an example was provided by Velasques (2008) wo indicated that after the 2004 Indian
Ocean Tsunami, two success stories emerged, bringing new interest to the concept of
indigenous knowledge. The Simeulueans living off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia and the
Moken, living in the Surin Islands off the coast of Thailand and Myanmar both used
knowledge passed on orally from their ancestors to survive the devastating tsunami.
Therefore one can argue that culture mediates attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters

However it cannot be truth to whole heartedly believe culture contributes to the reduction of
the impacts of disasters. This cultural practise of passing history from one generation to
another has a number of problems especially in this modern world. The largest part of the
word population are the youth who are not rooted in the cultures. The introduction of the
modern western culture has because most people to abandon their cultures and everything
that was positive about these cultures .therefore one can argue that culture was an important
aspect towards the mitigation of disasters but now it is very difficult to say that.
3. Traditional healers
Rituals are part and parcel of the African traditional religion and they are key contributors to
the proceedings of the society. The African Traditional Religion which is the common
religion in African plays a pivotal role towards the mitigation of the impacts of disasters.
There are traditional healers called the Nanga who are gifted with the spiritual sight so that
they can be able to predict the future. Their ability to predict the future makes it possible for
them to see disasters that are coming so that they can warn their people early. They also have
the ability to communicate with God on behalf of their people. They can ask God to help by
avoiding the coming of such disaster. However the coming of new western culture has caused
most of the African countries to abandon their culture going for this new found culture thus a
few are still consulting these traditional healers .they are now treated as outcast. Therefore
one can argue that even though some of the cultural practises that were done many years ago
and are still done in a few number of areas are important in mitigating the impacts of
disasters it is very difficult to talk about them now since there was cultural erosion.

4. Rain making ceremony

Moreover African people are involved in a number of ritual ceremonies which can be
regarded as crucial towards the mitigation of the impacts of disasters. When it seems as the
rainfall has delayed and they suspect drought they embark on what they call rain making
ceremony (mukwerera).this rain making ceremony is important since they believe that as
soon as they ask God for rain He will immediately answer their prayers. This for a number of
years has reduced the disasters of droughts and famine. The advantage of this cultural practise
is that it is still practised even in this modern world especially in Zimbabwe where traditional
leaders encourages their people to do such practises whenever they think its necessary.
However the spread of Christianity encourages people to devote themselves to God and not to
these practises thus a number of people are running away from these practises.
5. Normadic herding
People in the sub Saharan Africa are mostly normading headers .cattle is a valuable asset to
and they are associated with wealth. Because of its importance to them they have developed a
culture which sees them guarding their wealth .as a means of preventing them from being
destroyed by disasters. They shift from one place to another and this movement have
contributed immensely towards the mitigation of the impacts of disasters. Taking for example
the Maasai who are nomadic pastoralists who survived on a livestock economy Fratkin
(2001).historically these people have been affected by a number of disasters such as droughts,
famine and diseases. These people exhibit strong resilience and proudly embrace their
distinctive culture which they use as a way to mitigate the impacts of disasters they face .they
move from one place to another. They move from an area where the disaster there is a
disaster so that their cattle cannot be affected .even though from the above discussion it can
be concluded that culture mediates attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters some of these
cultural practises have an impact to the lives of the people
Contributors to Gallais (1977) show that, in the Sahelian droughts of the early 1970s,
nomadic pastoralists survived well than their agro pastoralist neighbours because they move
their herds long distances.
RELIGION
This religion is very important when talking about the mitigation of the impacts of disasters.
The definition which this thesis will use for religion will be based upon Banton (2004) and
5

Horton (1960) .religion is the belief in supernatural forces or beings that influences a persons
behaviour and/or understanding of the world around them through certain teachings or tomes.
This influence is dependent on where the society and/or person are situated on the religious
spectra from orthodox to indigenous and monotheistic to polytheistic. A number of religions
exists and each and every religion has its own ways of mediating the attempts to mitigate the
impacts of disasters
1. Christianity.
This is the western religion that spread all over the world especially during the colonial era.
This religion believes in God who is the creator and controller of everything. Hanska (2002)
assumes that the extreme Christian circle is the only religion that concentrates on natural
disasters and the impact on its people within More Economically Developed Countries
(MEDCs). The most recent warnings of an eruption of Popocatepetl, Mexico in April 2012 (a
rapidly modernising country), half of the population surrounding the volcano who were of the
Christian circle agreed to evacuate; with a local resident stating: Two days ago when the
volcano wanted to throw fire. Church Bells started to toll, calling people to pray and thats
how we get the volcano to calm down (BBC 2012). In risk mitigation practices, religion is
widely perceived as bad behaviour by some schools of thought , for example: praying or
processions puts more people at risk since they will be relaxing forgetting that sometimes
God does not listen to their prayers or it will be a punishment from Him.
Christianity is also associate with prophets who also have the ability to predict the future.
These people can predict a disaster and this will make people aware so that they can evacuate
earlier to avoid the impacts of such disasters. However the existences of so many prophets
some of which are false prophets has made it difficult for the people to take heed to the
warnings of some of the prophets even though they are true prophets.
2. Reading of Holy Scriptures
In many teachings of religions, the idea of natural disasters plays a major role; either as an act
of God, a form of retribution or sometimes a consequence of sin for non-believers. The most
well-known examples of this idea are found within the holy texts of Christianity, Islam,
Judaism and Hinduism. With Buddhism however, volcanism itself is not mentioned, but the
cause of earthquakes can be seen when a Buddha leaves to Nirvana (Metha 1988).to the
Christian a lot of warnings have been given in the bible. The disaster that is going to come
6

during the last days is talked about in Revelations. People are encouraged to be ready for
such disasters will be destructive .people are being converted and are praying too hard so that
this disasters which is going to affect sinners can spare them. However to those who does not
believe in Christianity it is nonsense .they regard this as a strategy used by Christian fathers
to draw many people to their religion. Therefore even though these Holy Scriptures mediates
attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters it is not everyone who accept their importance.
Only those attached to such religion will benefit from those warnings.
Christian as a religion has formed agencies which help those affected and they can sometimes
use to prepare for the coming disaster .Tearfund is a faith-based agency committed to
working in and through groups of local Christians, where such groups exist. In most cases,
these groups are churches within larger communities which share the same disaster risks.
Unlike external agencies, the church is part of the affected community when a hazard strikes,
and has a role in immediately helping that community to cope with and recover from the
disaster. Its long-term presence also creates opportunities for it to engage in measures to
prepare for disaster or reduce hazard impact. Therefore one can argue that culture mediates
attempts to mitigate the impacts of disasters.
Conclusion.
In a nutshell it can be argued that culture is an important element that mediates attempts to
mitigate the impacts of disasters .culture helps many states or communities to make decisions
that protect them from being affected by disasters as indicated by the above essay. However
culture cannot be whole heartedly be regarded as a way to reduce impacts of disasters since in
some cases it can be regarded as one of the causes of disasters.

REFERENCES

BBC NEWS (2012) Popocatepetl Volcano causes more damages in Mexico

@http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america
Byakika-T. J. (2008). Circumcision and HIV infection: assessment of causality. AIDS Behav.
Fratkin .E. (2001) East African pastoralism in transition: Maasai, Boran and Rendille cases @
https://www.smith.edu/anthro/documents/FratkinASRr-2-.pdf (Accessed 31/08/16)
Gallais, J. 1977. Stratgies pastorales et agricoles des Sahliensiens Durant la Scheresse
1969-1974. Travaux ET Documents de Geographies Tropicales No. 30. Paris, CEGET
Gray.R.H. (2007) Male circumcision for HIV prevention in men in Rakai: Uganda
@https//www.grayroney.com/circumcision /Uganda (Accessed 31 August 2016)
Hanska, J., 2000. Strategies of sanity and survival. Religious responses to natural disasters in
the middle Ages. Studia Fennica Historical, vol. 2
Horton .R. () A definition of religion and its uses@ http://www.joaoferreiradias.net
(Accessed 31/08/16)
Landsman, Y.L., 2001, Public health management of disasters: The practice guide. American
Public Health Association, 800 I Street, NW, Washington, DC.
Lelisa Sena 2006 Disaster Prevention and Preparedness: Jimma University:
https://www.cartercenter.org (Retrieved on 01/09/2016)
Minc, Leah D. (1986/03)."Scarcity and survival: The role of oral tradition in mediating
subsistence crises." Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 5(1)@ https://hdl.handle.net
(Accessed 30/08/2016)
Velasques .J.(UN/ISDR)(2008) Indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction: Bangkok:
UN/ISDR. Asia Pacific.