"You learn and learn and learn…. and then you are an adult": parental perceptions of adolescence in contemporary Swaziland

Adolescence, Summer, 2003 by Margaret Zoller Booth

Table 1
Traditional Stages of Growth for Swazi Males
and Females (Adapted from Kuper, 1947)

Stages of Growth for Males

   Age        Swazi         Activities/
(approx.)      Name           Ritual

3 months    Luswane      Kept in hut.

3rd year    Umntfwana    Taught to walk
            or ingane    and talk.
                         Weaned.

Until 8     Umfana       Plays. Herds
                         goats. Ears
                         cut.

8-17        Lijele       Herds cattle.

17-27       Lijaha or    Seeks lovers.
            libungu      Fighter/hunter.

27-60       Indvodza     Married man.
                         On councils/
                         has many
                         responsibilities.

Over 60     Lichegu or   Grandfather.
            umhlaba      Works less.

Stages of Growth for Females

   Age         Swazi        Activities/
(approx.)       Name           Ritual

3 months    Luswane        Kept in hut.

3rd year    Umntfwana      Taught to walk
            or ingane      and talk.
                           Weaned.

Until 8     Sidzanzane     Plays. Helps
                           mother. Ears
                           cut.

8-15        Litshitshane   Helps in home
                           and field.

15-17       Lichikiza      Has a lover.
                           Knows a
                           woman's job.

17-21       Ingcugce       Ready for
                           marriage.

21-24       Makoti or      Wife in
            umlobokati     husband's
                           home.

24-55       Umfati         Wife and
                           mother.

55-65       Isalukati      Grandmother.
                           Works less.

Over 65     Umhlaba or     No work.
            lidloti        Treated with
                           respect.

Table 2
Examples of Reasons Given by Parents for Categorizing Their
Offspring as a Child or an Adult

Gender/Category   Category and Representative Quotes

                  Individual's Behavior

Male/child        He's still a child; even though he is in Form II,
                  he still acts like a child.

Male/child        He still always sleeps here at home, and I never
                    see him smoking.
                  He also still respects the gogo (grandmother) like
                    someone should if still a child.

Male/child        He does everything like a child. He still likes to
                  play like a child.

Male/child        He still likes playing like a child and if he does
                  wrong, I can still beat him.

Female/child      By the way she does things, I can tell she is
                  still a child.

Female/child      She still acts like a child.

Male/adult        He acts like an adult. He doesn't play with young
                  children any more; he beats them instead.

                  Physical Changes Apparent

Female/adult      She has started menstruation. She is able to be a
                  mother, so she is an adult.

Female/adult      Her physical changes have made her an adult. She
                  just looks like an adult.

Female/adult      She has started menstruation. She is in high
                  school, and in high school you are an adult
                  because you can physically have children.

                  Listening to Parents

Male/child        He still listens to me when I send him somewhere.
                  He still obeys me.

Female/child      She does whatever you tell her to do.
                  Work Pattern

Female/adult      She is now able to work very hard at home. She can
                  pull a wheelbarrow and she can collect a lot of
                  wood.

Female/adult      She is able to do all the adult jobs now -- all
                  the adult chores.

                  Age in Years

Male/child        He is still under 18 years old, so he's still a
                  child. If he were 18, he could get a job and help
                  support the family. Then he would be an
                  adult.

Table 3
Parents' Attitudes Regarding the Concept of Adolescence

                                          Agreed with
                        Agreed with       Concept and
Original Labeling     Concept but Did    Changed Label
  of Offspring        Not Change Label   to Adolescent

Child n                      7                11
% of child category        33.3%             52.4%
% of total                 24.1%             37.9%

Adult n                      1                 7
% of adult category        12.5%             87.5%
% of total                  3.4%             24.1%

Total n                      8                18
% of total                 27.6%             62.1%

Original Labeling     Did Not Agree
  of Offspring        with Concept    Total

Child n                     3           21
% of child category       14.3%        100%
% of total                10.3%       72.4%

Adult n                     0           8
% of adult category          0%        100%
% of total                   0%       27.6%

Total n                     3           29
% of total                10.3%        100%