afrol.com - As the HIV/AIDS scourge continues to cause havoc within southern Africa, voices are growing for serious consideration of a cultural approach to the prevention and awareness of the infection. UNAIDS, in conjunction with UNESCO, organized an international conference on the cultural approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

The conference held in Nairobi, urged the world to approach the disease from a cultural perspective as well as medical. The conference put forward a methodological handbook with guidelines and strategies.

A cultural approach to HIV/AIDS entails tackling the problem from a position of values, norms, traditions and other cultural institutions as platforms to discuss and communicate about the virus and the disease.

This approach hopes to entrench every action of tradition, beliefs and value systems for ethical and practical reasons. It also mobilizes cultural resources including, knowledge, modes of economic and social organization and creativity and self-confidence.

African leaders have called for a full-scale war to fight the AIDS catastrophe. Speaking at the African Development Forum in Addis Abba former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda said: "Let us strike back declaring war, total war on HIV/AIDS not a national war that only appears in speeches at conferences and meetings but a war that becomes part and parcel of the life of this continent".

Sub-Saharan Africa carries the greatest burden of the disease, with more than 23.3 million people already affected, representing 70 percent of the global infections. UNAIDS estimates of 1999 indicate that Botswana has a staggering infection rate of 35.5 percent followed by Swaziland with 25.25 percent, Zimbabwe 25.06 percent, Zambia 19.95 percent, South Africa 19.94 percent and Namibia with 19.54.

The increase in the pandemic has been linked to the breakdown of family patterns, gender, relations, traditions, moral values and behavioural patterns, caused by a shift of people from rural to urban environments.

Cultural practices singled out as contributors to the pandemic include male circumcision, female genital mutilation, cosmetic tattooing or administration of charms, widow inheritance and death-cleansing.

Sexual practises and behaviour are culturally imposed in some societies. An individual's concept and expression of sexuality is deeply entwined in the social norms of the community.

In Swaziland, the multiplicity of sexual partners for men is supported by Swazi culture. A man who engages in multiple sexual encounters is called "Ingwanwa" which is positive, and widely accepted. The female equivalent is the "Ingwandla" a derogatory term.

Widow inheritance, still prevalent in some southern African countries, entails the younger brother or a relative of the deceased husband "remarrying" the surviving woman. It is also widely believed that if this is not observed the spirit of the dead man will be visiting those living to make demands.

The practise is innocent as it aims at providing means and support for the widow and her children in the absence of her husband. However, now this practice encourages the spread of the pandemic.

In countries like South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe pervasive polygamy is practised in some areas. This involves parents giving away their innocent young daughters in marriage to older men with several wives for monetary gains. Transactions of this nature happen without the girl's knowledge and consent. Early marriages and early sex of this nature expose young girls to high risks of contracting HIV/AIDS, especially where multiple partners are involved.

Nevertheless not all cultural practises and institutions contribute to the rise of the epidemic. The use of initiation ceremonies for men and women aimed at discussing sexuality and sexual activities can be used to communicate issues related to HIV/AIDS. Originally such forums would teach girls what womanhood is about. To the boys the forum teaches them aspects of manhood.

Speaking about such forums and their usefulness Bongani Mamba, president of the Swaziland Association of Men says: "We fully support the use of men's forums to create awareness about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. We believe that culture can be modified and we are interested in changing men's sexual behaviour in order to combat the disease."

Virginity is still practised in the region. It encourages girls and boys not to engage in sex at a tender age. In Swaziland the 'Reed Dance for Maidens' has supported and maintained virginity and abstinence. While a ceremony of picking Lusekwana (the holy tree) serves a similar purpose for boys.

Participation in these ceremonies is for young persons who have maintained virginity. Failure to maintain it means one does not participate and that he/she is rebuked and embarrassed.

Another area that has not been fully explored is the extended family unit structure. This supports members of the family living with the virus by their relatives. African cultures tend to support extended families and urge them to care for family members in sickness and in health.

Other calls raised have been on the use of cultural expressions such as language, art and music to provide an appropriate channel for HIV/AIDS information. Using this channel of communication will take the message to the rural communities and other such communities, that do not have ready access to newspapers, radio and television transmissions.

© Jabulani Sithole / Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC). This article can be reproduced with credit to SARDC and the author.

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