What is it about?
This publication argues that Highlanders football club is less of a tribal enterprise that some previous publications have tended to present it as. This is achieved through the analysis of its names and nicknames the supporters use to refer to it.
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Why is it important?
The publication gives the link between the intriguing support for Highlanders as a form of social and cultural identity but not neccessarily a political endeavour as prvious publications seem to suggest. The main argument is that there is quite a lot that one can learn from the names and nicknames of the club in terms of Zimbabwean politics and the entanglement of the Ndebele within it. However, the political, social and cultural issues that arise must not diminish the entertainment value of football that is derived from follwing and supporting the football club.
Perspectives
Writing this chapter was an interesting exercise since it gave me the opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Ndebele. Also, I got to appreciate how politics impacts every aspect of people's lives, including their entertainment, something that a casual consideration can dismiss as just a social adventure. I got the opportunity to argue that politicising Highlanders FC's support disadvantages the club as it competes against other football clubs.
Liketso Dube
Great Zimbabwe University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A chameleonic evolution of a people’s wishes, identity, and
aspirations, International Journal of Language and Culture, December 2023, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/ijolc.00053.dub.
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