Black learners who experience ancestral callings and epistemological exclusion, in a selected school in Gauteng South Africa: An investigation on the perceptions and beliefs of educators.

Abstract

This research report focuses on the possible epistemological exclusion of Black learners in South Africa who experiences ancestral callings within a selected school in Gauteng, South Africa. This research report further discusses how the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of educators, toward learners who experience ancestral callings are at risk of the possibility of epistemological exclusion, however this research has not definitively proven epistemological exclusion. The positive and negative belief of educators towards their learners are shown to be a detrimental factor that can result in either inclusion or exclusion of learners in a classroom (Kearney, 2011). The research takes the stance that the legacy of colonization as well as apartheid do not allow diversity to be fully realized and accepted within many schooling environments, drawing on research that agrees with this (Meier & Hartell, 2009). This research will observe instances of discrimination, both direct and nuanced towards Black learners and how these instances have the possibility of resulting in epistemological exclusion. One broad theoretical framework has been applied to this research. This is a critical race theory. It is coupled with indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) which complement and contextualize critical race theory within a South African context. Critical race theory emphasizes ideas of racist expression post-apartheid and post-colonization (Ansell, 2008). IKS is categorized as the inclusion of epistemologies from indigenous groups of people (Breidlid, 2009). It boosts ideas surrounding decolonization of curricula, inclusion and acceptance of the ways in which indigenous people view different aspects of education such as languages, histories and religions (Breidlid, 2009). The lack of inclusion of IKS within South African schooling systems may speak to ideas of epistemic exclusion (Go, 2020) as well as lack of acceptance in the way in which indigenous people are as well as the acceptance of diversity. As such a narrower focus is provided by looking at how educators respond to a more prevalent occurrence in South African schools (Kasa &Ruiters, 2022), ancestral callings. This research takes place in a Catholic school in Gauteng, South Africa. African indigenous cultures, spirituality and religious practices are not always fully accepted within South Africa due to aspects of neo-colonization which stems directly from colonization heightened by the remnants left over from apartheid (Lephakga, 2015) which include the absence of IKS. Educators’ views as well as beliefs on African indigenous cultural and spiritual practices, specifically ancestral callings may result in an environment of epistemological exclusion towards learners who experience ancestral callings if they are not fully accepted within their schooling environment. Acceptance of diversity is one of the cornerstones of inclusion (Meier & Hartell, 2009) it allows for culturally relevant teaching and good pedagogical practice. This presents an issue in schooling because the views and beliefs of educators are vital as their discourse, negative feelings, stigma, acceptance, and general beliefs can result in the epistemological exclusion of learners within schools (Kearney, 2009). Epistemological exclusion was chosen within the scope of educational exclusion as it is often overlooked. It further sheds light on ideas that learners can be physically present within a school or classroom but still be excluded from gaining access to education (Ball & Collet-Sabe, 2022). The research methodology involves interviewing educators who have witnessed and experienced learners with ancestral callings, autoethnography and document analysis. Thematic analysis of all research methods from the above will be applied to gain an understanding of how educators at this institution view and treat Black learners first and then how they view indigenous African practices, cultures and spirituality as well as if their attitudes and perception can relay an environment of possible exclusion of these learners. The findings present within the semi structured interviews, autoethnography and document analysis did reveal negative attitudes, beliefs, and stigma towards not only Black learners generally but learners who experience ancestral callings, although it is not evident that these feelings, perceptions, and stigmas resulted in epistemological exclusion at this school as learners were not interviewed however, they do reveal that there is a possibility that these learners were epistemologically excluded. Keywords: Diversity, African indigenous culture, ancestral callings, apartheid, colonization, schooling, indigenous knowledge systems, epistemological.