Abstract
The death of a spouse is a difficult, life-changing event for widows and widowers. Widowhood can be extra challenging for widows within the African context. Many African cultures expect widows to mourn culturally. In some cases, widows are harmed during the cultural mourning process. This is because the mourning practices can be used as a tool to inflict harm on the widows. For instance, the cultural practices that come with mourning attire restrict the movement of widows, which makes widows feel alienated. This led me to want to understand the experiences of Basotho women living in Johannesburg. I particularly wanted to examine the intended purpose of cultural widowhood practices and how their purpose has changed in contemporary society. This study also sought to look closely at how widowhood also impacts the social support and financial security of widows.
Through social constructivism, this study investigated the perspectives of the Basotho widows. The study aimed to capture the experiences of cultural widowhood practices for women in contemporary society. The study employed a qualitative research design to capture the perspectives and meanings of the participants. The in-depth interviews allowed the participants to express their feelings and experiences on their widowhood freely. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis helped identify themes, which assisted with finding useful links when the data had to be interpreted. The findings of this study show that cultural widowhood practices caused stigma for the Basotho widows. The widows felt unwelcomed in society, and people in society treated them like bad omens. Challenges related to the mourning process make it difficult for the bereaved to cope and deal with the loss of a spouse. So, in contemporary society, cultural widowhood practices need to be directed at alleviating feelings of loneliness and alienation. This study also shows that social support is vital for widows. Widows rely on their social support networks to navigate the journey of widowhood. Support must help reduce the widow’s stress and feelings of sadness. Lastly, the findings in this study show that financial security is a challenge mainly for widows who rely financially on their husbands. Stress caused by financial circumstances make it harder to cope and heal from the loss.