Impact of Izidlalo Zabafazi (Women’s Traditional Songs) on AmaXhosa Women’s Psychosocial Health

Izidlalo zabafazi (women’s traditional songs of amaXhosa) were and are still used as a platform for amaXhosa women to express, mostly, their unpleasant experiences in their marriages and relationships. This article explores the role of these songs in helping women to deal with the issues they face. It highlights the impact of izidlalo zabafazi in women’s psychosocial health and foregrounds izidlalo zabafazi as an accessible indigenous therapy for women. The article is underpinned by a dual theoretical framework, namely, the psychoanalytic theory, which examines the psychological effects of izidlalo zabafazi on amaXhosa women, and the African feminism theory, which emphasises the equalisation of power and authority between the sexes and asserts that women should not be subservient to men and that they have a voice, even in patriarchal societies. Using a textual analysis approach, the article relied on a selection of songs from two folklore books, Kusadliwa ngendebendala and Ilifa lethu. The findings reveal the songs’ therapeutic effect on women’s psychological well-being. Therefore, the songs are delineated as highly effective in promoting mental recuperation, especially for the adherents of izidlalo zabafazi. Suffice to say, izidlalo zabafazi have an impact on the psychological well-being of amaXhosa women.