Exploring the use of the proverb “tsiwana i laiwa ndilani” by Vhavenda speaking people

The proverb, Tsiwana i laiwa ndilani”, was used in Vhavenda speaking communities to encourage children to be attentive and receptive to guidance and advice from anyone offering moral and ethical values. This paper aims is to explore how Vhaven?a people used the proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani. The reason of implementing it was to promote collective responsibilities of raising children with a set of values and manners desirable to society. A qualitative narrative inquiry was used, and data was collected through semi-structured interview. All Vhavenda speaking elders participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select six Vhavenda speaking elders who are knowledgeable with the use of the proverb. Data were merged into relevant themes using thematic analysis and coding also applied. This study was grounded by Symbolic Interactionism with Mead Theory as its theoretical framework. The proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani was the launching proverb for elders to express themselves about instilling norms and values in young children. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) a proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani is an idiom, (ii) it takes a village to raise an African child and finally a child is not an orphan per se. The study recommended that any adults who come across a misbehaving child, should feel free to instil guidance and advice as a way of promoting the cultural norms and values amongst the Vhavenda youth. It is also recommended that the programme to revive ndayo was suggested which encourages a collaborative effort between families, communities, schools, churches, and relevant government departments.