September 17, 2025Open Access

The Therapeutic Dimensions of BaTonga Mourning Songs: A Study of Oona mwanaangu waakucaala kunamaumbwe

Key Points

The study shows that BaTonga mourning songs can provide therapeutic benefits through embodied practices, enhancing grief processing.
Analysis of lyrical content and performative elements reveals that these musical narratives hold significant cultural importance and therapeutic potential.
Creative arts therapies benefit from incorporating Indigenous mourning practices, offering alternative ways of understanding and expressing grief.
The research highlights the relevance of context-based musical narratives in fostering deeper engagement with grief beyond traditional frameworks.

Abstract

This article examines the role of a BaTonga funeral song, Oona mwanaangu waakucaala kunamaumbwe, as an embodied, performative practice of mourning and meaning-making. Drawing on arts-based research, grief literature, and Indigenous knowledge systems, the article situates the song as a narrative and artistic knowledge site. The study argues for the significance of contextualized musical narratives in creative arts therapies and invites reflection on how embodied grief rituals provide insights beyond conventional verbal or conceptual frameworks. By analyzing the songs lyrical content, performative elements, and cultural significance, this research demonstrates the therapeutic potential inherent in Indigenous musical mourning practices and their relevance to contemporary therapeutic approaches.

The Therapeutic Dimensions of BaTonga Mourning Songs: A Study of Oona mwanaangu waakucaala kunamaumbwe

Key Points

Abstract

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