An Ethnographic study of Vhavenda Cultural Practices Concerning Marriage and its Impacts on HIV/AIDS Management

This ethnographic study was conducted to investigate the influence of Vhavenda marriage-related cultural practises on HIV/AIDS management in the Vhembe district of Limpopo in South Africa. In 2019, 14 community leaders and elders with expertise of Vhavenda traditional customs were purposefully chosen. Data were collected, using in-depth individual interviews and an observation tool. Data were analysed manually following ethnographic qualitative content analysis. It emerged from the data analysis that Vhavenda culture promotes polygamous marriages, and other marriage-related rituals, like partner inheritance. In addition, the findings indicated that these cultural practices negatively affect HIV/AIDS management in the research setting. In light of this,, we advised adopting a contextualised, culturally relevant approach to HIV/AIDS management in research-based healthcare institutions. This strategy might mitigate the documented unfavourable effects of marriage-related cultures on HIV/AIDS care. Therefore, this may stimulate decolonisation and re-Africanisation of HIV prevention and care policies and practises in the research environment.