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Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa

Identification

Public canonical key
doi:10.3390/ijerph19031067
Authors
Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule
Reported year
2022
Reported language
en
Source type
article
First detected
2026-11-09T19:13:40.751599+00:00
Last metadata observation
2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Last HTTP verification
Not checked

Institutions reported by the source

University of Johannesburg

Documentary abstract — original language

Scholarly discourse on sacred natural sites (SNS) has focused on ecological significance, associated impacts and traditional practices as the instruments of resource governance and management. As a result, little scholarship has examined the role of spirits in governing and managing SNS; these are inhabited by deities or numina, commonly known as nature spirits. This study aims to provide evidence of the importance of governance by spirits as a prerequisite for protecting biophysical resources. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation. The respondents were selected through a purposive sampling approach. The author also attended a funeral that was held at one of the SNS discussed in this article. The collected data were analysed through a thematic content analysis. The study shows that, for biodiversity to be protected, there should be a good relationship between humankind and the spirits. The spirits place behavioural demands on humankind involving the performance of rituals. Ritual behaviour empowers the spirits to be placed as owner of SNS and to guard against intruders. In return, humankind receives blessings, protection, patronage and governance. The governance by spirits is complemented by traditional practices. I conclude that governance by spirits should be recognised both locally and internationally.

Identifiers

OPENALEX
W4206298948
DOI
10.3390/ijerph19031067

Documentary context

Documentary family
Scholarship
Source-reported types
article
Jurisdictions studied — explicit sources
ZA

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

  • openalex:w1571689603 · CITES
  • openalex:w1755876303 · CITES
  • openalex:w1817336740 · CITES
  • openalex:w1835548239 · CITES
  • openalex:w1937944914 · CITES
  • openalex:w1968729213 · CITES
  • openalex:w1979290264 · CITES
  • openalex:w2003714910 · CITES
  • openalex:w2021395029 · CITES
  • openalex:w2082658051 · CITES
  • openalex:w2090630804 · CITES
  • openalex:w2095533905 · CITES
  • openalex:w2099487684 · CITES
  • openalex:w2106669072 · CITES
  • openalex:w2114636289 · CITES
  • openalex:w2127883787 · CITES
  • openalex:w2129287601 · CITES
  • openalex:w2147761104 · CITES
  • openalex:w2148457023 · CITES
  • openalex:w2152763664 · CITES

2 incoming references within the detected corpus

Documentary field provenance

Source-backed values and values with unresolved provenance are kept separately. Bibliographic provenance validates no legal claim.

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Publication
Documentary source reported
Authors
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Document type
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Jurisdiction
Studied subject derived from explicit documentary context
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Publisher
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ISBN
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Official identifier
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Source URL
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Source-reported status
Not recorded
Amendment / repeal
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Cite this reference

Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule. Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031067

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APA, Chicago, ISO 690: bibliographic formats using available fields. OSCOLA / Bluebook: structured data only; full legal citation compliance is not claimed without verification of required elements.

APA
Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule. (2022). Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031067
Chicago
Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule. Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031067
ISO 690
Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule. Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031067

UDTR Global Rights of Nature Legal Library. Conservation Effects of Governance and Management of Sacred Natural Sites: Lessons from Vhutanda in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. Documentary record: https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/global-rights-of-nature-radar/reference/r-8adc25a9ddffd20cbb23dc45ee2cf09c/ · Last HTTP verification: not performed

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Field provenance and record version

Version 892b5fae981c7f5d · udtr-reference-1.1.2

Title
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Authors
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Year
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Identifiers
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Source URL
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00
Source-reported author ORCID
OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00

History tracks record metadata and does not certify the state of the law.

be4af46995d70f36 · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00

09723d6be2a594d7 · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00

2cc2a59d831d9c9a · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00

892b5fae981c7f5d · 2026-11-09T19:17:52.606508+00:00

Frozen-version metadata

Research dossiers and documentary relations

ZA ·

University of Johannesburg

Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule

Source roles

Discovery source · https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031067

Discovery source · https://openalex.org/W4206298948

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Documentary status

Relevance pending

Library

This identity is not yet included in the Legal Library.

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