The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Ndau Masculinities

This study investigates the impact of HIV and AIDS on Ndau masculinities in Chipinge district, Zimbabwe in order to find out whether the Ndau are renegotiating and redefining their masculinities in the context of HIV and AIDS. Many writers have discussed masculinities and HIV and AIDS. These writers include female and male African theologians and individual writers who argue from secular perspectives. In most of these works, the authors feminize HIV and AIDS. This gender perspective and gender mainstreaming have often ignored the gender of men and boys. This study wants to find out whether the Ndau are creating a "new man" by renegotiating and redefining Ndau masculinities in the context of HIV and AIDS. This study intends to find out if there is something changing in Ndau religio-cultural practices such as widow inheritance, polygamy, kubarira and kuripa ngozi in the context of HIV and AIDS. Ndau masculinities are never the same. These masculinities are being renegotiated and redefined and consequently images of "new men" are emerging. With the emergence of "new men" come new Ndau masculinities.