CAPTURING CULTURAL HERITAGE: EXPLORING THE POETIC ELEMENTS OF DOMESTICATED ANIMAL PRAISE

This study does an analytical analysis of the lyrical components found in the praises of Siswati domestic animals. However, our relationships with domestic animals differ. We are inspired by their beauty. They fulfill our responsibilities and provide us with sustenance. They live in our homes and take away our loneliness. We mourn their loss. Animals kept as pets have a significant role to play in showing compassion, thankfulness, bravery, and animal abilities. It creates a space that is exclusive to the animal and its owner. The primary aim of the research is to analyse the poetic elements embedded in domesticated animal praise and to demonstrate how these elements function as vehicles for preserving cultural heritage, social values, and communal identity. Domesticated animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, and dogs, occupy a central symbolic and economic position in many African societies, particularly within Nguni-speaking communities, where praise poetry (tibongo) forms an integral part of oral performance.The study is grounded in Structuralism and Oral-Formulaic Theory as its theoretical framework. Structuralism provides a lens for examining recurring patterns, imagery, symbolism, parallelism, and metaphor within the praise texts, while Oral-Formulaic Theory explains the repetitive stylistic devices and formulaic expressions that enable memorisation and performance in oral contexts. Together, these frameworks facilitate a systematic analysis of both the external structural elements and internal aesthetic features of the poetry. A qualitative research design is adopted, employing textual and performance analysis of selected praise poems collected from oral sources and documented literature. The findings reveal that domesticated animal praise transcends mere admiration of animals; it encodes genealogical memory, social status, spiritual beliefs, and economic significance. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of performance, voice modulation, and audience interaction in enhancing meaning. Praise poetry's primary goal is to commemorate great men's accomplishments. However, the Swati people have a tradition of honoring animals in their poetry, including the wild animals they encounter in their environs as well as the domestic livestock they raise.