Abstract

This study investigates the function of the Siswati and Northern Sotho languages in decolonising research procedures, highlighting the importance of an indigenous epistemological framework in African academia. The study aims to challenge the dominance of Eurocentric research techniques by pushing for the inclusion of African languages in knowledge production. The study uses a qualitative research approach, including discourse analysis, ethnographic fieldwork, and interviews with scholars, linguists, and indigenous knowledge practitioners, to analyse the impact of linguistic decolonization on research methodologies. The findings show that the ongoing use of Western languages in research marginalizes indigenous knowledge systems and reduces the credibility of African study. The study addresses how Siswati and Northern Sotho, as transmitters of cultural history, might be used to recreate African research methods. It emphasizes the importance of oral traditions, proverbs, and indigenous terminology in developing research questions, data gathering, and analysis. Based on these findings, the study advises incorporating African languages into academic writing, creating terminology banks in Siswati and Northern Sotho, and involving indigenous knowledge holders in research procedures. Furthermore, it advocates for legislative changes in higher education to facilitate linguistic decolonization. The research study adds to the body of knowledge by providing a linguistic perspective on decolonizing research methodologies and showing how indigenous languages can be used as epistemic tools in African studies. The study advances the decolonial agenda by incorporating African languages into research methodology, paving the path for more inclusive and authentic knowledge production in Africa.

Keywords: Indigenous techniques, Linguistic decolonisation, African epistemology, Knowledge sovereignty, Language and research and cultural narratives