The Ontological Significance of Silence in African Communities

There is a growing interest in conceptualising research participants’ voices across various disciplines and cultures, including African studies. However, the antithesis of voice—participants’ silence—remains largely unexplored. Known as “ tidimalo ” in Setswana and “ lingo ” among some Nilotic Lwo-speaking groups in southern South Sudan, silence is an integral part of communication across cultures. Despite its significance, silence has been marginalised and excluded from dominant discourse and qualitative research methodologies. This chapter draws on the two authors’ doctoral research conducted in Botswana (Ramabu) and South Sudan (Bedigen), focusing on vulnerable populations of women and children. Ramabu researched how Botswana's child protection system safeguards children from sexual abuse. Whereas Bedigen’s work focused on indigenous peacebuilding methods among the Nilotic ethnic groups in South Sudan (i.e., Dinka, Nuer, Acholi, Shilluk, and Anuak). It explores practical methodological approaches to engaging with silence during the research process and using it as data to complement voice utterances. The research highlights how silence has historically denied agency to women and children, excluding them from public spheres and decision-making processes. The chapter presents practical methods for generating, analysing, and interpreting silence, redefining it as more than an absence. It emphasises the potential of silence as a fruitful, creative, and ethical avenue for Botswana and South Sudan African communities. By paying attention to silence, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and enhance indigenous knowledge generation. The chapter also discusses the implications of silence in decision-making and policymaking, advocating for its inclusion in ethical and integrated research inquiries.