VIOLENCE AND THE LIBERATED WOMAN: BRENDA FASSIE’S SONG “NAKUPENDA†AS A HERMENEUTICAL LENS FOR READING THE SONG OF SONGS

Although it is widely argued that the Hebrew Bible contains texts which caricature violence against women, the present article shows that some biblical texts could also offer liberating possibilities to oppressed women in South Africa. The interest of this article lies in bringing Brenda Fassie’s song “Nakupenda†(I love you) into conversation with the Song of Songs in order to produce an interaction between the biblical text and an African popular song. In the reading of both songs, the issue of violence against women as well as women’s (sexual) independence in the context of patriarchy is highlighted. In conclusion, the author of this article draws liberating lessons for women in South Africa from the actions of the woman protagonist in the Shir ha-Shirim and of the female lover in Brenda Fassie’s song “Nakupendaâ€