African spirituality that shapes the concept of Ubuntu Nolan(1982:7) shares an interesting concept of spirituality. He says: "The Spiritual life is the whole of one's life insofar as it is motivated and determined by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus". This kind of spirituality shapes persons in such a way that they grow into the concept of Ubuntu (humanness). In other words, an integrated spirituality is a spirituality in which who we are, and what we do are intimately related. The process of an African spiritualist is also developed within the village. Mbiti reminds us that: "It takes a whole village to raise a child" (Mbiti 1977:23). In short, relationship is part of development of African spirituality. This article further explores on how elders within the village become leaders, and towards the end of their life journey, they becomes teachers and good ancestors, especially to younger generation. It is important to note that those who are good (while living) and are able to pass their knowledge and wisdom to others become good ancestors when they die...
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African spirituality that shapes the concept of Ubuntu
M J S Masango
(University of Pretoria)
ABSTRACT
African spirituality that shapes the concept of Ubuntu
Nolan(1982:7) shares an interesting concept of spirituality. He says:
"The Spiritual life is the whole of one's life insofar as it
is motivated and determined by the Holy Spirit, the spirit
of Jesus".
This kind of spirituality shapes persons in such a way that they grow
into the concept of Ubuntu (humanness). In other words, an
integrated spirituality is a spirituality in which who we are, and
what we do are intimately related. The process of an African
spiritualist is also developed within the village. Mbiti reminds us
that: "It takes a whole village to raise a child" (Mbiti 1977:23). In
short, relationship is part of development of African spirituality. This
article further explores on how elders within the village become
leaders, and towards the end of their life journey, they becomes
teachers and good ancestors, especially to younger generation. It is
important to note that those who are good (while living) and are able
to pass their knowledge and wisdom to others become good
ancestors when they die...
1 INTRODUCTION
The great wonderful gift that God has given to people is the gift of
life. We are therefore charged to manage and take care of our lives.
In Africa, self management is closely related to one's world. In other
words, how one lives his or her life is part of management of this
gift. In short, self management is all about the living of the highest
quality of human life, as well as being able to enjoy life in a positive
Ubuntu style. Bhengu had this to say about life lived within the style
of Ubuntu:
"The enjoyment of life implicates that a person is aware
of the value which gives joy to life and how to pursue
this, especially being the master of life, as a person in the
milieu of community and society" (Bhengu 1996:64).
The enjoyment of life is part of living as much as Ubuntu is part of
humanity. In fact, one grows with the above concept from early
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 930
childhood, especially in rural African villages. As people grow and
relate to each other they are taught by the elderly to pass what they
learn to another person. This is the beginning of caring for each
other. The notion of caring manifests itself in the respectful and
humble way elders and superiors are greeted and addressed by
young ones. This kind of Ubuntu is passed on from one generation to
the other. It will not be wrong to say that a human being is nothing
but humanness or Umuntu (a Zulu word for a person) as it is shared
by many African tribes. This concept is further enhanced through the
creation story in the Bible. In the story, human beings are created in
the image and likeness of God. Genesis captures this beautifully:
"So God created man (sic) in his own image, in the image
of God he created him, male and female he created them"
(Gn 1:27).
In an African village the image and likeness of God is revered and
when you add the concept of Ubuntu, you must also connect it to
African spirituality which forms values and good character in a
person. Their concepts are part and parcel of humanity from the
beginning of creation story. For example, Hermes (from Egypt)
wrote about these concepts, and Pythagoras continued to writing and
developing the ideas further as he studied in Africa. Later on some of
the African philosophers (Soclits and Onuphis) taught Hermes about
the 'inner values and African concepts of humanness', which were
given to human beings by God. An African writer by the name of
Koka connected the above ideas by developing the concept of
respect and connecting the ideas to African spirituality. For example
he says:
"The word 'Ntate' (father) is used to address an old man
or respected Father figure in the village or community"
(Koka 1996:13).
When children or young ones calls the word Ntate (father), they are
showing a sign of respect to that adult person, and also see the one
who shapes them into good citizens. As children continue to grow in
the village, they are then shaped in respecting people, and the
concept of ubuntu becomes part of their life. Broodryk reminds us
that:
"Man (sic) was declared "Human" as soon as the element
of "divine" (image) goodness (likeness) was instilled in
him. This divine element that transformed man (matter)
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into a human being was nothing but a humanness,
"ubuntu" that manifested the "Image and likeness" of
God in each individual person of the human race"
(Broodryk 2002:1)
Broodryk points out that it was the spark of life that transformed
human beings into living souls and made them different from the rest
of created beings. Hence, we contain the main consistency of the
wholeness of life. Once again he reminds us that this concept of
ubuntu was there from ancient times, and it never ceased to exist
within the circle of the human race of well known ancient
philosophers who in turn were scholars of the Hermetic Philosophy,
theology and science – which were based on the "logos" (creative
word) and the doctrine that was taught by African priests of Hermes
in Egypt. For example, Pythagoras was one of those who studied this
concept for twenty two years in the University of Heliopilis under
two Egyptian high priests – Socht and Onuiphis. Their theory was
centered around the inner-value and dignity of the human
personality" which is nothing else but "humanness" instilled in
human beings. The summary of their theory was further developed
by Savory who finally said that:
"God (supreme God) did not only endow man (sic) with
his goodness" but also equally inseminated this divine
element into all human beings" (Savory 1988:29).
The above quotation reminds the author of the connection between
creation (that is, image of God) and the gift of life (breath, breathed
in all human beings), which brings us closer to the concept of
Ubuntu, that leads into deep African Spirituality. As beings we are
always searching for a higher being. The question to ask is what is
spirituality?
2 CONCEPT OF AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY
The theme of Spirituality has become a common word in modern
life. Current interest in spirituality is evident both at popular and
scholarly levels. This theme is heard from radios, and televisions.
These days it is also shared in seminars, conferences, universities,
classes, course work and curricula. Modern society is re-visiting this
old concept once again, in order to correct the valves and dignity of
Ubuntu that is lost. Why? South Africans lost their concept of
Ubuntu during apartheid times, when they fought for their liberation.
During those days, life lost its meaning – especially the concept of
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 932
the image and likeness of God, which kept them respecting each
other. In the new democracy, with the emphasis on human dignity
and human rights, the community is trying to recover old concepts
that kept villagers and people respecting each other. The above has
given us reason why we should re-evaluate or re-examine the
concept of Ubuntu.
In the new democracy people are in need of or are searching
for a deeper meaning of life. The main question to ask is how the
church or religious institutions can address the spiritual hunger that
is experienced by the nation in South Africa. It is also important to
note with interest that many African people are now tracing back
their African roots. For example, after 1976 riots, a lot of parents
"started naming a well as re-naming their children African names.
They departed from naming and using their English names. This
concept is also seen through changing names of cities such as Louis
Trichard to Makhado, Pretoria to Tshwane etc. Listening on the radio
of 702, one could hear the efforts of whites who are also learning
how to call or pronounce different African names struggling on radio
discussions. The above changes are shifting old concepts of western
ways of thinking into new African ways of life. On the other hand,
the church is still struggling to address these issues of change. The
struggles will continue as the new democracy grows. The result of
these changes caused one of the Presbyterian Churches to overture
the General Assembly in 1999. The problems that they were seeking
to address were on the subject of African Spirituality and ancestor
veneration. Our white members were questioning the above problem
– especially the issue of a cult and idolatry. They felt the church was
too liberal and accepting every thing that was African as we were
approaching the new democracy. The debates were high as African
people were trying to define ways of recapturing their African ness.
The reader needs to note that the question of African spirituality and
ancestor veneration as a cult became a crucial topic for African
delegates. African people centered their arguments on the respect of
the dead. They argued that the respect of the dead was important way
of showing signs of respect to leaders who lived a good life. The
argument was based on the concept of ubuntu and not on ancestor
worship. The African delegates found themselves caught in areas of
dualism. This concept became part of their lives, because of
Christianity. They found themselves practicing the African way of
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life, and also kept Christian principles which were foreign and
western.
The debates made them aware that there are some Africans
who live western as well as African way of life. Other Africans
blamed colonialism for these two kinds of dualism. Those who
favored Christianity as a way of life rejected those who practiced an
African way of life. They referred to them as hedonism or
unchristian. In other words, Christians were seen as good people.
This way of life continued to divide Africans into two camps.
History became an important way of arguing, especially regarding
the concept of missionaries. For example, as missionaries continued
to work among the Africans, they had to leave their way of life and
embrace western concepts of life as a good way of living. They also
developed a process of dividing Africans graveyards into three parts
– one for the Christians, non-Christians and Catholics believers. This
way of division further caused undermining among Christians and
non believers. For example, Christians saw themselves as righteous,
while others were sinners. After the new democracy that process was
stopped. The above process caused some of the African's to resort to
their African customs. Missionaries missed the point that the concept
of ancestor relationship is idolatry forgetting the connection of
respect of the dead and the notion of Ubuntu. There is a great belief
among Africans that if a person lived a good life and dies (divine
life), that person according to African belief system becomes a good
ancestors. He or she is able to connect one to higher powers (Jesus
the king). In other words, that person is believed to be in heaven.
The second belief is that the person is given to another world
(eternal life) – hence when they bury them, they provide food and
other important items that are buried with them. The final belief is
that ordinary human beings cannot speak to God directly, because
God is not their equal – hence ancestors becomes abridge between
the lower and higher being. The author is aware that Jesus is our
mediator, who connects us-directly to God. I am merely stating the
case of those who believe in the system of ancestor ship. The above
concept share light to the way some Africans communicate in life,
and thus, should not be taken lightly by those who do not operate in
that world of communication. As a strategy it could have been used
in order to connect them with Christian believes system.
The difficulty of some Africans speaking to a hierarchy is a
problem in certain rural areas. They use a system of spoke person
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 934
(Induna's or mediators) especially when they speak to a king. That
same process of communication was brought into Christian practices
by some of them. They find it difficult to talk directly to higher
being without a spoke person. When they share their problems they
will always seek a mediator, because they feel that they are talking to
someone who is not their equal. In other words, they will share their
problems, happiness and sadness, or any other difficulty via a
mediator. The concept of hierarchy and authority comes into play
whenever they feel the person to be higher in position. For example,
when one connects the above process with the concept of induna
(spokes person) or spiritual mediator; one will begin to understand
the world of communication among African people. Mbiti (1977:76)
reminds us that;
"The African view of the universe or the world,
understand Spiritual mediators as people who fill up the
area between man (sic) and God".
This concept can be a beautiful and beneficial contribution in under-
standing the world of communication among Africans, especially
when introducing Christianity and the concept of Jesus as mediator.
It could have helped them connect to the world of Jesus as savior of
the world, especially its. Process of hierarchy. Therefore, one can
only speak to the king through a spokes person. Returning to the
concept of hierarchical structures (of African world – ancestors) It
makes sense that one can only speak to King (God) through ances-
tors or mediators, especially the good ones who lived life to the
fullest. Only good role models are respected, especially those who
have shared their good behavior with others in the village. Let us
now analyze the issue of death, which will help us to develop the
concept of spirituality that leads to Ubuntu.
4 DEATH OF GOOD ELDERS
Generally speaking, not everybody becomes an ancestor in the true
African life. For example, those who lived bad lives can never be
considered as ancestors when they die. In Africa, (as mentioned
before) death does not represent the end of human existence, but
rather a change in its status. The notion of death creates a solution of
continuity between the living and the dead – a solution marked by
the differences on the scale between the "creditors" (the dead) and
those "debtors" (their heirs). Belief in the existence of spirituality or
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spirit is widespread throughout Africa. Mbiti (1977:70) continues to
share the above idea by saying that:
"It is a natural consequence of the strong belief in African
religion that human life does not terminate at the death of
the individual, but continues beyond death. It follows,
therefore, that there must be myriads upon my raids of
human spirits. Many of them appear in legends, myths
and folks stories; others are spoken about in normal
conversations among people; and some possess people,
or appear to people in visions and dreams".
In other words, the African world has been interacting between the
world of the living and the dead. Note that the process begins even
before the last breath of the elderly has been breathed out. We are
now entering the area of deep human spirituality through the process
of death. For example, in certain villages, elders become living
ancestors as they reach the prime age in their lives. They become
spiritual advisors to the young ones. This process starts when they
are sharing their spiritual gifts or insights while they are still alive,
and then proceed to do so when they pass on to the other life. At the
point of death or passing to another world, some of the villagers
believe that they (ancestors) share the image and likeness of God. In
short, they are closer to God. A bimbola when sharing this idea of
good ancestors says:
"It is important to note that not all dead people
automatically attain the status of ancestor ship. Death is
not always a requirement for it. The notion of ancestor
ship implies the idea of selection, before any other
consideration to a social model based on the idea of
exemplification in the strictest sense of the word....the
good elder becomes an image of God when he (sic) dies"
(Olupona 2000:11).
In other words, and ancestor is someone who has reached a great age
and maturity in life. Who during his or her lifetime has acquired a
vast experience of life, including deep spirituality? Hence they share
their rich experiences and spiritual life with other young villagers.
As mentioned before, this process starts in the prime of one's life
while one is still alive. There are certain expectations required from
a good elder, especially during their last stages of life. In short, his or
her death must conform to the rules of the village or society to which
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 936
he or she belongs. Awolalu shared a good explanation on this issue
of a death of an elder. He says:
"Death by ill "reputed" diseases [such as leprosy] or by
accident [especially if provoked by lightning] Means
exclusion form the village (society) of being an ancestor.
(Olupona 1991:06).
The above quotations take seriously the steps of good position of
ancestor ship. It also shares a passage of ritual that leads one to
becoming an ancestor. The requirements lead to a position of
maturity in a good life that develops a deep spirituality in a life of an
elder. That life plays an important part in forming a good person.
Especially towards entry into the world of ancestor ship. In other
words, living a good life as well as sharing your valu es with others,
creates a good personality that will remain within villagers even
when you have died. A further explanation is that living a good life
as well as sharing your good values with villagers even when you
have died, leaves good memories that are internalized and used when
difficulties of life approach you. One is able to use the wisdom
shared by good ancestors. In short, passing of knowledge or wisdom
creates a world of humanness (Ubuntu) among other people. The
concept is further developed by a deep reverence or respect of the
dead (ancestors) by villagers or African people. The above issue can
be achieved by those who lived a good life that impacted on those
who remain. Other Africans believe is that the society of these
glorious dead represents a perfect community, unlike the society if
the living, where one finds good and bad people, pure and impure
people, handsome and ugly people etc. The above world introduces
one to a concept of dualism, which is only experienced by the living,
while the dead, especially good ones experience goodness alone.
Mbiti summaries this issue by saying:
"In the land of the dead, contradictions, tensions,
Oppositions are exempted" (Mbiti 1990:36).
While Zahan continues with the idea further saying
"The world of the ancestors is one that is free of
antitheses and violence, because it resides in a slow time.
Ancestors can of course, become incensed and they are
even susceptible to suffering" (Olupona 2000:11).
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Returning to the overture of whites in the Presbyterian Church, they
understood the world of ancestor ship as a cult or idolatry, and thus
misunderstood the development of the spirituality that was
connected to this concept, especially by those Africans who were
Christians. If they understood this world of ancestor ship, how it
operates, they would not have overture the General Assembly,
because good ancestors are taken as people who are close to the
Lord. Hence they are regarded as people closer to God or Supreme
Being. Therefore African people will always talk or communicate
with them because of the above relationship. The reader hopefully
will understand the concept of communication that occurs between
the servant and the king. The Induna's or mediators (spoken persons)
plays an important part.With the above facts in mind, let us now
analyze how African values connect and are shaped in the village or
African community.
5 AFRICAN VALUES
The concept of Ubuntu, connected to the idea of ancestor ship
shapes a way of living that respects human beings, life, the elderly,
as well as the villagers (community). At this stage one is able to live
with other people in a respectable way. It is a common saying among
Africans, that it takes the whole village to raise a child. The
statement captures good values, ethics and spiritual development of
a person – it is holistically taken. This type of process forces one to
internalize African values as a way of life. In other words, in an
African community a person is expected to be in relation with other
people. That is why an adult is allowed to discipline any child who is
out of step. It is part of shaping values, ethics and spiritual life of a
child. In the African village one is not allowed to live life alone like
and island. Mbiti emphasizes this point by reminding us that:
"An individual does not exist alone except corporately"
(Mbiti 1970:109).
In other words, a way of life [which the author calls spiritual life] is
lived in a community with others. Donker (1997:8) on the other hand
had this to say about individualism:
"The individual is not a physical being, but A spiritual
and divine individual, who lives with other human
beings".
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 938
It is interesting to note that in the world of Africans, the paternal
(spiritual) and the Godly (divine) attributes of the individual are
fully explored within the community. It can never be lived alone. In
South Africa, the Nguni tribe shares another element of life that
shapes a human being, through a powerful proverb or idiom that
says: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Meaning a person is a person
because of other people".
In other words, you cannot live a life of your own; you need
other people who will help you live life to the fullest. Growing up in
the village, the author discovered and came to appreciate that he is a
communal being who was, and is still nurtured and shaped by the
ethos of other villagers. In short, it took the whole village in order to
formulate the authors' spiritual life. The English saying became a
reality to the author when living with others: It says: "no man (sic) is
an island". This process of African spirituality formed and continues
to form the authors own moral, ethical and spiritual world. The
author is aware that in the western world, people had to respect
privacy and a space of an individual as well as other people. In an
African village (community) one is surrounded by lots of people,
tribes and kin's men and women. Another concept that continues to
shape African Spirituality and values of a person is the rites of
passage (initiation) in the context of transformation during
maturational process. This process enriches elderly people in order
to share their experience with others at the initiation school. In short,
the rites of passage such as circumcision, marriage and burials are
good examples, which shape the process of growth that leads to
socialization and integration of a person or group who would live
harmoniously with other people. Setiloane (1986:13-16) affirms the
above facts by saying that:
"In the African community, it is the responsibility of
adults to shape children, so that they may learn how to
live with others in the community".
The above statement is important because it emphasizes how a
community of adults' shapes, nurtures and cares for the spiritual up
liftment of young one's within a village. African people are by
nature, nurturing and caring people. They live in the company of
others and share concepts of raising children together. Therefore
being in relation to others, or belonging, represents the essential
characteristics of being truly human. Hence they have no private
ISSN 1609-9982 = VERBUM ET ECCLESIA JRG 27(3)2006 939
faith and spirituality. In other words, their faith and spirituality is
communal.
6 CHALLENGES
With the above facts in mind, I need to share that the world has
changed and continues to change in such a way that it challenges the
above concept of Ubuntu. For example, we are experiencing
violence and abuse within African communities. As African people
face these challenges of women and child abuse, they were forced to
re-examine where the concept of Ubuntu broke down. In other
words, they need to analyze the way they are raising their children in
theses modern times. In today's society, the question they need to
ask is, is the village failing or has it collapsed in its African structure
of caring and nurturing children? They also need to dig deep into
their African concept of spirituality, checking whether it is helpful in
building the nation to its original way of living and respecting each
other as they did before. The above challenges of abuse and violence
in South African society are deeply rooted in the yearning of
understanding that they are in relation to other human beings. Pato is
helpful in sharing the following insights about these new challenges.
He says:
"These challenges help us to dig deep into African
wisdom and spirituality. They also help us to re-examine
our problems and then meet the challenges that fence us
in South Africa" (cited in Kourie and Kretzschmes
2000:96).
The above challenges introduce us to the world of globalization.
Globalization and modernism present us with new challenges that
force Africans to re-examine their faith and lifestyle. In the older
days, African people were working closely to each other. The author
is aware that the African community is breaking down; hence these
problems of abuse and violence are emerging. African people need
to examine and analyze the social structure of their communities i.e.
tracing were the blockages or brokenness occurred, especially those
of abuse and violence. They further need to ask questions on why
they are experiencing these kinds' of problems. These questions will
also help them realize that their whole pattern of life was viewed as
religious from birth up to death is being challenged by globalization.
Secularization is changing these concept of the whole process of
African life which was based on spirituality, i.e. From the beginning
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 940
when a child was born, named, going through circumcision,
confirmation to man or womanhood, marriage, work, dying and
burial is going through challenges, even though they are still viewed
as sacred and develop one's spiritual personality. Through this
process a lot is expected from their elders, especially in rural areas.
Mageza (1997:55) is right by saying that:
"As repositories of sacred traditions, the elders are bound
by higher moral imperative to be accountable to the
community and their eternal predecessors, i.e. the
ancestors".
These great expectations, not only from the community but also
from the ancestral world are enforced upon them because of
communal life. These are also taught to children so that they grow
with these concepts in mind. That is why people who have
accumulate experience within the village, are expected to pass them
on to the next generation before their own death. This process of
accountability is expected from all members of the community. If
you follow it you then qualify to be a good ancestor after death. On
the other hand, those who have lived and led an unethical life on
earth are pronounced guilty, and excluded from ancestor hood at the
time of death. In other words, they have misled others and did not
play a prominent role in shaping spiritual personality. They were not
accountable to community while alive. Olupona (2000:8) is right
when he challenge elders:
"Their challenge then is to build into the spirit of Ubuntu,
a new dimension of Citizenship to villagers".
The expectation from elders is to live a good live that will eventually
influence others in order to develop their own spiritual personality
and thus become good citizens, good neighbors as well as fellow
kinsmen. Now the reader will realize that certain parts of urban areas
are faced squarely with the above challenge. As a result of the above
changes and challenges, people are in search of the missing link of
their life as well as the spirit of Ubuntu, due to the new democracy. A
lot of people emphasize the individual rights more than the
communal rights. That spirit of living together is slipping away.
Those who live in South Africa will understand why we are battling
with the issue of crime, abuse and violence. The new society has to
deal with basic way of returning to the spirit of Ubuntu, and harness
it for productivity and competitive purpose of building the nation. As
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we cultivate this new spirit of Ubuntu, we need to harness it in order
to manage the challenges of reconstruction and development.
The African spirituality that connect to the spirit of Ubuntu,
will leads to team building, which will help form new values that
will shape a generation that will work for peace. Mbigi and Maree
(1995:9) say: that;
"This spirit of Ubuntu will also help us to find a new
identify which will transcend the ethnic divisions that
haunt the African continent".
As we strive towards unity, it is in the spirit of Ubuntu with its
emphasis on working together and respecting human dignity that
will help us find our way forward as a continent. After addressing
these problems faced by the new generation, we can celebrate our
global citizenship, where we can be both tribal and cosmopolitan.
8 CONCLUSION
African spirituality is holistic and it impacts on the whole of life. It
is not considered as an individual affair, because it is expressed in all
levels of society, socially, economically, politically as well as among
people – hence it contributes in the building of a nation. Pato
identifies it in the following way:
"African spirituality is identified as reflecting the whole-
ness of life and is important in harmonizing life in all its
fullness (cited in Kourie and Kretzschmar 2000:3).
In short, African spirituality has to do with the concept of nation
building and the integrity of creation. In that life, every one is
involved in rebuilding, spirituality in the lives of others – ancestors
are also involved in this process, Kappen further says that:
"Contemporary spirituality impacts on the totality of life,
it is non-dualistic, it does not posit a bifurcation between
the secular and the sacred. It encompasses the entire life
of faith, which includes body, mind, (and soul) as well as
the social and political dimensions" (Kappen 1994:33).
The concept of body, mind and soul also includes issues of ecology.
This issue is an important part of life, especially in the way Africans
relate to nature. The above highlights the concept of spirituality
which is ecological, manifesting, sensitivity towards and solidarity
with the earth. Africans regard Mother Nature not as an object of
AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY 942
subjugation, but as a mother and symbol of the divine. In the olden
days, Africans would not cut a tree without certain rituals. People
were connected to nature. The connection with the whole of nature
was therefore important, nurturing it instead of dominating it. In
conclusion, life in an African village is connected to the entire God
created part of life. In other words, Africans are connected to God as
much as creation is part of God. We are therefore charged to care for
it. We finally need to go back to basics, the spirit of Ubuntu.
Consulted literature
Bhengu, M J 1996. Ubuntu: The Essence of Democracy. Cape Town: Novalis
Press.
Broodryk, J 2004. Ubuntu: Life Lessons From Africa: Pretoria. Ubuntu School
of Philosophy.
Donker, A E 1997. African Spirituality: On Becoming Ancestors. Trenton New
Jersey Africa World Press Inc.
Lindsell, H 1980. Harper Study Bible: The Holy Bible. Grand Rapids:
Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Kappen, S 1994. Spirituality In The New Age of Colonialism: London Duquce
and Gutierrez and the Institutional Crisis publications.
Koka, K D 1999. Ubuntu: A People's Humanness: Pretoria: Ubuntu School of
Philosophy.
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ISSN 1609-9982 = VERBUM ET ECCLESIA JRG 27(3)2006 943
... It is believed that morals and values can be instilled through shared communal moral teaching at all levels of society (Masango 2006;Shepherd and Mhlanga 2014). Values and respect for sustainability promote qualities that teach children to be creative, to think and to reflect (Pramling Samuelsson and Park 2017). ...
... In this holistic approach, Ubuntu is seen as the glue that unites not only present communities with ancestors and descendants but also preceding and future communities (Van Breda 2019). It does however not suggest an exclusive focus on ancestor veneration, but it should rather be interpreted as a means of respecting leaders who live a noble life (Masango 2006). In other words, it is a means of including living people and connecting with them in a respectable way by internalising values, norms and ethics (Masango 2006). ...
... It does however not suggest an exclusive focus on ancestor veneration, but it should rather be interpreted as a means of respecting leaders who live a noble life (Masango 2006). In other words, it is a means of including living people and connecting with them in a respectable way by internalising values, norms and ethics (Masango 2006). Although this does not mean that individuality is forbidden (Van Niekerk 2013), it signifies that community members' moral principles are mostly the product of shared social experiences stemming from past times (Shepherd and Mhlanga 2014). ...
Prescribed yearly mid-dry season fire is generally used in the Guinean savanna (a humid savanna of West Africa) as a vegetation management tool. Despite this fire, bush encroachment can be observed due to climate change and high sapling recovery rates with increasing CO2 emissions. There is therefore a need to analyze other fire seasons. We analyzed fire behavior during a 5-year field fire in the Guinean savanna of Lamto reserve in Ivory Coast. Early (EDS), mid (MDS), and late (LDS) dry season fires were tested. Nine 0.5 ha plots were burnt annually to determine the rate of spread, fire intensity and the residence time above 60 °C. Fuel characteristics and weather conditions were measured to assess their impact on fire behavior. Recruitment from resprout to adult tree stage were assessed for an estimation of these fires' severity. Understory grass height, fuel load, and moisture content had greater values in EDS than in MDS and LDS. The rate of spread and intensity of both MDS and of LDS were greater than those of EDS fires. The best predictors for fire behavior were fuel moisture content and air humidity. In dry conditions, fires were faster and more intense. With climate change predicting increasingly longer and drier periods, we expect more and more intense fires. A longer time of exposure to lethal temperatures (>60 °C) and the phenological state of trees in the late dry season explains the higher severity of this fire (there was no recruitment to adult stage under LDS fire). In some years, LDS helped to reduce bush encroachment in the subject region. This data provides important insights into fire behavior and its severity in the Guinean savanna, informing fire management policies and procedures.
... Thus, they go to great lengths to take great care of fellow beings. Ubuntu/Hunhu enshrines the individual to be situated within a reciprocal connection with other people; thus, one exists only because others (do also) exist as Masango (2006) summarily stated as munhu vanhu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Mupedziswa et al. (2019)) argue that Ubuntu is vitally concerned with the dignity and worth of individuals and communities. ...
The subject of tropical cyclones in Southern Africa, also known as hurricanes or typhoons in other regions of the world, has been growing over the past few decades. However, there is still limited literature on foundational and fundamental topics on the matter. To this end, this book addresses this gap, citing some examples from both historic and recent tropical cyclones. The book presents meteorological and climatic aspects of tropical cyclones, including reviews on forecasting, warning message dissemination and public response aspects of early warning systems with a focus on the Tropical Cyclones Idai and Kenneth. Fundamentals in disaster risk reduction (DRR) are also discussed moving from the provisions of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015), to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030). Climate change issues are central to the publication, as well as the role of information and communication technologies in DRR and management. The book also tackles some challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of regional legal and institutional frameworks on DRR. The book comes as part of a series with three volumes. The other volumes include "Cyclones in Southern Africa Vol. 1: Interfacing the Catastrophic Impact of Cyclone Idai with SDGs in Zimbabwe" and "Cyclones in Southern Africa Vol 3: Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals". To this end, this book is suitable as a read for several professionals and disciplines such as tourism and hospitality studies, economics, sustainable development, development studies, environmental sciences, arts, geography, life sciences, politics, planning and public health.
... Thus, they go to great lengths to take great care of fellow beings. Ubuntu/Hunhu enshrines the individual to be situated within a reciprocal connection with other people; thus, one exists only because others (do also) exist as Masango (2006) summarily stated as munhu vanhu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Mupedziswa et al. (2019)) argue that Ubuntu is vitally concerned with the dignity and worth of individuals and communities. ...
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![Godwell Nhamo]()
- Mariki M. Eloff
Tropical Cyclone Idai ripped through Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in mid-March 2019. Hundreds of lives were lost and a lot more remain unaccounted for. This study investigates the extent to which Zimbabwe's information and communication technology (ICT) is ready for disaster risk reduction (DRR) application and management. The focus was on Chimanimani District, where Cyclone Idai hit eastern Zimbabwe on 15 March 2019. This work further investigates the damage to ICT infrastructure and its resilience to the cyclone. Through the use of a questionnaire survey, interviews, document analysis and field observations, it emerged that Zimbabwe's application of ICT in early warning systems remained low and ineffective due to the lack of appropriate equipment and expertise and unreliable electricity supply. In Chimanimani, some mobile network service providers' base stations were flooded and communication was cut off completely, while mobile penetration at household level is near 100%. Grid electricity was also cut off for close to 1 month, with secondary impacts on charging mobile devices and signal coverage. Mobile phones and social media platforms such as WhatsApp were widely used at all DRR cycle stages, while radio provided the widest reach in terms of public announcements. From these findings, we recommend that authorities should invest heavily in modernising national weather forecasting ICT and promote the use of mobile phones as one of the platforms for DRR, especially in early warning. There is also the need to raise disaster awareness and preparedness among communities in Chimanimani.
... Thus, they go to great lengths to take great care of fellow beings. Ubuntu/Hunhu enshrines the individual to be situated within a reciprocal connection with other people; thus, one exists only because others (do also) exist as Masango (2006) summarily stated as munhu vanhu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Mupedziswa et al. (2019)) argue that Ubuntu is vitally concerned with the dignity and worth of individuals and communities. ...
Due to the magnitude in which natural disasters affect people, their occurrence is without a doubt attractive to mass media as hard news content. As such, mass media plays an important role in disseminating information on predictable disasters, their occurrence, impacts and mitigating strategies. Digitisation of media and multiplicity of news platforms offer wider access for the audience and open stiff competition among media houses as they scramble for material. This chapter presents an analysis of the different media textual constructions in reporting on natural disaster preparedness, effects and management strategies. It particularly investigates the effectiveness of the role of media in disaster awareness and management of the most recent tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth and local floods that occurred in Southern Africa in 2019. The study used content analysis to gather online reports on the disasters and carried out a critical multisemiotic discourse analysis to interpret the newspaper reports on cyclones and floods. It reveals the kinds of semiotics used to create social constructions and how they shape the audience's schemata of the events and readiness to participate. It further discusses the effectiveness of such reports in influencing the mitigation and implementation processes of the SDGs.
... Thus, they go to great lengths to take great care of fellow beings. Ubuntu/Hunhu enshrines the individual to be situated within a reciprocal connection with other people; thus, one exists only because others (do also) exist as Masango (2006) summarily stated as munhu vanhu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Mupedziswa et al. (2019)) argue that Ubuntu is vitally concerned with the dignity and worth of individuals and communities. ...
Tropical cyclones are a global challenge, and climate change is adding to the complexity of their impact on development and occurrence, particularly in developing countries. While there is a marked improvement in the forecasting of track and intensity of tropical cyclones across the world, such improvements have not translated into improved disaster risk reduction (DRR). This has been mainly due to communication challenges, which remain highly technical. DRR and management information remain largely inaccessible to risky communities at appropriate times. Even where DRR communication reaches the intended communities, early evacuation has been a challenge owing to various factors including perceptions, religious beliefs, understanding and absence of community evacuation plans in times of tropical cyclones. We note the critical role played by early warning systems, community response, understanding of DRR and management, use of systems thinking, role of the media, use of indigenous knowledge systems and involvement of faith-based organisations in tropical cyclone emergency response. Several initiatives are recommended that can be used in disaster response in southern Africa, among them appropriate communication and synergising of indigenous knowledge systems and current scientific knowledge in disaster management. There is also a need to build back better (BBB) post-cyclone to de-risk future cyclones. Tropical cyclone disaster response has to be timeous, inclusive and done with a view to building stronger to ensure community resilience. Climate change adaptation is also identified as an important component of BBB through private and public sector partnership for resource pooling. Investment in research and forecasting improvement and communication of tropical cyclones is further recommend to be central to the regional climate-smart future.
... Thus, they go to great lengths to take great care of fellow beings. Ubuntu/Hunhu enshrines the individual to be situated within a reciprocal connection with other people; thus, one exists only because others (do also) exist as Masango (2006) summarily stated as munhu vanhu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Mupedziswa et al. (2019)) argue that Ubuntu is vitally concerned with the dignity and worth of individuals and communities. ...
This chapter presents an assessment of the effectiveness of the tropical cyclone early warning system (EWS) in Zimbabwe, with a special focus on Cyclone Idai, which affected the country in March 2019. The study used a household questionnaire survey, interviews, field observations and official documents to identify gaps in major components of the EWS value chain, which contributed to the dysfunction of the EWS, resulting in fatalities, loss and damage of property and infrastructure. Lack of risk knowledge, poor instrumentation for accurate forecasting and nowcasting, weak institutional coordination and inadequate resources—that hinder critical government institutions from executing their mandates in the system—and poor early warning communication are some of the identified factors that contributed to the dysfunction of the EWS. The study proposes a set of enabling conditions, as corrective measures to improve all the EWS components. The private sector is an underutilised actor in the EWS, and we recommend that, rather than engaging the private sector in the post-disaster response, the private sector needs to be incorporated in pre-disaster EWS activities. A people-centred, impact-based and multi-hazard EWS, which is founded on shared resources, risk knowledge and expertise, should be considered. Further research may focus on a cost-benefit analysis of the EWS, to provide an evidence base to inform decisions in EWS investment and strategies.
Ubuntu has been identified by several scholars as a philosophy that provides a framework to fight health disasters such as COVID-19. Ubuntu refers to the African worldview of seeing oneself through others. It refers to the pattern of interconnectedness between people in the form of a philosophy or worldview. Ubuntu explores concerns about cosmic and global context of life. This article stipulates that Ubuntu can provide ways to deal with challenges that emerge with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ubuntu fosters the integrated components of humanity as it appreciates the biological, psychosocial, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life. The article explores several themes such as self-awareness and societal responsibility, holism, spirituality, health promotion, food security, social justice and human rights, generosity, sharing, and teamwork. Others have advanced that Ubuntu is a philosophy to adopt in the fight against epidemics, and we seek to broaden the debate by exploring Ubuntu axiological and ontological humanistic–existential themes. Finally, the article calls for the adoption of Ubuntu philosophy in psychological and social work interventions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burial rites are very common among many Africa communities. In the African context, burials are not the end of life but rather the beginning of another life in the land of the ancestors. In spite of the importance of the African funeral rites, the missional role of the church in mourning and the burial of the dead in the African communities, the COVID-19 pandemic led protocols and restrictions placed a huge challenge on the African religious and cultural practices. Contribution: In the light of the above-named challenges, the article discusses the religious-cultural effect of the pandemic with special focus on the African liturgical and missiological challenges in the context of the COVID-19 restrictions on funerals and burial rites.
Cyclones and floods pose immediate threats to local community livelihoods and well-being. Indigenous local communities respond differently to emergencies such as floods and cyclones compared to westernised humanitarian responses. While Western responses emphasise national and international emergency relief approaches which focus on temporal evacuation and provision of shelter, treatment and food relief, indigenous responses on the other hand pay attention to both immediate and long-term community resilience, based on Ubuntu/Hunhu, an indigenous ethic of care and humanity. Ubuntu/Hunhu is based on a relational foundation where the individual is always viewed concerning his/her roles and responsibilities in broader family and community context. Drawing from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, this chapter explores how the Ubuntu/Hunhu philosophy was applied in responding to Tropical Cyclone Idai-induced disasters such as the recent (March 2019) floods and landslides in Chimanimani District in Zimbabwe. Such responses included the provision of shelter and food to the affected people, looking after the vulnerable community members (orphans, widows, the elderly), and the burial of the dead.
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![Mariette Koen]()
The world is under enormous pressure as it faces major environmental, health, social, political and economic threats. Although disasters and challenges can, at any time, pose a threat to the sustainability of any nation or continent, it seems as if children happen to be hardest hit. Using a theoretical approach, this chapter systematically reviews research studies on early childhood education to explore the way the African Ubuntu philosophy could contribute to the holistic development of young children. In this chapter, the roles of education for sustainability (EfS) and early childhood education and care for sustainability (ECECfS) are recognised as essential means of creating sustainable building blocks for adult lives. EfS comprises the holistic development of the inseparable social, emotional, cognitive and physical facets of child development in order to form behaviours towards preserving the environment and towards promoting fairness and social justice for life. Given that the holistic development comprises both on the whole child and the environment, this chapter explores how an awareness of the principles of the African Ubuntu philosophy, constituting principles such as sharing, respect and interaction may be used to young children with values, skills and knowledge that form the basis of sustainable development. The aim is not to see Ubuntu as an ideal agenda to the exclusion of Western knowledge systems, but rather to integrate ideas from both worlds in the process of seeking ways to construct a just and sustainable world in early childhood.
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Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268342425_African_spirituality_that_shapes_the_concept_of_Ubuntu
