THE AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY OF UBUNTU
The term
Ubuntu/Botho/Hunhu is a Zulu/Xhosa/Ndebele/Sesotho/Shona word referring to the
moral attribute of a person, who is known in the Bantu languages as Munhu
(Among the Shona of Zimbabwe), Umuntu (Among the Ndebele of Zimbabwe and the
Zulu/Xhosa of South Africa) and Muthu (Among the Tswana of Botswana) and Omundu
(Among the Herero of Namibia) to name just a few of the Bantu tribal groupings.
Philosophically, the term Ubuntu emphasises the importance of a group or
community and it finds its clear expression in the Nguni/Ndebele phrase: umuntu
ngumuntu ngabantu which when translated to Shona means munhu munhu muvanhu (a
person is a person through other persons).
Words on
Ubuntu by Michael Onyebuchi Eze.
"A
person is a person through other people, strikes an affirmation of one's
humanity through recognition of an "other" in his or her uniqueness
and difference. It is a demand for a creative intersubjective formation in
which the "other" becomes a mirror (but only a mirror) for my
subjectivity. This idealism suggests to us that humanity is not embedded in my
person solely as an individual; my humanity is cosubstantially bestowed upon
the other and me. Humanity is a quality we owe to each other. We create each
other and need to sustain this otherness creation. And if we belong to each
other, we participate in our creations: we are because you are, and since you
are, definitely I am. The "I am" is not a rigid subject, but a
dynamic self-constitution dependent on this otherness creation of relation and
distance."
Archbishop
Desmond Tutu on Ubuntu.
One of
the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu
speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in
isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by
yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your
generosity.
We think
of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one
another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world.
When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
A person
with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel
threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance
that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is
diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured
or oppressed.
Nelson
Mandela has said to be an embodiment of the Philosophy, ubuntu, at his memorial
Barack Obama shared these words:
'There
is a word in South Africa - Ubuntu - a word that captures Mandela's greatest
gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible
to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by
sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.
Ubuntu
throughout Africa
In
Malawi, the same philosophy is called "uMunthu" in the local Chewa
language. According to the Catholic Diocese of Zomba bishop Rt. Rev. Fr. Thomas
Msusa, "The African worldview is about living as one family, belonging to
God".] Msusa noted that in Africa "We say 'I am because we are', or
in Chichewa kali kokha nkanyama, tili awiri ntiwanthu (when you are on your own
you are as good as an animal of the wild; when there are two of you, you form a
community)."The philosophy of uMunthu has been passed on through proverbs
such as Mwana wa mnzako ngwako yemwe, ukachenjera manja udya naye (your
neighbor's child is your own, his/her success is your success too).
The
Botswana people use the term botho to describe a person who has a well-rounded
character and realizes his or her full potential both as an individual and as a
part of the community to which he or she belongs. Botho is an example of a
social contract of mutual respect, responsibility and accountability that
members of society have toward each other and defines a process for earning
respect by first giving it, and to gain empowerment by empowering others.
References
Paris,
P. (1995). The spirituality of African peoples. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress
Press.
Ramose,
M. (1999). African philosophy through ubuntu. Harare, Zimbabwe: Mond Books.
Shutte,
A. (2001). Ubuntu: An ethic for the new South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa:
Cluster Publications.
Tutu, D.
(1999). No future without forgiveness. New York: Random House.
Via
African Native
By
National Agenda Television Post