What Is The African Philosophy of Ubuntu?
Many philosophies talked about in the Western world focus on the importance of the individual. For example, John Locke, Adam Smith, and David Hume all had philosophies centered around the idea of true individualism. However, this doesn't mean they never saw the value of community. Many believed that by working together, people could do things better than on their own. In some sense, they knew that community was important. A philosophy that takes the importance of community a step further is Ubuntu. Passed on by oral tradition in certain African cultures, Ubuntu emphasizes our interconnectedness and value within our community.
Breaking it Down
The South African word "ubuntu" translates to "humanness."The word originated with the Bantu and Xhosa people of Southern Africa. Later, big public figures such as Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela popularized the idea.
The word 'ubuntu' can be broken down into two parts to better understand its meaning. The first part of the word, 'ubu', is a word in Nguni Bantu languages referring to a shared sense of community and the interconnectedness of every person. The last part of the word, 'ntu', refers to people's individuality and how unique we are. Together, both parts of the word unite and refer to how society is made up of unique individuals who are interconnected.
Historical Overview
Ubuntu was written about in South Africa in the mid-19th century. Prior to this, the Bantu people passed down the idea of Ubuntu in oral literature traditions. Certain words and phrases were passed down to educate new generations and pass down core ideas. One of the proverbs, ‘ballaan fira qabu ila qaba’, roughly translates in English to ‘a blind person who has relatives that can see.’ This phrase shows the importance of being connected to your community and placing trust in community members. Both these ideas are very important in Ubuntu philosophy. Another proverb, ‘kujikama, uryengi kanthu ndi wala, kusoka uwengi waka’, translates to ‘kneeling, you eat with elders; standing, you eat nothing.’ This proverb indicates the importance of respecting elders and the intrinsic moral value of listening to them.
While the idea of ubuntu has existed for a long time in certain African cultures, it is relatively new to the West. It entered philosophical discussions when it was popularized in the late 1950s. Novelist, scholar, and editor Jordan Kush Ngubane wrote about it in the African Drum magazine, bringing the idea to light for many who had never heard of it.
Core Ideas
As the meaning of the word suggests, Ubuntu describes a way of life focused more on the community and less on the individual. When people practice Ubuntu, they live a genuinely human way of life. This encompasses character traits such as being polite, respectful, kind, and compassionate. At its core, Ubuntu excludes selfishness, instead prizing communal relationships. In many African cultures, the more someone practices Ubuntu, the more they develop human excellence, an admired quality. Often, this leads to a better life. Ubuntu asks us to place trust in the community first. A core tenet of Ubuntu is that people exist through others in their community. This defines self-realization in terms of our relationship to others instead of our relationship to ourselves, making it important to strengthen and maintain our communities.
The idea of community in Ubuntu goes beyond the people who live in a certain area. Everything fundamental for the life of the individuals in the community is considered part of the community. This means understanding everything that influences people and the relationships we have with other living beings. These influences can be living or nonliving. The earth, other animals, plants, social events, and ancestors are all considered part of the community in Ubuntu.
Holistic Approach to Crime
Considering the importance of community in Ubuntu philosophy, you might wonder what happens when someone hurts the community. The Ubuntu response to theft or other crimes differs from how much of the world typically perceive the order of crime and punishment. There is a concept known as unhu in Ubuntu. This acknowledges that crimes committed have consequences for the whole community, not just the persons involved. Instead of throwing someone in jail for their crimes, the Ubuntu solution focuses on healing the relationship between the offender and the community. Instead of fines and jail sentences, the focus is on creating a dialogue where apology and education are central. This holistic approach aims to heal the relationships between everyone in the community. Not only does this make the community stronger, but it also helps prevent the crime from happening again.
Similarities to Virtue Ethics
The importance of community is apparent in Ubuntu. A key part of being a good community member in Ubuntu is living with character traits that strengthen the community. Traits such as politeness, kindness, compassion, altruism, sacrifice, forgiveness, mercy, and tolerance are considered admirable. Hearing this, you might be reminded of another philosophy that emphasizes certain character traits or virtues, virtue ethics. However, a key difference between Ubuntu and virtue ethics is that in virtue ethics, ideas such as theoretical contemplation or self-control don't necessarily involve other people. There is more focus on the individual and less focus on the community. However, in Ubuntu, other people are essential to realizing oneself and living a good life.
The Ubuntu philosophy has guided societal decision-making in certain African societies for many years. Fostering Ubuntu is considered the best way to live in the eyes of many people. Ubuntu's ideas focus on developing community, kindness, and ultimately seeing that we are all interconnected. These inspiring ideas challenge the more individualistic mindset of many Western philosophies.
Today, many people find themselves craving community and connection in the West. Ubuntu philosophy may be a solution. We should ask ourselves whether it is worth seeing people in the Ubuntu light, as they exist in their community.
