Ubuntu (oo-boon-too, n.) means, “I am because we are.” Ubuntu is a Zulu or Xhosa word, and a traditional African concept. It is a term for humaneness, for caring, sharing, and being in harmony with all of the creation. In the Zulu language, the expression is umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu which translates as 'a person is a person through other persons'.
Now what's striking about this concept or word, you may ask? Let me narrate a story...
An anthropologist was doing her research on a tribe in a remote African village. The research lasted a few weeks and she got attached to the people, especially the young children of the tribe.
She collected a bag of candies and goodies from her belongings and put it in a bag under the tree. She called the children and told them – “let’s play a game.” She drew a line about 100 meters from the tree and asked the children to line up. She explained to the children that it was a race and whoever ran the fastest would win the bag of candies from under the tree. She instructed them to start running as soon as she gave them the signal – “on your mark, get set, goes…”.
The children waited for her signal and then something strange happened! To her surprise, instead of running for the candy, the children held hands and walked together towards the bag of candies! Once they reached, they sat in a circle, distributed the candies evenly, and ate them while talking to each other.
The anthropologist asked them – “Why didn’t you run? The person who ran fastest would have won the entire bag of candies.” A young girl looked up innocently and replied – “How can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?” Although the anthropologist had been studying the ubuntu African tribe for weeks, she understood the culture and its essence from the behavior of these children. The children were practicing “Ubuntu.”
“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.”
In most cases, designations, citizenships, the color of skin, spiritual faiths tend to create barriers, but when we learn to look beyond these temporary designations, we are able to see our connection at the level of the soul.
This is exactly what Ubuntu is about, it’s a reminder that no one is an island — every single thing that you do, good or bad, affects your family, friends, and society. It also reminds us that we need to think twice about the choices we want to make and the kind of impact they may have on others.
When we act upon deeply feeling a sense of being connected to others by our common humanity, when we truly regard ourselves and others as one, when we cherish human dignity, all of our relationships and the level of our behaviors and actions are raised to a higher plane. When we understand and practice Ubuntu we will realize that each has a vital role to play, which must be held in balance, no one dominating the other. We must “Break the walls down. Build the body up. Bring people together.”
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