mr mukusha 1
1. Biography:
Mukusha Jowere lectures in the following Philosophy courses at Great Zimbabwe
University: African Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Education,
Introduction to Problems of Philosophy and Survey of Major Philosophical Trends.
He is also a specialist in International Human Rights Exchange (IHRE) and a Peer
Educator. Contact: Great Zimbabwe University, Box 1235 Masvingo, Faculty of Arts,
Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies E-mail joelmukusha@[Link]
jmukusha@[Link]
2. UBUNTU/UNHU: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION BY MR J
MUKUSHA:
Philosophy Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Faculty of
Arts, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe; PhD Student at the
University of South Africa (UNISA). Email address: joelmukusha@[Link]
3. ABSTRACT
Africa as a cradle of humanity entails the notion of ubuntu or unhu. This paper seeks
to address the centrality of ubuntu/unhu with regards to personal identity in
Zimbabwe and Africa in its generality. The paper also alludes to the dialectical
antithetical relationship between the biological human being and the social human
being, that is, the person. Of interest, in this paper, is the sheer emphasis on the
ubuntu/unhu communitarian cosmogony. Thus, the paper draws some philosophical
parallel lines matching the Cartesian mind-body problem and the cogito ergo sum.
The issue of culture comes into the fray as an indispensable variable with regards to
personal identity in Zimbabwe and Africa at large. Hence, the pivotal role of a
plethora of initiation rituals and ceremonies in African Traditional Culture acts as the
epistemological and metaphysical informal pedagogical curriculum whose subject
matter is embedded in ubuntu/unhu - the crux of this paper. KEY WORDS: Ubuntu,
unhu, humanity, identity, personal, cosmogony, Cartesian, culture, Africa
Introduction This paper attempts to address the concept of ubuntu/unhu covering a
variety of aspects. Aspects of importance include the conceptual analysis of the term
ubuntu/unhu, ubuntu as a philosophy, ubuntu metaphysics, ubuntu epistemology,
ubuntu personal identity, ubuntu language, ubuntu politics, ubuntu ethics/axiology
and ubuntu education. A conclusion marks the end of this ontological presentation.
Ubuntu/Unhu Conceptual Analysis Etymologically, ubuntu is made up of the prefix
ubu- and the stem –ntu. Ramose (1999) notes that the idea of ubu- evokes the concept
of be-ing in general. Ubu- and ntu are mutually founding in the sense that they are
two aspects of be-ing as a one-ness and an indivisible whole-ness. It therefore means
that human existence is a complete package that can not be understood in part in the
African biosphere. In Africa, ubuntu is expressed in its variant forms, for instance,
unhu, umuntu, abatho and so on showing the common denominator of the stem – ntu.
Augmenting this position, Wright (1984:171) posits, “…the African view of man
denies that persons can be defined by focusing on this or that physical or
psychological characteristic of the lone individual. Rather, man is defined by
reference to the environing community.” Thus, ubuntu/unhu expresses the identity of
man in Africa’s human cosmogony. In other words, ubuntu/unhu is both a measure of
personal identity and a socio-cultural barometer in Zimbabwe and Africa in general.
The major challenge here is whether Zimbabweans or Africans in general can be
accorded ubuntu/unhu in its pragmatic sense. Do we qualify to be described and
understood under the banner of ubuntu/unhu given the impact of cultural invasion and
the perilous effects of globalization? For Asante Keita and Abarry (1996) going back
to sangofa would be the best possible answer. This implies the need to revisit our
African Traditional Culture in a bid to remain relevant in the contemporary world and
the future. In the same vein, Chung (2007:328) remarks, “For Zimbabwe to renew
itself, it needs to re-examine its heritage from the past and to create a new culture and
values for the future.” This new culture should deal with the need to emphasize on the
importance of African heritage and traditional culture in the contemporary world that
will enable positive meaningful development in Zimbabwe and Africa in general.
Ubuntu/Unhu as a Philosophy The notion of ubuntu/unhu represents a fundamental
African philosophical worldview thereby representing an indispensable way of life in
Africa. In other words, ubuntu/unhu should be properly understood through its
metaphysical and epistemological geography in Zimbabwe and Africa at large.
Cascading the worthiness of ubuntu/unhu philosophy, Ramose (1999:49) purports,
“The be-ing of an African in the universe is inseparably anchored upon ubuntu…
Ubuntu then is the wellspring flowing with African ontology and epistemology.”
Thus, the identity of a human being in Africa is an aggregate of a number of factors
that include one’s metaphysical and epistemological commitments. Keita Asante in
Asante and Abarry (1996:256) notes, “The Afrocentric enterprise is framed by
cosmological, axiological, and aesthetic issues.” With regards to knowledge,
Mukusha (2011:7) notes, “In Africa this knowledge cosmogony is embedded in
African philosophy, which is traditionally epistemologically highly nourishing.”
Conversely, this implies that the lack of ubuntu knowledge inevitably negatively
impact on one’s identity as a human being worth of a person. In order for one to be
identified as munhu/umuntu/batho/muntu with ubuntu/unhu, he or she has to have
worthwhile knowledge. Without unhu/ubuntu one is not a human person but just a
human being among other forms of being in the universe, hence, haasi munhu ane
hunhu. Even Peters (1973) reinforces that knowledge or education is some sort of
process leading to the development of a desirable state of mind in a morally
unobjectionable manner. Thus, failing the moral test which is ever present like the
unseen but present Judeo-Christian God renders individuals in Africa to be
disqualified as human persons. Hence, knowledge becomes one of the major
determinants of one’s identity. Mararike (2001:5) emphasizes, “Knowledge of our
history and culture are some of our key rallying points.” An individual who is found
wanting knowledge wise is referred to as dununu(fool) thereby discrediting one’s
humanity in certain instances/situations in life. Given such a position, it therefore
implies that in one way or another we become matununu (fools) due to our sheer lack
of ubuntu/unhu especially in this contemporary competitive capitalist economically
driven world. An appeal to sangofa would abate our ubuntu/unhu degree of
vulnerability. The renowned Greek philosophic sage, Socrates in Akinpelu (1981),
Schofield (1972) and Stumpf and Fieser (2008) once accepted that the best man is the
one who admits that he is ignorant whilst one who pretends to know everything is a
fool. It is important for Zimbabweans to accept that they will remain fools if they
think that they are knowledgeable about the ubuntu/unhu content. The researcher
urges Zimbabweans and Africans in general to continue thriving for ubuntu as a sure
way of restoring their ontological identity.
Ubuntu/Unhu Metaphysics
Ubuntu/unhu metaphysics encompasses issues pertaining to ontology and spirituality.
Kim and Sosa (1995) define metaphysics as the study of reality whilst O’Hear (1985)
conceptualizes metaphysics as going beyond the banalities of nature, the material
world in issues of existence, language and questions about reality. From an African
perspective, ubuntu/unhu metaphysics is tripartite in nature. Ramose (1999) stresses
that the ubuntu understanding of be-ing involves three levels of human ex-istence…
the onto-triadic structure of being. These three parts in the understanding of
ubuntu/unhu include the living umuntu, those beings who have passed away from the
world of living and the yet-to-be born. Failure to honour either of the triadic ubuntu
aspects would negatively affect one’s identity. Robert Birt cited in Gordon (1997:205)
says, “Every struggle for human liberation is invariably a struggle for a liberated
identity.” With regard to the living dead, Ramose (1999) is of the view that these
continue to live despite their departure from the world of the living. Hence,
disregarding the living dead is just like one of Isaac Newton’s law of motion that to
every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction, in this case, militating against
one’s identity as a full human person. In Zimbabwe, the respect for heroes and
heroines whether declared or non- declared, is a sure way of safe guarding our
humanity. However, a clear antithesis is envisaged when one irresponsibly denigrates
those who sacrificed their lives for instance, in the struggle for liberation. Such a fish
type of forgetting very recent things, those things of yesterday - kukanganwa chazuro
nehope will inevitably discredit one’s ubuntu/unhu ending up attaining an irrespective
status known as ‘fish-ntu’. The researcher coins the term ‘fish-ntu’ to refer to those
who have poor memory just like a fish that forgets the hook’s scratch in five seconds
with regards to various forms of sacrifices Africans have under gone thereby denoting
their rational cultural inadequacies. This research also urges every individual to avoid
becoming ‘fish-ntu’ due to the lack and/or loss of ubuntu/unhu. But in the western
existentialist view, ‘fish-ntu’ may be quite applicable. Therefore, let us guard against
degenerating into ‘fish-ntu’ for the good of our human dignity as Zimbabweans and
Africans in general.
Ubuntu/Unhu Personal Identity
The question of personal identity is a contested issue in the history of philosophy.
Scholars generally put on different spectacles in their conception of ubuntu, some
wear a communitarian conception whilst others dress on liberalist lenses in their
interpretation of the notion of ubuntu/unhu. Sandel (1998:x) states,
“Communitarianism is another name for majoritarianism - the idea that rights should
rest on the values that predominate in any given community at any given time.” In
Africa, the concept of ubuntu/unhu is user friendly under the communitarian
interpretation. Ifeanyi A. Menkiti cited in Wright (1984:171) says, “John Mbiti
summed up the African view of the person in the statement: ‘I am because we are, and
since we are therefore I am’.” This categorically depicts the difference between the
Cartesian cogito ergo sum, ‘I think therefore I am/exist’ (O’Connor 1964; Harrison-
Barbet 2001) and the communitarian African conception of a person that emphasizes
on the consensus model. Hence, Ramose (1999:53) posits, “Umuntu ngumuntu
ngabantu (Motho ke motho ka bantu)…a humane, respectful and polite attitude
towards others.” This implies that one’s ubuntu/unhu is a totality of his/her environing
community whereby the society has the power to strip off one’s personhood in cases
where that particular person lacks ubuntu/unhu – a complete one-ness. This brings the
issue of a biological human being vis-à-vis a biological cultural human person.
Therefore, ubuntu/unhu identity goes beyond the rationalist mind-body problem. The
dialectical and antithetical parallelism explains the invaluable role of ubuntu/unhu as
the thermometer, barometer and compass in determining African humanity. In the
same vein, Menkiti in Wright (1984) endorses that there is a possibility of one losing
his/her personal identity or personhood due to the inadequacy of other traits of
ubuntu/unhu.
Ubuntu/Unhu Axiology
The ethical texture of a human being in Africa plays a fundamental role in defining
one’s identity. Issues pertaining to taboos, rituals, traditional ceremonies are of great
value in spelling out one’s identity, somewhat like socio-cultural tattoos. Hence, Steve
Biko in Coetzee and Roux (2003:84) clarifies that, “A culture is essentially the
society’s composite answer to the varied problems of life.” In light of this,
ubuntu/unhu becomes a cultural and metaphysical expression of personal identity in
indigenous Africa. Issues such as circumcision, marriage, rainmaking ceremonies are
indispensable cultural traditional pedagogical stencils that help in the sustenance of
African humanity, ontology, epistemology, logic and axiology. Mazrui in Asante and
Abarry (1996:210) notes, “…culture as a system of inter-related values, active enough
to influence and condition perception, judgement, communication and behaviour in a
given society.” Even in areas of development, the exercise of ubuntu/unhu may go a
long way in accomplishing set goals as well as being used as points of reference.
Mararike (2001:7) echoes, “Human development should be perceived as a mirror. An
object is as far behind the mirror as it is in front of it. Thus Africa can forge as far
ahead as her people are able to source back for inspiration in their history and
culture.” Ubuntu/Unhu is, therefore, a source and guide of a people’s inspiration and
aspirations. This implies that lack of sufficient ubuntu/unhu impacts negatively on an
individual(s) goal attainment. For instance, institutional inspirations are captured in
mission statements and core values of which failure to factor in the ubuntu/unhu
notion in policy making and implementation will result in abortive programmes. In
this case, fortunately, for Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) whose ubuntu/unhu is
expressed in its caption: ‘A centre of excellence in creative arts, culture and
technology’ which is pragmatically constantly rekindled through cultural festivals
such as the culture week, and the much awaited effective establishment of the Institute
of Heritage Studies. This expresses the ubuntu/unhu texture at GZU and not the ‘fish-
ntu’ henceforth leading to the production of not only graduates but graduates with
ubuntu/unhu in their conduct. Coetzee and Roux (2003:259) also echoes, “…the
heritage… was the media-culture in which members of the same society related to one
another.”
The concept of ubuntu/unhu is incomplete without emphasizing on hard work that is
equals to Kantian deontology- the duty for duty ethical philosophy that results in the
cultivation of ubuntu/unhu self-reliance. Nyerere (1968:5) remarks, “’Mgeni siku
mbili; siku ya tatu mpe jembe’- or in English, ‘Treat your guest as a guest for two
days, on the third day give him a hoe!’” This expresses the notion of ubuntu/unhu in
African personhood or personal identity. One becomes a complete be-ing by virtue of
one’s commitment to work/duty- deon. Ubuntu/Unhu Language In this axiological
arena, language use is a symbol of identity- you are identified by the nature of your
language with regard to one’s personhood or personal identity. Fasold (1987:1) notes,
“The sociolinguistics of society is about the social importance of language to groups
of people, from small sociocultural groups of a few hundred people to entire nations.”
Language plays a pivotal role in personal identity in Zimbabwe and Africa. In
recognition of the value of language, Ramose (1999) states that language of ubuntu
focuses the entire epistemological domain towards the ontology of ubu-…Rheomode-
philosophical language of ubuntu… creating a new structure that is not prone toward
fragmentation as the present one. Language use should express a continuous flow of
one-ness and not that of fragmentation that violates the totality of ubuntu/unhu reality.
Language use in private and public spheres of life expresses one’s nature of
ubuntu/unhu, for instance, bedroom language must be different from a lecture room
and other official gathering forms of language. Hence, there is need to censor one’s
language use in different contexts of life as a means of sustaining appropriate
ubuntu/unhu discourse for the upholding of social cohesion, solidarity, peace and
general societal homogeneity. In this respect, African Traditional Religion (ATR) has
important norms, values and standards that guide our conduct in life. Hence, ATR
should not be treated negatively like what Shorter in Verstraelen (1998:88) says that,
“ATR was pictured as ‘the empire of Satan’ rather than ‘Africa’s Old Testament’ or
the ‘seed ground of the eternal Logos.” ATR and African culture should be respected
as socio-cultural libraries for the proper expression and nourishment of Africa’s
ubuntu/unhu package. In confirmation, Pradel (2000:3) notes, “Traditional religion,”
comments the theologian John Mbiti, “dominates all aspects of the individual’s life
and exercises the strongest influence on his being.” Ubuntu/Unhu is incomplete
without the respect for African Traditional Religion, therefore, to a large extent, we
are incomplete human persons due to the fact that we denigrate African Traditional
Religion for the well marketed Judeo- Christian religious ethos that are literally better
positioned for the Israelites though with some overlap here and there in the African
context.
Ubuntu/Unhu Politics
The political turmoil currently affecting the African continent and Zimbabwe in
particular is largely as a failure to infuse ubuntu/unhu in our political democracy. An
over dose of the Eurocentric existentialist that is Sartrean in approach to politics is
negatively affecting issues pertaining to political competitiveness. For instance,
sacrificing the whole nation of Zimbabwe under sanctions is a clear indication of lack
of ubuntu/unhu politics. On sanctions, Shively (2008:412) explains, “A form of non
military coercion that is often used by the United States, even in dealing with friends,
is the imposition of economic sanctions… Imposition of an economic sanction
consists of a state or group of states deliberately withholding normal economic
relations to punish another state.” However, what is of value is to guard against the
exploitation of resources by the outsiders as well as the care of our heritage both
tangible and intangible. Mararike (2001:5) categorically hints, “For Africa to sustain
political independence, there is an urgent need to own, control and utilize her tangible
and intangible assets.” Ubuntu/Unhu political identity in Zimbabwe and Africa in
general can only be sustained if both tangible and intangible forms of heritage are
owned and controlled by the indigenous people of Africa, without which ubuntu/unhu
notion becomes a logical contradiction. Of note, among tangible forms of heritage are
minerals and the land in the definition of personhood or personal identity in Africa. In
this respect, Moyana (2002:153) strongly reiterates, “Eviction from one’s land
symbolized the uprooting of one’s soul from his one’s and one’s conversion from a
freeman into a status comparable to upgraded slavery.” In simple terms, being
landless is a sign of lack of ubuntu/unhu ending up in one’s vulnerability to
exploitative forces of neocolonialism. Mararike (2001:22) also observes, “Land is the
mother, father and children of all Africans. Without control and ownership of land,
Africa will for ever remain a client of other nations.” In crude terms, Africans will
remain sububuntu/unhu- maboora ngoma, if not complete ‘fish-ntu’ in their failure to
own and control tangible resources such as land. Herbst (1990:4) remarks, “For
instance, Colin Leys, in his study of the political economy of Kenya, called the
African state simply a ‘sort of sub-committee’ of the international bourgeoisie.” This
kind of relationship is dehumanizing if not killing African identity in the realm of
humanity. Africans are better identified with their land than with some artificially
sermonized capitalistic creeds such as the human rights issue without the land- the
pragmatic and essentialist playground of ubuntu/unhu praxis. Hence, Hatchard and
Ogowewo (2003:6) reiterate, “The most prized right of any political community is the
right to govern itself.” One’s ubuntu/unhu identity in Africa is improved if the
continent is left to exercise meaningful freedom by the unforgiving imperialist
neocolonialist forces.
Ubuntu/Unhu Education
Generally, ubuntu/unhu curriculum is left in the hands of informal education that is
not given serious recognition in the contemporary world. As a word of advice to the
curricularists, there is need to merge ubuntu/unhu aspects in all facets of the
curriculum if education is to be more meaningful to Zimbabweans and Africans in
general. Zvobgo (1999:111) observes, “On attaining independence, most African
countries found themselves landed with an education system that needed extensive
surgery in order to turn it into a tool that serves the needs and aspirations of the
majority of the people. For most, the operation has been a traumatic one, bedeviled
with sometimes conflicting demands of politics and economics.” This reveals the need
for an ubuntu/unhu surgery in the education curricula so that indigenous knowledge is
appropriately merged with foreign content. Nyerere (1968:44) stresses, “…education
should have a proportionate relevance to the society we are trying to create…
children…learned by living and doing.” Education should be for the cultivation of full
citizenship and social responsibility. For Falola (2002:571) “Nationalism is a
conception of self-determination that implies the right of a people to express and
maintain its specific cultural and political identity.” In addition, Graig (1999:38)
observes, “Citizenship connotes the civil, political, social and economic rights which
individuals presently possess, or ought to possess, within society.” In this case, the
education curricula should uphold those individual rights from a communitarian point
of view as a way of sustaining societal homogeneity. Wanjohi (1981:xvi) notes,
“Mutual social responsibility was a virtue that was given a high priority.” Such a
curriculum will enable learners to engage in a more dialectical self reflective manner
than to rely only on a monofocal diasporean western understanding of oneself where
ubuntu/unhu is not a whole-ness but fragmented. Du Bois (1996:34) notes, “Students
of Africa, especially since the ivory-sugar-cotton-Negro complex of the nineteenth
century, became hag-ridden by the obsession that nothing civilized is Negroid and
every evidence of high culture in Africa must be white or at least yellow.” Let the
Zimbabwean and African education curricula depict Lawton (1983)’s view that
curriculum is a selection from culture, in this case, ubuntu/unhu culture. This will
achieve Awoniyi (1979:3)’s position that, “…no educational system stands apart from
the society which establishes it. Education draws inspiration and nourishment from a
society, but in turn contributes to the growth, renewal and development of that
society.” Therefore, ubuntu/unhu should be a curriculum therapy for the renewal and
development of African identity and humanity in general. The key issue is that, “…
African education emphasized social responsibility, job orientation, political
participation and spiritual and moral values. Children learnt by doing… were engaged
in participatory education through ceremonies, rituals, imitation, recitation and
demonstration” (Fafunwa and Aisiku 1982). This was/is an ubuntu/unhu informal
curriculum that was/is pedagogically second to none in its attempt to produce an
appropriate ubuntu/unhu identity that should be infused in the current education
curricula.
Conclusion
1. The presentation nostalgically addressed ubuntu/unhu philosophical reflection
metaphysically, epistemologically, axiologically, politically, socially and
educationally with a strong inclination towards personal identity or personhood. Some
parallel lines have been drawn in view of the western and African conception of
ubuntu/unhu identity. The communitarian notion of ubuntu/unhu seems plausible in
dealing with a myriad of problems affecting Zimbabwe and Africa as a continent.
Sangofa seems to be the best answer to African woes in different forums of life. 9
2. REFERENCES
3. Akinpelu, J.A. (1981). An Introduction to Philosophy of Education. London:
Macmillan. Asante, M.K. & Abarry, A.S. (Eds). (1996). African Intellectual
Herritage: A Book of Sources. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Awoniyi, T.A.
(1979). Principles and Practice of Education. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
Chung, F. (2007). Re-Living the Second Chimurenga: Memories from Zimbabwe’s
Liberation Struggle. Harare: Weaver Press. Coetzee, P.H. & Roux, A.P.J. (Eds).
(2003) The African Philosophy Reader. Cape Town: Oxford University Press of
Southern Africa. Du Bois, W.E. (1996). The World and Africa: An Inquiry into the
part which Africa has played in World History. New York: International Publishers.
Fafunwa, A.B. & Aisiku, J.U. (Eds). (1982). Education in Africa: A Comparative
Survey. London: George Allen & UnWin. Falola, T. (Ed). (2002). African Politics in
Post imperial Times: The essays of Richard L. Sklar. Asmara: Africa World Press,
Inc. Fasold, R. (1987). The Sociolinguistics of Society. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers
Inc. Gordon, L.R. (Ed). (1997). Existence in Black: An Anthology of Black
Existential Philosophy. London & New York: Routledge. Graig, P.P. (1999).
Administrative Law. London: Sweet & Maxwell Limited. Harrison-Barbet, A. (2001).
Mastering Philosophy. London: Palgrave. Hatchard, J. & Ogowewo, T.I. (2003).
Tackling the Unconstitutional Overthrow of Democracies: Emerging Trends in the
Commonwealth. London: Commonwealth Secretariat. Herbst, J. (1990). State Politics
in Zimbabwe. Harare: UZ Publications. 10
4. 11. Kim, J. & Sosa, E. (1995). A Companion to Metaphysics. Oxford: Blackwell
Publishing. Lawton, D. (1983). Curriculum Studies and Educational Planning.
London: Hodder & Stoughton. Mararike, C.G. (2001). Africa’s Heritage: Our
Rallying Point: The Case of Zimbabwe’s Land Issue. Harare: Best Practices Books.
Moyana, H.V. (2002). The Political Economy of Land in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo
Press. Mukusha, J. (2011). Presocratic Epistemology an Equivalent to African
Knowledge Cosmogony: An Epistemic Legitimacy. Berlin: VDMVerlag Dr. Muller
& Co. KG. Nyerere, J.K. (1968). Ujamaa Essays on Socialism. Dar es Salaam: Oxford
University Press. O’Connor, D.J. (Ed). (1964). A Critical History of Western
Philosophy. New York: The Free Press. O’Hear, A. (1985). What Philosophy Is: An
Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy. London: Penguin Books. Peters, R.S.
(1973). Authority, Responsibility and Education. London: George Allen & Unwin.
Pradel, L. (2000). African Beliefs in the New World. Asmara: Africa World Press,
Inc. Ramose, M.B. (1999). African Philosophy Through Ubuntu. Harare: Mond
Books. Sandel, M.J. (1998). Liberalism and the Limits of Justice. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press. Schofield, H. (1972). The Philosophy of Education.
London: George Allen & Unwin. Shively, W.P. (2008). Power & Choice: An
Introduction to Political Science. New York: McGraw- Hill. Stumpf,S.E. & Fieser, J.
(2008). Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy. New York: McGraw
Hill. Verstraelen, F.J. (1998). Zimbabwean Realities and Christian Responses. Gweru:
Mambo Press. Wanjohi, G.J. (Transl). (1981). The Child and His Environment in
Black Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wright, R.A. (Ed). (1984). African
Philosophy. New York: University Press of America. Zvobgo, R.J. (1999). The Post-
Colonial State and Educational Reform (Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana). Harare:
Zimbabwe Publishing House. 11
5. 12. 12
