Bishop Ebenezer Ntlali of Grahamstown
This article demonstrates the connection between the concept of Ubuntu and Indaba. Ubuntu exists in the majority of African cultures which place community over individual as the basis of human flourishing. Indaba is the way that individuals contribute to community life and where they are heard and their dignity respected.
In November 2009 Canon Phil Groves consulted with a group of Church leaders and theologians in order to gain a fuller concept of Indaba. I was deeply touched when after long discussions he just sat down and, in a hopeless manner said “please I need your help.” That night when I did my night Prayers it came to me that I need to help him and the rest of the group on what I personally believe as an African concerning Indaba. This is the reflection I gave to answer Phil’s request and for the rest of the group.
Indaba and Ubuntu concepts are part of a philosophy or a system that is working in Africa. These concepts seem to be universal models though they are called in different ways, in different contexts in Africa. For example the concept “indaba” is a Zulu notion and it is called “Imbizo” in Xhosa having the same meaning.
According to Prof. Mtuze, Imbizo is a traditional meeting or gathering called by a chief or headman for listening to the news or concerns that affect individuals or community and also to discuss matters of common interest, e.g. to inform the community of rising levels of crime in the neighbourhood, or to inform them about the chief’s son impending marriage for which they have to make “lobola” contributions. Women, in traditional society, are excluded from Imbizo except those who are directly affected. Only female regents and chiefs are allowed to attend. These concepts work easily and are understood in their indigenous background and communal system. The concept “Indaba” is a Zulu word which is synonymous with “Imbizo” as it is defined in the word “Imbizo”. There is also a modern equivalent called “intlanganiso” which is a councillors meeting. Everyone is allowed to attend. This does not mean that “intlanganiso” can take the place of “Imbizo”. We can, however, use the term of “Imbizo” in spite of its traditional or cultural baggage to refer to a modern get together.
Prof Mtuze in his book “Introduction To Xhosa Culture” suggests that Ubuntu has wholeness as one of its pillars. It has foundations in a culture that regards life as a seamless garment that is so great and inclusive that there is no effective difference between the Spiritual and the Natural (1991:108).
Prof. Mtuze argues further that in this kind of existence, one persons’ personhood and identity is fulfilled and complemented by the other person’s personhood. Each person is because the other person is (1991:108). He believes that Ubuntu or ‘Botho’ in Sotho, ‘Vuthu’ etc is like the English personhood, an abstract term; it manifests its self through various visible human acts in different social situations.
He believes that Ubuntu is manifested in every human act which has community building as its objective orientation. Any act that destroys the community, any anti-social behaviour can not in any way be described as Ubuntu (1991:108).
He argues further that community building is one of the many spinoffs or faces of Ubuntu. He believes that Ubuntu should not be confused with generosity (ububele) and philanthropy. It is something deeper than those activities good as they are. It involves sharing yourself, your humanity with the other person first, and then the rest will follow suit. One can see that there is a sense in which the primary purpose is person building which will automatically dovetail into community building (1991:108).
On the practical manifestation of Ubuntu, Prof Mtuze shares the following:
- The philosophy of Ubuntu manifests itself in the lives of the people. It is not merely a theory but a way of life. The Chief is expected to practice Ubuntu in his or her governance. He or she has to care for his or her subjects, show compassion for their plight, address their needs and feed them during times of starvation. Many Chiefs lost their positions purely because they lacked Ubuntu.
- When a head of a household had finished tilling his own fields he would order his helpers to go and plough the destitute neighbours and widows in his vicinity there by showing Ubuntu to the less privileged.
- A stranger knew very well that if he or she broke his or her journey and sought shelter from one or other home stead along his way, he or she would not be turned away, he or she would be welcomed warmly and given hospitality for a number of days, until he or she was ready to resume his or her journey.
- Those who are well to do offer at least one heard of cattle to the poor members of the community, normally a cow, to milk and provide for their children until it had given birth to a calf which they could keep when the original owner fetched the ‘inqoma’( borrowed cow). He could not fetch it until it had given birth to a calf and the calf had grown up to reach calving stage.
- Ubuntu ensured egalitarian treatment of all people in society. It was a guiding principle in all efforts aimed at strengthening each person in society so that he or she could take his or her place as a proud and productive member of society (1991: 109-110).
In a nutshell one can understand that Ubuntu in a communal system is lived out by people who say I exist because you are, your pain is my pain, your loss is my loss, if a person dies having nobody to bury him or her then the community takes responsibility to bury that person. Therefore, persons who are born and lived in a context where these concepts i.e. Ubuntu, Indaba, Imbizo, are lived have no problem about them at all and I think those who have not lived or not been part of the practice of these concepts will be lost and be in a situation where one does not understand their “value”, “worth” and their “assistance” and one cannot blame them.
My proposal is that these concepts are not absolute; we can learn from other concepts, from other cultures that will be of assistance in the model of conversation. Let us adopt Indaba as a model of dialogue in the Anglican Communion and further research about it in the knowledge that it has been tested and worked at the Lambeth Conference of 2008. Let it be used in a context of Spirituality, in what holds our Anglican Communion together e.g. Scripture, Worship, Anglican Communion and God’s mission. These are the ingredients that hold us together in the divinity and humanity of Christ.
And lastly let us adopt the cluster model that will enable the three selected Dioceses’ in the Anglican Communion across the world that would share their concerns using the concept of Indaba in their dialogue to achieve a deeper understanding of their lives and the challenges that they are facing and start to journey together over coming those challenges in doing God’s mission and so as to influence the whole of the Anglican Communion
In conclusion, Indaba concept as a system for dialogue is used in a forum in which people would share their concerns either in an institution, church, government, chiefdoms or any other group of people that want to listen and share their concerns. Secondly it can be used by a group of women or a male group or youth groups or inclusive of male and females to share their concerns together especially in a political forum.
We pray that God may pour his Grace on us in the Anglican Communion to continue our dialogue and find our common ground in the divinity and the humanity of Christ which is God’s love. We hope Phil this little contribution will be of help in your search as we look together in the continuation of the of “Indaba” process.
Bibliography
P.T.Mtuze, 1991, “Introduction To Xhosa Culture”, Lovedale Press (PTY) LTD, South Africa.