The Beautiful Concept of Ubuntu

For decades I have greatly admired the life and work of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, but the only blog post I have made primarily about him was seven years ago on April 30, 2014 (see here). It was from him that I first learned about ubuntu, a beautiful word/concept. 

Image with this online article about ubuntu

The Meaning of Ubuntu

Two American men published a book in 2010 with a one-word title: Ubuntu! On the second page, they explain the meaning of ubuntu as the

ancient African philosophy that draws on the fact that we are one human family. We are brothers and sisters, traveling this earth together. When one man [or woman] is poorly fed, all are malnourished. When one is abused, we all feel the pain. When a child suffers, the tears wash over us all. By recognizing the humanity of one another, we recognize our unbreakable bond—our unbreakable link to the whole of humanity.

“I am because we are” is a popular brief definition of ubuntu. As Wikipedia correctly says, in a more philosophical sense ubuntu means “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.”

(Interestingly, Ubuntu is now the name of a PC operating system, which is said to bring the spirit of ubuntu to the world of computers. A while back I created a Google alert for ubuntu, and there were far, far more links to the Ubuntu OS than to the African philosophy of ubuntu.)

Tutu’s Emphasis on Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a basic principle that has been long practiced by Desmond Tutu, born in 1931 in the Union of South Africa. Before he was 30, he was ordained as an Anglican priest. In 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

After Tutu had served 12 years as the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, in 1994 Nelson Mandela, the newly elected South African president, appointed him as the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Here was his great opportunity to put ubuntu into practice—and he did.**

A TED talk back in 2013 pointed out that ubuntu “became known in the West largely through the writings of Desmond Tutu.” That marvelous concept has also become more widely known in the West because of his children and grandchildren.

Here is the link to a 95-second explanation of ubuntu by Mpho Tutu, the daughter of Desmond Tutu, who is also an Episcopal priest.

And Mungi Ngomane, Archbishop Tutu’s granddaughter and Mpho’s niece, is the author of a delightful 2020 book entitled Everyday Ubuntu: Living Better Together, the African Way. 

From https://mungingomane.co/

The Healing Power of Ubuntu

It is significant that President Mandela sought to create a peaceful society in South Africa by appointing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

There could have been great bloodshed and ongoing animosities. But, based on the concept of ubuntu, he (and Archbishop Tutu) emphasized both truth and reconciliation. Reconciliation between the minority Whites and the majority who were Black, could not be achieved without attention to truth.

In his new (2021) book Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa's Confessor, Michael J. Battle refers to “Tutu’s beautiful concept of ubuntu theology” (p. 9).

The first book by Battle, an Episcopal theologian born in 1963, is titled Reconciliation: The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond Tutu (1997, 2009). In the racially and politically divided nation of South Africa, Tutu strove valiantly for reconciliation. But he also emphasized the importance of truth.

“Truth-telling is the path to healing, Tutu tells U.S. audience” is the title of an online article posted in April 2002. That is even more important to recognize now in this racially and politically divided nation of ours.

There cannot be political reconciliation as long as the Big Lie about the 2020 election continues to be spouted and supported.

There cannot be racial reconciliation as long as the Whites in the U.S. cannot understand and affirm that Black Lives Matter.

Implementing the beautiful concept of ubuntu could help mightily in creating a just and peaceful society.

On the back cover of Mungi Ngoname’s book, which I highly recommend, are these memorable words:

By embracing ubuntu, we live in hope of overcoming divisions and becoming stronger together in a world where the wise build bridges.

_____

** Click here to see/read “Ubuntu—The African Concept The World Really Needs Right Now,” a 7/7/20 article about ubuntu as practiced by both Mandela and Tutu.

The Forgiveness Challenge

As I wrote about in my previous blog article, Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa on April 27, 1994. He was the first black president in that country that had long been dominated by the white minority.

At the time of Mandela’s election, there was still considerable anger and resentment among the blacks because of the decades of abuse and mistreatment under the cruel system known as apartheid.

There was also considerable fear and anxiety among the whites, who were no longer in control of political power. They had every reason to fear violent reaction by those who for so long had been victims of injustice. And there was unrest that did result in some violence.

However, President Mandela took a conciliatory attitude and led in the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 1995. Mandela chose Desmond Tutu to be the head of the TRC, and he was an excellent choice.

Tutu (b. 1931) was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1960. He served three years as the Bishop of Lesotho in the late 1970s and then as Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985-86. Tutu was then installed as the Archbishop of Cape Town (one of the three capitals of South Africa) in 1986, a post he held until 1996, the year he turned 65.

Tutu’s work for peace, justice, and reconciliation began long before 1995. In fact, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, while Mandela was still in prison and the majority population of South Africa was still under oppressive white rule.

But in his tireless opposition to apartheid, Tutu advocated only nonviolent means for change.

Tutu’s new book “The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World” was published just last month. It was co-authored with his daughter Mpho. She is also an Anglican priest who now lives in Virginia.

Having just read their splendid book, I highly recommend it—especially if you have any lingering feelings of anger or resentment toward people who have hurt you in the past.

The Tutus’ “fourfold path” to forgiveness includes (1) telling the story, (2) naming the hurt, (3) granting forgiveness, and (4) renewing or releasing the relationship.

I am not sure what all it is going to involve, but beginning on May 4, the Tutus are leading the “Tutu Global Forgiveness Challenge” on the Internet. I have signed up—along with people from more than 120 other countries—to receive the daily emails and other information about forgiveness.

If you are interested, the address for learning more about the Forgiveness Challenge, as well as for signing up, is https://ForgivenessChallenge.com. And while you will probably be encouraged to buy their book, that is not required and signing up for the online activity is free of charge.

In promoting the challenge, their website declares, “The Forgiveness Challenge will help you discover how the act of forgiving can bring more love and peace to your life. When enough of us forgive–we can change the world!”

I think that is quite true. That is the reason I am writing about this—and encouraging you to respond to the forgiveness challenge.

Although Desmond and Mpho Tutu are Anglican priests, their book is not explicitly religious. It is based on a deep understanding of human psychology and verified by the experiences they have had, especially his experience with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

And it is by no means just about South Africa. It is for all who need to forgive—and to be forgiven by others.

Freedom Day

It's a long way from Kansas City to Johannesburg, South Africa!

It would take about 17 hours flying time from Kansas City International Airport and cost about $1,675 for a round trip ticket. I have no plans, or desire, to make such a long, expensive trip.

But two of the greatest men of my lifetime have lived and worked in and around Johannesburg, which is about the same size as Kansas City. Those two men are Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

Since most of us don’t have any contact with, and maybe not much knowledge of, South Africa, we tend not to be as interested in it as, say, European or even Asian countries.

But most of us have heard quite a lot about Mandela, who died this past December at the age of 95. And maybe some of you have seen the splendid biographical film "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," which was issued about the time of his death.

The most incredible thing about Mandela is that after being in prison for 27 years, he was elected as the first black president of the Republic of South Africa, which was established in 1961. That election took place twenty years ago this coming Sunday, on April 27, 1994.

That was the first democratic and non-racial national election to be held in the country, and everyone 18 and over of any race (even non-citizens) was allowed to vote. The African National Congress (ANC) was voted into power.

Even though there were three candidates, Mandela was elected president with nearly 63 percent of the votes. He assumed office on May 10 and served the five year term that ended in June 1999, about a month before his 81^st birthday.

Since 1994, the 27^th of April has been celebrated every year in South Africa as Freedom Day, a public holiday. On Sunday there will be big 20^th anniversary celebrations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and all across the country of South Africa.

Even though the vast majority of the people were of course black, for a very long time South Africa was ruled by minority whites who lived there.

In 1912, the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) was formed with the purpose of increasing the rights of the black population. That organization became the ANC in 1923, and in 1961 it formed a military wing.

Mandela joined the ANC in the early 1940s and began the ANC Youth League in 1944. In 1961 he became involved with the military wing. So, yes, Mandala was involved in violent resistance against the oppressive government. (I seem to remember, though, that in the 1770s, colonialists in what is now the U.S. also used violence against England.)

I seem to remember, though, that in the 1770s, colonists in what is now the U.S. also used violence against England. - See more at: http://ethicsdaily.com/nelson-mandela-icon-of-reconciliation-forgiveness-honor-cms-21746#sthash.9gT47gXJ.dpuf

I seem to remember, though, that in the 1770s, colonists in what is now the U.S. also used violence against England. - See more at: http://ethicsdaily.com/nelson-mandela-icon-of-reconciliation-forgiveness-honor-cms-21746#sthash.9gT47gXJ.dpuf

Mandala was arrested in August 1962, tried and sentenced to prison, where he remained until he was finally released in February 1990, after 27½ years.

Remarkably, though, rather than harboring bitterness and seeking revenge, Mandela took a forgiving and conciliatory approach toward the white government. In the book I will introduce next week, Desmond Tutu writes that Mandela’s long years in prison transformed him “from an angry, unforgiving young radical into an icon of reconciliation, forgiveness, and honor.”

Fittingly, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Please join me in commemorating the outstanding life and achievements of Nelson Mandela and in wishing the people of South Africa well on their 20^th Freedom Day.