Mbili (2): Ethics | Values | Proverbs
Ubuntu Values
- Relations (ukama) – valuing parents, blood relations and tribal family; social, cultural, spiritual, economic and political relations
- Culture (umuco/isiko) – valuing the way we do things (food, language, dress, knowledge, ethics, beliefs etc)
- Indigeneity (wazawa) – valuing being black Africans and being people of the African continent
- Wholism/holistic (mzima/phelele) – valuing connection between people, their past and future, environment and spirituality
- Justice and Freedom (uhuru) – valuing being free and independent from colonisation and injustice; valuing just laws and practices in relation to land, the environment, relations, economics, politics etc
- Responsibility (mutoro) – valuing that we have a responsibility towards each other and future generations and a responsibility to our environment and responsibility to maintain relations (ukama)
- Community/collectivity (ujamaa) – valuing working together
- Respect (girmamawa) – valuing humanity, treating a person as a person, elders, parents, land, ancestors and spirituality
- History (sankofa) – look back to inform the future, reflect.
- Sacrifice: tied to responsibility, this is about putting family, community, society and continent first and promoting what positively impacts and sustains the family, community, society and continent.
Principles of Ubuntu
- Communality as the basis of society.
- Environmentality as the basis of survival
- Dialogue and consensus building as building blocks for cooperation.
- Respect as the basis of human interaction.
- Spirituality as the foundation of relationships between living and deceased members, the environment and God.
Ubuntu Ethics
- Girmamawa – the ethic of respect
- Itorero – good members of society, and a strong sense of cultural values and leadership skills. The ethic is to respect our cultures
- Kagisano – good neighbourliness. The ethic is to promote harmony
- Kuumba – creativity. The ethic is not to imitate
- Musha – permanent home in ancestral lands. The ethic is to protect and maintain permanent homes
- Sankofa – look back to inform the future.
- Shosholoza – resilience. The ethic is remaining strong despite adversity
- Simunye – strengths in numbers, we are one. The ethic is promote cooperation and collectivism
- Ubunyarwanda – nationhood. There are many ethics including promotIng peace
- Uhuru – liberty/independence/freedom. The ethic is liberate and protect African liberation
- Ujamaa – familyhood or communityhood. The ethic is promote cooperation and collectivism
- Ujima – collective responsibility. The ethic is to look after one another
- Ukama, Harambee – familyhood, valuing blood relations.
- Umachobane – sustainability. The ethic is to do programs that are sustainable.
- Umhuri – familyhood, valuing blood relations. The ethic is protect families and marriages
- Umoja – unity, peace and harmony. The ethic is to promote oneness.
- Umuganda – service to others. The ethic is help others in need or reciprocity
- Unyanzvi – professionalism. The ethic is to act professionally
- Bulamu, Upenyu – valuing life and good health. The ethic is do not harm or kill
- Urithi, Nhaka – inheritance. The ethic is to protect inheritance
- Uroho – spiritual connectedness. The ethic is to be holistic
- Ururami, Ubulungiswa, Ubutabera – justice. The ethic is for people to be just
- Ushavi – workmanship, enterprising . The ethic is hardworking
- Utungamiri – leadership. The ethic is people centered leadership
Ubuntu Maxims/Proverbs
- Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (South Africa) – collectivity, communalism
- Ndiri nekuti tiri (Zimbabwe) – collectivity, communalism
- Onye aghana nwanne ya (Nigeria) – don’t leave anyone behind
- Mambo vanhu (Zimbabwe; Samkange, 1980) – people-centred leadership
- Chikuru upenyu (Zimbabwe; Samkange, 1980) – valuing life
- Motho ke motho ka batho (Botswana) – collectivity
- Mwana ndewemunhu wese (Child belongs to the village) – collectivity
- Umoja ni nguvu (Swahili) – collectivity
- Ndi nii tondu wanyu (Kenya) – collectivity
- An dhano nikeche wantie (Kenya) – collectivity
- Musha mukadzi (Zimbabwe) – valuing women
- Miti upenyu (Zimbabwe) – valuing the environment
- Mhosva hairovi (Zimbabwe) – valuing justice
- Munhu munhu nekuda kweVanhu (Zimbabwe; Samkange, 1980) – we are human through others
- Ibu anyi danda (Nigeria) – carrying a load together means no one is feeling the burden
- Munno mu kabi ye munno ddala (Uganda) – a friend or partner in difficult times is your real/genuine friend/partner
- Agbajo owo la fin soya ajeji owo kan ko gbe eru de ori (Yoruba, Nigeria) – solidarity
- Nwa ora (Igbo, Nigeria) – children belonged to the whole community
- Ofu aka ruta mmanu, o zuo aka ni ile(Igbo, Nigeria) – if one finger is stained with oil, the oil will spread to other fingers
- Ibu anyi danda (Igbo, Nigeria) – no task or load is insurmountable for danda (type of an ant), meaning bigger things are achieved when you work together.
- Onye aghana nwane ya (Igbo, Nigeria) – no one should leave their neighbor behind
- Isandla sihlamba esinye (Xhosa, South Africa) – one hand washes the other
- Mmua lebe oa bo a bua la gagwe (Tswana, Botswana)- everyone has a right to a say, for even what might appear like a bad suggestion helps people to think of better ideas
- Molemo wa kgang ke go buiwa (Tswana, Botswana) – the good on the conflict is discussion
- Ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo (Tswana, Botswana) – greatest fight is by mouth
- Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi (Akan, Ghana) – not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten; reflect
- Ubuntubulamu – being humane