Ubuntu in South Africa - What it Really Means

"Ubuntu" is a foreign word to most people, though recently it's gained recognition as the name of a Linux distribution. However, there's much more to the word "ubuntu" than computer programming. This article is about what "ubuntu" means in South Africa.

The word, "ubuntu" comes from the Bantu languages of Southern Africa. Sometimes the word ubuntu is translated simply as, "togetherness". In an attempt to explain it slightly more, ubuntu is also translated as, "I am because you are." Even through the wide diversity of cultures and languages of the Bantu people, the ethic of "ubuntu" stays the same.

There is no easy way to completely describe what "ubuntu" means because for those who follow it, it is fully present in nearly every aspect of every day life. To those who live with its ethic and principles, it's like the air they breathe, it's simply an understood but rarely mentioned aspect of life.

But for those of us who are outsiders to the ubuntu culture, we can quickly notice it in certain common details of daily life - things that are different, or sometimes strange to us of Western cultures. Here's a list of examples that I've noticed just in my short time in South Africa so far:

The first, and most subtly surprising one, is that in South African ubuntu societies, you actually say "hello" and ask how someone is doing, with everyone you pass by. It doesn't matter whether you know them or not; if you see them, and they see you (which itself is the literal greeting in Zulu: "I see you"), you greet them, ask them how they are, and wish them well whether they're staying or going.

Even part of the customary ubuntu greeting itself is often "where are you?" instead of "how are you?" The usual response, "I am here," definitely demonstrates that the proximity of community and companionship is the real indicator of well-being.

This situation of greetings may actually explain much of what is known as "African Time." People here are habitually late, and in South Africa it's not because they don't have watches or access to clocks. It's usually because when people are on their way to a certain place, during the regular course of "hello's" and "how are you's", an extended conversation will sometimes arise. Depending on the distance traveled, this can happen several times and can make the difference between being 15 minutes late and an hour late. But just because a person is late, it's no excuse to avoid a more intimate conversation. Looking at your watch or saying you need to be somewhere doesn't end a conversation here in South Africa like it does in America.

Also, in South African ubuntu societies, if you meet up with someone walking the same direction as you, it's only natural (and expected) that you'd walk together until your paths diverge. This not only passes the time enjoyably in the company of another person, but it also helps assure "safety in numbers."

The thing is though, greetings aren't just for pedestrians. A South African car without a horn is like a mute person struggling to say hello. It's just difficult! A car's horn in ubuntu societies isn't for expressing rage or frustration at others' poor driving skills, or even for encouraging wandering cows and donkeys to get out of the road. It's for saying hello to every person and vehicle that you pass. It's definitely less likely to turn into an extended conversation, but a polite honk is necessary all the same.

In South African ubuntu societies, there are many rules which govern the treatment of a guest. It doesn't matter what personal means the visitor has available to him/herself, a person will give them hospitality to the full extent of their own means, without any expectation (or acceptance) of repayment. Even if someone stops by for just a short visit, you must walk them out of the house, not just to the end of your driveway, but often down the road towards their house, sometimes going half the distance with them.

A larger-size gathering is just that: LARGE. According to ubuntu, absolutely no one needs to be invited to a party... invitations are often mere formalities to get the process started. What really happens is that word spreads throughout the community that a party will be occurring soon and anyone, absolutely anyone, who wishes to come is more than welcome.

If a person is in any way at all associated with the host/hostess of the party, whether close friend or relative (and the entire extended family and all in-laws are still included) they're expected to make an appearance for at least a good thirty minutes or an hour (or depending on the occasion, the entire day). But even if you've never met the party host, you're more than welcome to stop by. Party planners prepare for this by beginning the preparation of food and cooking the night before and usually work through the entire night up until the time of feasting.

Within the South African family unit, nearly everything is shared. Food in the fridge is everyone's food, even if you're a guest in the house and just thought you were storing something there. Trying to put your name on something for safekeeping is either completely unrecognized or considered an insult to the "family." For that matter, food that is visible in any situation outside a store's shelves is up for grabs for any kid who sees it... they may not necessarily take it from you, but they'll certainly ask for it, and usually expect to receive it.

You may expect that with a community-centered ubuntu society, everyone is in everyone else's business. Well, the truth is: gossip is not only rampant, it's expected. You're supposed to be in the know about the slightest thing that happens with anyone you're at all acquainted with. In South African ubuntu societies, a person is his brother's keeper. Word travels FAST. The good thing is that this often helps with community stability. A person is less likely to commit a crime against another member of the community if being found out by one person means being found out by all.

This is just a small sample of what "ubuntu" means in South Africa. But in reading through these examples, I hope you've picked up on the idea that "ubuntu" means everyone around you is equally important, even as important as you yourself are. The individual is responsible for the well-being of the community just as much as the community is responsible for the well-being of the individual. It's like a self-sustaining support network in an area that all too often runs short of necessary resources. And it lets everyone know that in the often surprising and sometimes heart-breaking struggles of life and death, no one's in it alone. Ubuntu.