Abstract
Ubuntu is a value system that is known to be found in African communities. Like other values within African communities, it is perceived to have transcended the colonialist rule which changed the landscape of Africa including its socio-cultural makeup. Although KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is credited for the initiation of Ubuntu, the erosion of certain cultural values has been found to be more acute in KwaZulu-Natal. That being the case, an empirical study into the existence of Ubuntu in rural KZN, Umgungundlovu District, was conducted and the results revealed that Ubuntu is an important cultural value in the community which is however perceived to be losing its importance in the younger generation. Key words: Ubuntu, African value system, patriarchy, African worldview, African epistemology.
Highlights
As it presents itself in African philosophy, African value system, African worldview, culture and having its tentacles in the way that people live and behave, can Ubuntu be contained? Can we make any claims of understanding it fully? More to the point, can people of KwaZulu-Natal claim to know what it is and does it even exist in the area credited for its initiation? Ubuntu is found in various African cultures and languages
The question that sought to be addressed was the continued existence of Ubuntu in KZN amidst the impact of modernisation
The study contends that ubuntu still exists, and that it is regarded as a value system in the community
Summary
A study on the existence of Ubuntu was conducted in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This can result in a person with a negative perception of himself and his role feeling that Ubuntu is patriarchal As it presents itself in African philosophy, African value system, African worldview, culture and having its tentacles in the way that people live and behave, can Ubuntu be contained? Whereas communitarianism is defined as a philosophical viewpoint which focuses its definition on an individual in terms of the social bonds and traditions rather than personal characteristics, communalism has its focus on the group and gives a perspective on ‘collective existence and intersubjectivity’ of humanity and how this creates a source for ‘supportiveness, cooperation, collaboration and solidarity’ (Mabovula, 2011). The focus of every interaction in the African philosophy would be valued in terms of its impact on the community, which can make Ubuntu’s influence seem inexhaustible
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