The Dimensions of ‘Hunhu/Ubuntu’(Humanism in the African Sense): The Zimbabwean Conception

Abstract

Hunhu/Ubuntu‟ forms the foundation of the African conception of humanism. This paper conceptualizes „hunhu/ubuntu‟ as a traditional African philosophy which thrives on the vision of a perfect and virtuous individual. It traces the emergence of „hunhu/ubuntu‟ as a common ground of consciousness that all Africans or Bantu tribes in Zimbabwe share (Kamalu,1990). Hunhu/Ubuntu is conceptualized as a symbol of African identity. A brief critique of „hunhu/ubuntu‟ as a communal and not an autonomous world view of humanness is provided. The paper also argues a case to show that lack of standardization of the dictates and the formalization of enculturation processes of „hunhu/ubuntu‟ are the core causes of the perceived lack of „hunhu/ubuntu‟ among the youths in Zimbabwe today. The generational gap and limited formal engagements on the dictates of hunhu/ubuntu between the adults and the youths of today could be the other causes. On these bases, the paper recommends the development of a flexible vision of „hunhu/ubuntu‟ as a function of nationhood, globalization and changing times through formal systems such as deliberate citizenship education.