Comments on: The Power of “Ubuntu”: How Running Together Can Bring Sweeter Rewards https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/ Inspirational Quotes & Positive Affirmations | Daily Motivation Thu, 17 Apr 2025 04:55:21 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Angelo Rigsby https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-108014 Sat, 20 Jul 2024 06:49:48 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-108014 The cynicism about this story is the inherent racism and those that are cynical don’t even understand their infectious disease (racism). The person that used the examples of “noble savage” and used the racist term “tribe” is the most infected. Ubuntu is an African way of knowing the world and a view of the world that Westerners are incapable of actually grasping. or understanding. Their view of the world is one that is the opposite of Ubuntu. Be first, take all before you greedily no matter who or what it hurts or destroys. This is the way the West and its peoples have conducted themselves on Earth since their presence. It is no wonder that Ubuntu would be so foreign to them. They cannot possibly see a world like Ubuntu as viable.

]]> By: Oni Luv*!* https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-95793 Fri, 08 Jan 2021 23:41:42 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-95793 As a storyteller, I have embraced this story as my “signature story” to share with our children live and virtually…the story is about our human connection and the philosophy is a way of life. I lived in Zimbabwe for a month where it is also well known as a form of the golden rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” It was “UBUNTU” that allowed colonizers to overtake African countries…even though Livingston and his gang were first thought to be gods who dropped out of the clouds because of their skin color…they were later seen as fellow humans and treated as such, welcomed, given land to live on…however this kindness allowed Leopold and others, infiltrate and destroy many African countries. The modern-day UBUNTU lifestyle allowed Mandela to peacefully sit in prison for 27 YEARS, for the good of his people and his country. UBUNTU was practiced after apartheid supposedly ended… as a way of healing a country…how? By broadcasting the real-life horror stories of that cruel system it allowed both sides to heal and see the humanity in one another. I LOVE UBUNTU…I wrote a children’s song and bring it to open storytelling programs, and told the story under UMOJA/UNITY on my Kwanzaa Time podcast. However, while I’m not an actress I have uploaded my rough version on YouTube of the story and song. I welcome any and all storytellers to join me in spreading stories based on this philosophy on Facebook, as Ubuntu Storytellers. Racist? Only racists see it as racist…I love telling this glorious story to anyone who will listen, it transcends culture, politics, and religions. Live it, love it, be UBUNTU…. thank you for allowing my input because it’s living energy to connect and unite us in our humanity! UBUNTU! I am because we are!

]]> By: Inonge https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-92457 Wed, 19 Aug 2020 00:37:36 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-92457 Hi Kyle,

Thank you for your comment. You are exactly right. My father is Mosotho and I grew up in Lesotho. That is how it was/is. It never occurres to anyone not to share, and if one refuses to, there is something psychologically wrong with them. I live in the US and miss the warmth, generosity, and affection of home. Sharing brought joy to everyone. I am developing a Botho/Ubuntu training and would love to interview you – it would be invaluable. Hope you are willing. Thanks

]]> By: Aryatunga Edison https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-85515 Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:47:01 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-85515 wonderful story

]]> By: Kyle https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-85484 Wed, 24 Apr 2019 23:17:37 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-85484 Having lived in South Africa for over a decade -worked with Xhosa and Zulu people along with many others from various other tribes, I can tell you with certainty the story is true as are many others just like it. In Africa, as in many cultures, a story is told to convey a truth and that truth has many degrees. Why an anthropologist would possibly be telling this story is because in the Eastern Cape – home of the Xhosa people – are some of the world’s oldest human fossils and many go to study what some claim to be the cradle of humankind. If you want to really get to know the area, the people, the stories, you will spend time with those who live there. It is not surprising at all to me that someone would tell this story. It’s powerful – it’s life changing – and soul renewing. I could tell you my own stories of children in Botswana or Angola who found ways to share a candy bar or a bag of m&m’s in the same way. The point is that there IS something different about African culture and values compared to Western culture and values. It doesn’t mean that there are not those in Africa who wouldn’t take the candy and keep it to themselves though either. But at the heart of what people have known and strive to be is an ideal – a philosophy that they hold dear.

The story speaks a deep truth about an African philosophy, but also as some have indicated a human philosophy echoed in many other cultures. However, ubuntu is unique to Africa and while similar philosophies exist in other cultures, they each have their own stories and place. Please do not take away from African culture that gives birth to this story and who has given us this precious understanding of communal life and interrelated humanity. Let each culture speak it’s own truth and wisdom – no doubt some may be very similar.

There is nothing racist about this post – it speaks honestly to the lack of understanding Westerners have when it comes to African culture. I wonder if the reason people are offended and immediate turn to racism is because they have not experienced the breadth or depth of culture themselves. I have sat with Xhosa leaders to listen to their stories and have them explain to me this very concept and even within the Xhosa culture, they do not try to own what they call an African truth, but they eager to share the stories and the truth with those willing to listen. I can also tell you that the mean of ubuntu changes very slightly depending on who is telling the story, but the examples all point to the same truth – my humanity is bound up in your humanity for we can only be truly human together.

]]> By: Jamie Sullivan https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-15070 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:57:51 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-15070 I feel like the ones who saw racism first are the true racists. I never saw any racism until I read the first post here. Then I was saddened that people look for racism in everything they look at. I barely see race anymore, WE ARE ALL HUMANS people. If we love and care for each other we will have a very happy world.

]]> By: Gen Gordon https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-13927 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:56:13 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-13927 In reply to Sara Dawn.

Yes, ditto 🙂

]]> By: Misha https://livelifehappy.com/stories/an-anthropologist-proposed-a-game-to-the-kids-in-an-african-tribe/#comment-12464 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:45:39 +0000 https://livelifehappy.com/?p=4760#comment-12464 I’m saddened by the cynicism that immediately questions the veracity of the story and sees racism first.

]]>