Beyond Conflicting Ideologies, we are one
It was the Zimbabwean summer of 2006 and I remember my love for art, drawing me to the studio of one visual artist Wycliffe Mundopa, who later on grew to be a close friend. What I witnessed on the day was magnetic. On the wall was a colossal painting of wild animals that were seated around a huge table, garbed in different attires, sharing a lighthearted moment in what seemed to be a feast. The lion was close to the gazelle, the baboon was next to the leopard and zebra. There was no indication of chaos, for once it seemed as though the laws of nature that define ‘prey’ and ‘predator’ had been suspended.
Several years have gone by but that painting is still vividly imprinted in my mind. It was more than just an illustration on canvas, it was a glimpse into the beautiful universe of probabilities where humanity can come together and celebrate shared values of peace, love, and tolerance irrespective of conflicting ideologies. What follows are thoughts inspired by this yesteryear painting that attempt to express how being part of the human family is reason enough to celebrate and not to persecute each other.
Maybe tempers have flared and emotions have erupted like a raging volcano as we defend our different belief systems. Maybe one prays facing the east while the other offers supplications facing the west and doctrines on which our faiths were built diverge. As we scramble to prove ourselves worthy of the mantle that points to the ‘truth’, our differences should never degenerate to the point where we fight. Let’s unwind beneath the shades of the African trees and listen to the beautiful melodies of nature. In appreciating the towering mountains whose summits give view to the glory of other distant mountains, we might find ourselves and learn to be tolerant of each other’s views.
Perhaps the iron curtains of political affiliations have dropped between us and have marked a separation. Might it dawn upon us that we are still brothers and sisters who are still prone to the waves of human emotions? We both shiver at the feet of loss and ululate at the announcement of good news. Therefore, no blood must be spilled between us to water the seeds of our political interests, no graves must array the yards of our elevated ambitions, and no toxic word must be said that will eternally pollute our bonds. Though we stand on different sides of the river and our destinations are now different, my happiness does not derive from seeing you drown. I hope you will make it home and find sweet repose in the arms of your wife and kids. In like manner, please also wish me well as I take this road.
Perhaps the last river of reconciliation is about to run dry as both my words and actions continuously trod on the eggshells of your revered beliefs. Let’s drop the conversation, join me on the dancefloor as we bury our differences to the soothing African sounds of Oliver Mtukudzi, Mama Miriam Makeba, Angelique Kidjo, Fela Kuti, and all the continent’s great melody makers, both past and present. Sway to the beat, feel the breeze drifting past you, listen to the lyrical prowess that retraces the passages of our shared history, reminding us that we are all one.
Remember that painting by a colleague alluded to earlier, where the wild animals were portrayed, enjoying the festivities in peace and harmony? It was titled ‘My wish’. When I asked the reclusive colleague to unpack its meaning, he just chuckled and hid his face behind one of the paintings he was working on. I guess his response meant to suggest that, “Figure it out.” The interpretation was seemingly obvious, but a second look at the painting unraveled another question. Here the animals were frozen in a moment of peaceful co-existence and if by some magical power, the scene was to be fast-forwarded, would the symbolic animals return to their old ways of predator chasing prey? Well, that’s a matter to reflect upon, but if you are to ask for my individual opinion I would say, after the great banquet, things were probably handled differently in the animal kingdom.
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