Page 59 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 14
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Community




          called ‘new’ leaders were, your heart   UA: I appreciate your response and   MATV: It’s not a small thing. But
          can break. Particularly in the cases   your maternal nurturing approach(as   we will whittle away at every unho-
          of Kenya and South Africa, the     opposed to my rudeness). This is   ly foundation until the structures
          colonisers and the former apartheid   a difficult issue to resolve and not   based on them collapse in on them-
          tormentors KNEW  that it was the   one person’s opinion is absolutely   selves. Thank you for this conversa-
          moment when they would have to     correct. Good to know we share     tion, it has been enriching.
          give everything back. No discussion,   the same facts about the issue. I will
          no argument but a deal was struck.   say that though burning and looting   UA
          We’re dealing with people in power   definitely soils the spirit and may be   Yes. And we will rebuild in the spirit
          who are now implementing unfavor-  the result of manipulation, here in   of Kujichagulia, which encompasses
          able terms and heaping them on our   the u.s. there is not much ownership   Ubuntu. peace and love. Asante sana
          heads using the system to legitimize   of successful businesses(by design).
          it. Against that, divided, we cannot   therefore there is no real attachment   My thoughts
          make headway. Together, we can     to those enterprises except for satis-  There are lots of points to pick and
          find a way. There’s no difference   faction of biological needs or some   open more in the various things
          between grabbing land and holding   societal requirement. But there is no   that UA shared,  but one thing that
          on to it for generations and looting   love for them because they repre-  keeps popping out for me is this
          from a mall and holding on to the   sent the same oppressive structure   statement:
          items as if they are your right.   we have been dealing with for centu-  “You seem to be hyper concerned about
                                             ries. Exploitation, inequity, crappy   South Africa’s adherence to Ubuntu.
          Those who stole from us and mur-   food, materialism, money prioritiza-  Ubuntu is a great concept, an Afrikan
          dered our people should know this   tion, reduced or nonexistent ability   Indigenous mindset, but it is an aspiration-
          and know what example they set     to advance due to discrimination,   al goal achievable, in my opinion, when one
          for their young ones and those who   hyper focused on our whereabouts,   is spiritually advanced.”...
          are robbing and killing now should   etc.. And in a way, maybe this ex-
          know the same thing. How do we     pression is a subconscious rejection   “I will say that though burning and looting
          fix this? Hearts, mindsets all round   of western culture, even if there are   definitely soils the spirit and may be the
          and redressing the wrongs from the   food insecurities and other negative   result of  manipulation, here in the U.S.
          perspective of our common human-   consequences as a result. Maybe he   there is not much ownership of  successful
          ity and failings. That’s one way.   feels the little he and his communi-  businesses(by design), therefore there is no
                                             ty has is not worth maintaining if   real attachment to those enterprises except
          The truth is that, what we are seeing   oppression and corruption and the   for satisfaction of  biological needs or some
          right now is deadly deep as it has   mandatory disavowing of his own   societal requirement. But there is no love
          its foundation in many generations   soul and spirit comes along with it.   for them because they represent the same
          before now, both from the side of   Maybe these are cries of their pain   oppressive structure we have been dealing
          what has been over the decades and   and they are demanding a new way,   with for centuries. exploitation, inequity,
          what is being done now. For the cur-  but the leaders are not listening. Is it   crappy food, materialism, money priori-
          rent issue of burning and looting,   understandable for a person to lash   tization, reduced or nonexistent ability
          it will take individual choices not to   out when she is in pain that was un-  to advance due to discrimination, hyper
          allow themselves be used to destroy   justly inflicted upon her? It may not   focused on our whereabouts, etc..“
          their communities. But for the big-  be in the spirit of Ubuntu but it is
          ger issues of land, inequity, racism   natural and understandable. Ask any   Imagine I had never before this con-
          and the likes, that has been for   human who is not Afrikan and is    versation thought about the reason
          generations, it will take some serious   dealing with their “own kind”. Peace   why people burn things or their
          but firm government policies to    and love my Queen and thank you    society from the point of view that
          correct those wrongs and bring rep-  for taking the time to respond. It   UA shared. But, before I talk about
          arations. But while the man on the   means a lot to me to communicate   that, let me quickly look at the issue
          street cannot make those policies,   with a person like you from the con-  of Ubuntu that he also mentioned.
          he can at least allow the heart of   tinent. Thank you for staying true to
          Ubuntu stop him from destroying    the spirit of Indigenous Afrika. We   From the get go, let me say that,
          the little he and his community have.   should only hope our girls grow up   Ubuntu as a state of existence which
          What do you think?                 to be like you. Asante sana.       has its root from the indegenous
                                                                                people of Afrika, is not a destina-



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