Ubuntu

QUOTE

Desmond Tutu once said…

“We belong in a bundle of life.”

(South African bishop and theologian)

CONCEPT

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an African philosophy that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all human beings.

At its heart lies the belief that our humanity is deeply bound up with the humanity of others—often encapsulated in phrases like, “I am because we are.” Rather than viewing ourselves as isolated individuals, Ubuntu encourages compassion, community, and mutual support.

Its moral framework suggests that when one person suffers, we all do; when one person thrives, the entire group is elevated.

STORY

I Am … We?

In 1995, shortly after the end of apartheid, South Africa embarked on a radical path toward national healing by establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the TRC faced a monumental task: uncovering and acknowledging the human rights abuses of the past while guiding both victims and perpetrators toward some form of reconciliation.

Many observers abroad expected a cycle of retribution and further violence. Instead, the Commission embraced Ubuntu as a guiding principle—seeking to unify rather than alienate.

During public hearings, victims recounted the horrors they had endured under apartheid, while perpetrators offered confessions in exchange for amnesty. The raw testimonies laid bare deep wounds, yet the proceedings were marked by a striking spirit of communal compassion.

Tutu, a vocal proponent of Ubuntu, repeatedly stressed that each person’s dignity and wholeness are connected to everyone else’s. Instead of framing the process around vengeance, the Commission aimed for restoration—recognizing that every participant was part of a larger human community that needed to heal collectively.

Some perpetrators broke down in tears, faced with the human consequences of their actions. Families who lost loved ones found solace in speaking their truth and, in some cases, chose forgiveness over bitterness. Though not every case concluded neatly, many South Africans described feeling a renewed sense of solidarity and shared destiny—a practical application of Ubuntu.

The TRC’s work didn’t erase all lingering tensions, but it did help set a tone of empathy and unity at a critical juncture in the nation’s history.

As Tutu famously put it, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”