Global Policy Forum

By Jabulani Sithole*

With the world rapidly becoming a global village through free trade pressures, many are raising questions about what will happen to Africa's rich and diverse culture and people heritage. In essence, globalization is a phenomenon that seems to be based on the success of transnational corporations to promote a "new economic order". It is a concept that has taken root across much of the world. Although its tentacles reach far and wide, globalization has been more visible in terms of trade and the information highway. What has not been explored is the globalisation of culture, especially those aspects of culture that are generally acceptable and beneficial in a global village. While multinationals and rich nations race to control the world's resources on the basis of their dollar power, Africa can play a huge role in advocating for people-centred development through its treasured culture.

Thandika Mkandawire, a former director of CODESRIA who now heads UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), aptly observes, "how Africa goes global will be determined to a large extent by the degree of social cohesion African countries can individually and collectively muster." Africa can revisit the concept of ubuntu, to explore and achieve social cohesion. Ubuntu is a southern African term for humanity, ie caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of creation. It promotes co-operation between individuals and cultures. Set on the premise of villages and kraals of the Nguni and Sotho, and other southern African ethnic groups, ubuntu functions as a unifying factor, bringing people together regardless of their background or access to wealth.

Ubuntu as a cultural value is ideal in a globalized world for it would encourage the winners to compensate the losers and rich to share with the poor as happened in a village set up. Although the concept long predates globalization, ubuntu has been proven in business management where it has been used as a strategy to build team spirit among employees. Ubuntu management approach incorporates many of the ingredients of the approach of finding soul in the workplace - adopting the spirit of and competitive teamwork to permeate the whole organisation, say Lovemore Mbigi and Jenny Maree, academics based in South Africa and co-authors of Ubuntu: The Spirit of African Transformation Management.

Equally important is the use of culture and cultural institutions to address global problems facing societies today. For instance, tapping on traditional medicines and knowledge systems to fight diseases like AIDS. Nutritionists have called for people to eat more of their traditional foods instead of expensive, genetically-modified foods that are imported. African food has proved to be healthy, nutritious and accessible. An increase in the consumption of African traditional foods will catalyze and increase international trade in such commodities, thus helping to economically empower African people.

Similarly with western societies finding spiritual emptiness in materialism, African religion and culture stand a better chance to offer alternatives to address rising corruption, crime and violence. African culture is renowned for its ethical and moral awareness which is embedded in different indigenous languages, myths, folklore and national heritage.

By Jabulani Sithole, Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC)