AFL1501 Assignment 5 2021

Claire Armstrong AFL1501 TA: Dr GB Myeni Assignment 05 – 2 July 2021 The essence of being an African What does it mean to be an African? Different people may answer this question in different ways. To me, being an African means portraying a certain set of ideals and morals such as caring for others, a sense of understanding, giving back to the community and so on. When you say that you are an African, it doesn’t mean you have to tick certain boxes according to race, language, sexuality or culture, as though you were applying to be an African. Being an African is in your blood, it is the very root of your voice when you begin to sing, “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika”, [ CITATION CJL97 l 1033 ] with your fist clenched on your chest filled with pride. Being an African means breaking down every stereotype created by non-Africans such as the famous “But you are white/colored/Indian, how can you be an African?”. The term, ‘Ubuntu’, is a term that is implanted in the very being of every child born as an African. Ubuntu is part of the essence of being African and without practicing Ubuntu you cannot call yourself African, because then you have abandoned the very roots of where you come from. Being an African without practicing Ubuntu is like being a kettle without boiling the water