Everyday Ubuntu

Foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Mungi Ngomane, granddaughter of Nobel Peace Prize–winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, offers an introduction to ubuntu, the Southern African philosophy that celebrates the universal human bond in this beautiful definitive guide filled with lessons on how to live harmoniously with all people.

“This book will open your eyes, mind and heart to a way of being in the world that will make our world a better and more caring one.—Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Ubuntu is a Xhosa word originating from a South African philosophy that encapsulates all our aspirations about how to live life well, together. It is the belief in a universal human bond: I am only because you are. And it means that if you are able to see everyone as fully human, connected to you by their humanity, you will never be able to treat others as disposable or without worth. By embracing the philosophy of ubuntu and living it out in daily life it’s possible to overcome division and be stronger together in a world where the wise build bridges, not walls.

These 14 lessons from the Rainbow Nation are an essential toolkit to helping us all to live better, together. In stories that recognize our common humanity, our connectedness and interdependence, Everyday Ubuntu helps to make sense of the world and our place in it. Exploring ideas of kindness and forgiveness, tolerance and the power of listening, it shows how we can all benefit from embracing others. Including practical applications and mindful exercises, it is an inspirational guide to a more fulfilling life as part of the large family to which we all belong.