By John Ndlovu
In the past a child was known to belong to the society as the latter was involved in the upbringing of the child.
However nowadays African culture is slowly fading away due to spontaneous westernization which has come to the fold.
Even extended families could gather around constantly to share ideas and get to know each other and for constant bonding.
Nowadays however in Zimbabwe most families seem to shun extended families and prefer to be mostly nucleated and to separate also from the society probably due to cultural imperialism thus forgetting our African aspect of humanity which always emphasizes on societal unity , “I am because you are/ Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.”
Nowadays people seem to resort to the European aspect of the singularity which disapproves or opposes the humanity motion as it says, “Each Man For Himself and God for us all.”
Zim GBC News crew gathered various responses from all the walks of life.
“Inkinga kulezinsuku yikuthi abantu we are now choosing to nucleate our families asisabambananga njengakudala we no longer constantly gather together as extended families and sokwenza abantwana bengajwayelani.”
(Nowadays the main problem is that we are now more of nucleating our families thus therefore abandoning our extended families we are also no longer united as compared premordially as we no longer gather around constantly together as extended families therefore this bars our children from getting used to each other and being united ) Said Nxumalo from Emganwini surbubs.
“Thina abazali yithi esesivalela abantwana kulezinsuku for example owami umntwana engaphuma phandle khathesi ayedlala labanye kuba ngumsindo, kukanti thina sikhula umntwana was for the society worse off kuba nzima ukuthi abantwana bayazane lezihlobo zabo osowabo.” Said Ndlovu a senior resident at Nkulumane surbubs.
“Shuwa abantwana balezinsuku kunzima I technology yabo leyo isibawonile uyathola ngamakhisimusi befuna ukuyagcwala etown besebenzisa izidakamizwa abasakhuzeki, kudala thina sasilalela wawuthola ngekhisimusi sihlezi labadala sibagidela sikholisa ndawonye, into ebuhlubgu yikuthi imali yakhona yokuya emicimbini yabo bayabe beyikhangelela kithi abazali Babo bengalaleli.” Stated Gogo MaLunga
In the heyday Christmas celebrations and other festivities families used to gather around as whole thus, extended, feasting on a bull and share ideas something which is utopian in the present day as people prefer to gather with their own families rather than constantly spending time with other extended family members therefore creating disunity and divisions among family members.
Worse of, cultural dilution has also created a huge gap among community
Cultural dilution has even also affected cultural traits and even linguistics as evidenced by emergence of slang which pollutes our natural language thus whereby one mixes Ndebele words with English.
European culture seems to have affected and eroded Ubuntu in a great way. The single mother phenomenon is on the rise, women drinking alcohol openly and other cultural traits like lesbianism and homosexuality which were a taboo in the past seem to flourish.
Is it too late to reverse this? It’s now up to cultural activists like Dr Pathisa Nyathi to establish cultural schools and also for government to introduce Ubuntu as a subject in our schools
- Zim GBC News 2022