Students Learn about Ubuntu as part of Black History Month Celebrations

On February 6, 2020, St. Francis de Sales Catholic School welcomed Mr. Babarinde Williams, am African historian and story teller. Through an interactive “Ubuntu” (I am you) anti-bullying assembly that combined music, media, story telling, history, philosophy and anecdotes, the students learned about how to build good and virtuous character. Ubuntu is a very compelling and riveting ancient African philosophy that deals with the way we relate to one other: "Umuntu Ungumuntu Ngabantu" (A person is a person because of people). 

 

Ubuntu was the ideology that Nelson Mandela credited when asked how the reconciliation among races in his country could occur with no bloodshed and without retribution. This philosophy states: "because we are all connected in our humanity, to harm another person would be to harm ourselves, to seek revenge on others would be to hurt ourselves." 

 

The workshop inspired students to use conflict resolution and assertive communication, and learn about more tools necessary to help deal with bullying. The students enjoyed the presentation as they could use of djembe drums and other percussion instruments during the presentation.