Abstract

Ubuntu lies at the heart of the African way of life and impacts on every aspect of people’s well being. Broodryk 1 observed that Ubuntu is present in all languages of Africa. For instance Hunhu a Shona description in the Zimbabwean context, is known as Ubuntu in Zulu; Botho in Sesotho: Ajobi in Yoruba: Numunhu in Shangaan; Vhuthu in Venda; Bunhu in Tsonga; Umntu in Xhosa; Utu in Swahili and Abantu in Ugandan. This paper seeks to explore the notion of being human by grounding discussions around the concept of what is generally referred to as ubuntu in South Africa and hunhu among the Shona in Zimbabwe.