Christopher has learnt many valuable lessons about the African people and their culture, and this has altered how he views the world. He sees the need for us all to respect and uphold these valuable differences. There are lessons that, he says, we could all benefit from understanding as there are aspects of their lives that he believes we have lost in our Western world. They have spiritual meaning in their lives, which directly contributes to their satisfaction and a sense of purpose. We must have meaning in our lives to achieve happiness.
“The thing that struck me is the simple happiness they have, and the kinship they have with each other, and their simple, repetitive way of life”. Even though there are vast differences between African and Western culture, there are unexpected similarities. Superficially, these people couldn’t appear more different to us, but they desire the same things – truth, meaning and inner life. Their purpose in life is their kinship and connection they have with each other and the spiritual world. The complexity of their rituals and spirituality exists in every facet of their lives. Every waking and every sleeping moment, they live following a spiritual practice.
“They cohabit with their ancestors and spirits”. His message is that there are a lot of commonalities and aspects that we can identify with and can
convert into a Western notion. Yes, these people are visually and culturally very different, but what is it that connects us all as human beings in terms of necessary human existence? Universal human values are what we all need to uphold, respect and value in every form we encounter it.
“Judgement is a cultural artifact”. “Humans have more that connects them than disconnects them. The experience of existence is consistent throughout humanity. There is a commonality in human beings”. Moving into the future, Christopher says he wonders about what will be lost as the modernity of the Western world slowly moves in and alters the simplicity of what they have in Africa. Christopher is an advocate for preserving cultures and encouraging mutual respect and tolerance. What makes one culture different from another is a remarkable thing that does not need to drive people apart and create conflict. On the contrary, if we were all able to show a deeper level of respect and willingness to understand and connect in love and compassion, we would learn more about each other and ourselves. It is through our similarities and differences that we can come together in an air of appreciation and draw strength from our universal human values, encouraging solidarity, friendship and oneness. Written by Elizabeth Vigar
Fierce Truths Magazine
