Expressions of ubuntu in the Sesotho novel, Tutudu ha e patwe

Abstract

In postcolonial environments in Africa, ubuntu has been negatively affected by various social factors which emphasise a lifestyle of individualism. Consequently, Africa has been influenced to change its traditional values which used to hold communities together. The aim of this article is to explore the expressions of ubuntu in Mahanke’s Sesotho novel, Tutudu ha e patwe (2010), which focuses on collectivism, empathy, sharing, togetherness, forgiveness and respect as some of the core values of ubuntu. The novel foregrounds social problems that arise where the positive elements of ubuntu have been eroded in postcolonial communities in Africa. The novel then offers a solution to these social problems: the restoration of the values of ubuntu.