HELLO SAWUBONA GREETING

Thought #3 (30 Thoughts Before 30)

Greeting is such a big deal in the African community, and I feel like that’s one of the biggest things we have lost in our westernisation.

Like, I remember even as a kid, you dared not walk down the street or enter a shop or see someone and not greet if you knew what was good for you ?.

I realised as I was walking to the shops the other day…..(one good thing from our car breaking down has been having to walk and “see” people).  Walking past different kinds of people, up to their own business. Just walking past them without greeting just felt so wrong.  Now, I’m not saying that I want a relationship or even a conversation with every person I meet on the street, or with every teller or car guard but there’s something about acknowledging or “seeing” another person when you come across them.

I love the Zulu greeting: “Sawubona”.  It literally means “I see you”, how powerful is that??  “I don’t know who you are or what you are about, and I’m not necessarily trying to befriend you but I See You”.

Seeing another human being, another soul.  There’s something very brotherly/sisterly about it….very Ubuntu…..very African. Ah man, Africa is just Beautiful!