Answer to Question #207452 in History for Kgethi

Question

Answer the following paragraph questions. Each answer should be between 10 and 20 lines in length. Each question carries 10 marks.

Briefly explain the role of ubuntu in European exploration. (10) Discuss the religious practices of colonial Haiti’s slave population. (10)

Answer 1

a. Ubuntu is the philosophy based on the assumption that all human beings are connected. Therefore, the relationship between individuals and their community is independent and beneficial to all members of the community. The idea originates in southern Africa but forms large part African belief systems and servers as a foundation of education. However, the role of Ubuntu in European exploration was to encourage the peaceful co-existence and value of humanity since the Ubuntu spirit insisted that people exist because of others. Thus the Ubuntu spirit enabled both Africans and Europeans to embrace each other hence promoting European exploration.

b. Colonial Haiti's slave population initially managed to recover some of their traditional life. Under the weight of slave labor, they stuck to their traditional African practices and beliefs to their gods and another ritual ceremony that was the source of comfort and inspiration. During the religious ceremonies, the slaves used to dance, give offerings to their gods, and get possess my spirits. The traits slaves believed that the nonmaterial achievements that enable the slaves to epitomize divine power would free them from their oppression and brutal displacements. However, after the slave religions were perceived as a threat to the economic and political instability of the colony, under tough punishment, the slaves were ordered through their master to convert to Christianity few days after they arrived in the colony. These changes made the Haiti’s slaves' African tradition fade. Subsequently, the traits slave learned to overlay their traditional African practices with the veneer of Roman Catholic symbols and rituals.