Usawiri wa moyo kama mhimili wa epistemolojia ya Wabantu kuhusu ontolojia ya mtu: Mjadala kutoka riwaya za Euphrase Kezilahabi Depiction of the heart as a pillar of Bantu epistemology on the ontological features of a person: A case of Euphrase Kezilahabi's novels

Abstract

Makala hii inachagizwa na swali: Moyo una thamani gani kwa Wabantu katika kutambua na kubainisha kuwapo kwa mtu? Katika kujibu swali hili, makala inajiegemeza katika matawi mawili ya falsafa—ontolojia na epistemolojia. Hoja kuu ya makala ni kuthibitisha namna moyo unavyosimama kama mhimili mmojawapo wa epistemolojia ya Wabantu kuhusu ontolojia ya mtu. Utafiti uliozaa makala hii ulifanywa kwa kutumia Nadharia ya Epistemolojia. Data zilikusanywa kwa kutumia mbinu ya uchambuzi wa maandiko. Matokeo ya utafiti yanaonesha kwamba Wabantu wanauthamini moyo kama kibainishi cha mtu kiontolojia; pia ni kielelezo cha kiepistemolojia ambapo kazi yake kubwa ni kumwongoza mtu kufanya tafakuri kuhusu ulimwengu wake. Hii inamaanisha kwamba, kwa Wabantu, fikra hujengwa moyoni na si akilini. Hatimaye, makala hii imethibitisha kwamba moyo alionao mtu ndio hubeba tabia yake kwa jumla. Kupitia kudhihirisha tabia hiyo, moyo hubeba dhima muhimu ya kusimama kama mhimili wa kumtofautisha mtu-kweli na si-mtu. Aidha, matokeo yanaonesha kuwa, kupitia utendaji unaosababishwa na moyo, mtu huweza kuiimarisha au kuidhoofisha kani-uhai; hivyo kuwa zana ya kiontolojia. Ithibati za hoja hizi zimetolewa katika riwaya teule za Euphrase Kezilahabi, mwandishi kutoka Tanzania.

This paper hinges on the question: What is the value of a heart for Bantu people in recognising and realising a person's being? Based on this question, this paper relies on two branches of philosophy—ontology and epistemology. The central argument of this paper is to justify how the heart stands as one of the pillars of Bantu epistemology about the ontological features of a person. The research was guided by epistemology theory. Data were collected through document analysis. The results show that Bantu people regard and respect the heart as the ontological determining element of the person; also, it is viewed as an epistemological identity in which its main role is to guide a person to think critically about his/her world. This means that Bantu people use the heart (instead of the brain) to think. Finally, this paper has confirmed that the heart carries the behaviour of the Bantu people. Therefore, based on that reality, the heart is the critical factor that differentiates a good from a bad person. Based on that heart’s function, a person can strengthen or weaken his/her ‘vital force’. These arguments are justified by the selected Euphrase Kezilahabi’s novels.