BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CALL POOR!

One of the most touching testimonials about the impacts of the Harmony Education came from a retired primary school teacher Mgoma Faustine, from Bunda near Lake Victoria who told me:  

"After joining Tuko Sawa Society of Harmony Practitioners in 2020, I began to see value in what I was doing in my life and it gave me confidence to continue appreciating what I had. More importantly, I was emboldened to address negative comments I was receiving on my social media posts, where people were literally laughing at my postings as they interpreted them as primitive, calling me an ignorant poor peasant. The more I practiced what I learned from the the harmony education the more my ecological awareness increased, so too was my pride about the life I had created for my family. We grow enough organic grains and vegetable on my farm and my family was healthy. These days when I look at my goats and chicken I actually feel wealthy!"

Mgoma Faustine's cover photo on on Facebook shows him walking home with firewood balanced on his head.

During the many discussions we had, I (Regina) discovered that as a Teacher, (Mwalimu) Mgoma put greater value on the meaning that he gave and received from his work instead of simply the size of his salary received as a teacher. The harmony education empowered him to discover even more wisdom and later on he decided to convert one of his outside sheds into a classroom to offer free tuition lessons to children who had failed their primary school education. "I want to give them hope, self-esteem and to infect them with the love of Nature," he told me.

Mgoma Faustine (right) receiving plant seeds from another member of the society Philip Mateja (left). 

The visual world of Socia Media is infected with the materialistic virus that blinds many from seeing a whole person, instead they see only the displayed physical attributes. It is true that a photograph accurately captures reality but it most certainly does not capture the truth about who or what that person is as a human.

Glamourising material possessions as metrics of success or wellbeing is not helpful. Sadly we are stuck with a fragmented worldview that is harmful to the wellbeing of many who lead a self-actualised life, full of contentment, gratitude and positivity.

My stance on poverty is explored in another post: PERCEPTION, SPIRITUAL LITERACY AND THE "THIRD SOMETHING. (20/4/2024)

Finally, I would like to share excerpts from remarks by Robert F. Kennedy at the University of Kansas on March 18th 1968. 

"Even if we act to erase material poverty, there is another greater task, it is to confront the poverty of satisfaction - purpose and dignity - that afflicts us all. 

Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product - if we judge the United States of America by that - that Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities. It counts Whitman's rifle and Speck's knife, and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children. 

Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."

HUMANITY COULD DO WITH A HIGHER DOSE OF HUMILITY

In his 1994 book, Pale Blue Dot, Carl Sagan comments on what he sees as the greater significance of the photograph, writing:

“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it's different. 

 

 This image showing our Planet as a pale blue speck, barely visible against the infinite darkness, was captured by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft from 6 billion kilometres away.

Look again that dot! That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. 

The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar", every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet.

Visiting the Moon? "Earthrise" is a photograph of Earth and part of the Moon's surface that was taken from lunar orbit by astronaut William Anders on December 24, 1968

Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. 

To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

PROMOTING COMMUNITY WELLBEING.

On the 25/10/2024, Itumbili  Secondary School in Magu District; Mwanza Region on the shores of lake Victoria celebrated their first Tuko Sawa Club Alumni by establishing a Harmony Centre of Excellence (CoE) and invited members of the community to work together for Wellbeing and cohesion.

The event was covered in the Daily Newspaper of Tanzania, which praised the involvement of local Elders as valuable resource in the restoration of good moral values that honour timeless wisdom, traditions and local foods.

How Itumbili CoE promotes community wellbeing. 

       

(LINK TO THE DAILY NEWS ARTICLE) 

By Abela Msikula November 4, 2024.          

MWANZA: In Magu District, Mwanza Region, the Elders have something to say and it’s not all sunshine and roses!

They’re worried about what they see as a steady decline in moral values among the youth. Nowadays, people seem to treasure material things more than human connections or even basic human decency, embracing attitudes that would make their Ancestors raise an eyebrow. 

At the recent inauguration of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Itumbili Secondary School, the Elders expressed concern about how even traditional foods are falling out of favour, a shift that has troubling implications for communities already grappling with malnutrition. 

The CoE, established in 2020 by Tuko Sawa Society, a Community of Practice (CoP), was founded to promote ecological awareness and foster community wellbeing. 

At the event, the school celebrated its Form Four graduates and set the stage for a new chapter of local pride, with food exhibitions featuring the rich culinary heritage of Lake Victoria tribes, including the Sukuma, Kurya and Haya. 

The event wasn’t just a feast for the taste buds, it included tribal fashion shows, performances and poetry all centred around Tuko Sawa’s theme of “Equality despite differences,” a gentle reminder that we’re all part of one human family, no matter what we look like or how much stuff we own.

Sukuma elder Mr Filipo Manti voiced the Elders’ concerns in his speech. “These days, young people don’t seem interested in spending time with us,” he noted, adding, “This has left a gap in family life. When young people get married now, it often doesn’t last because they lack the wisdom that used to be passed down.” 

And as for respect? “We’re lucky if they even greet us anymore! But hey, what can we say? We’re just the old folks, out of date.” 

Manti thanked the Tuko Sawa Society for organising the event, saying it was refreshing to see young people so eager to learn about the past. “To be honest, we came expecting just another festival, not realising we’d have a real chance to share our stories with young people who actually care about what life was like for us Tanzanians in the past. And let me tell you, seeing them cook and serve local foods in our honour that was truly something.” 

Tuko Sawa’s Senior Coordinator, Mr Conrad Kiondo, emphasised that this Centre of Excellence is only the beginning. The hope is that similar programmes will spread across Tanzania, connecting the younger generation with the wisdom of their Elders to encourage environmental and social responsibility.

“Elders have deep knowledge about the local environment and it’s up to young Tanzanians to appreciate and learn from this wisdom while it’s still around,” he said, stressing that “technology alone won’t solve our problems. Every time we talk with Elders across Tanzania, they’re surprised and delighted to see young people genuinely interested in their experiences.” 

Itumbili Secondary’s headmaster, Mr Jeremiham Niyitanga, echoed these sentiments, stating that the event marked a new era of community engagement.

Representing her fellow students, Form Four graduate Ms Amina Busumabu expressed gratitude for the Elders’ support and requested continued collaboration to help the CoE flourish. “Please don’t get tired of working with us. We pray that this relationship lasts forever,” she said with heartfelt sincerity.

Tuko Sawa Patron Mr Madaraka Nyerere, son of Tanzania’s founding father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, was also moved by the students’ enthusiasm for community building, a rarity in a world where most young people would rather follow celebrity gossip than their local heritage.

He encouraged the students to continue embracing peace and unity, values his father cherished. He promised to support their initiatives, including bringing agribusiness specialists to Itumbili Secondary School to help students explore sustainable agricultural practices.

To top it all, Mr Madaraka rolled up his sleeves to plant trees alongside the students, underscoring Tuko Sawa’s commitment to tackling climate change one sapling at a time.

INTRODUCING TUKO SAWA "SOCIETY OF HARMONY PRACTITIONERS." (SoHP)

ABOUT THE SOCIETY:

The first Tuko Sawa "Society of Harmony Practitioners"(SoHP) was established in Tanzania to spread this transcultural message of unity in diversity, because we believe that "Equality Consciousness" is an ethical and moral  prerequisite for a Fairer Future.

Our Society in Tanzania was first created online as a learning group but eventually the members unanimously decided to register an official entity that will allow them to share the concept of harmony in their communities. On the 7th September 2023 the SoHP was inaugurated in the capital Dodoma. 

The Society's Patron Mr. Madaraka Nyerere who is the son of Tanzania's Founding Father Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere was joined by members who travelled form all corners of the country to celebrate their #Oneness. Everyone paid for themselves, including a two nights hotel stay in the capital because our Society is not a charitable organisation that seeks funding for our daily activities. We do the best  we can, when we can, because #WeCan! 

The age of our Society's members ranges between 20-70 years old and we come from all walks of life; farmers, entrepreneurs, students, police, lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, lecturers, researchers, housemaids, miners, drivers, pensioners, jobseekers, etc. We are united by the knowledge that we share, empathy and passion to restore reverence for Nature and traditional values of humanity. The founding motto is: #EdenMustReturn! “Eden”is about living in harmony with Nature.

#PeopleVisionAction

A SoHP is first and foremost powered by shared values, enthusiasm and community capital. It is the diversity of members that makes the society resilient.  

A SoHP works as a Community-of-Practice (CoP); a term coined by Cognitive Anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger when studying apprenticeships as a learning model. The term CoP refers to what was observed in Africa where the community acts as a living curriculum. Once this concept was articulated, many institutions and organisations realised they were practicing it in one form or another. 

Our activities fall under Four Main Goals:

1.  HUMANITY EDUCATION 

2. HEALTH 

3. MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT 

4. ENVIRONMENT

The common bond however, is the passion to learn and spread the harmony message to as many people as possible to accelerate the process of increasing wellbeing. Goal ( 1 ) in particular seeks to heal the “human story” by rebalancing perception on how we view ourselves and what we consider “progress.” Rather than rely solely on formal education to teach what it means to be human, the Harmony Practitioners are encouraged to incorporate traditional knowledge and values from Elders. This is proving very helpful in grounding the younger generation who are navigating visual media’s glamorisation of material possessions, which feed into negative social comparisons; I am not Okay - he/she/they are okay.

All the goals are infused with ecological awareness to enable better relationships and inner joy for what one already has. We practice deep gratitude for the gift of life by taking good care of ourselves, our families and our communities. 

The underlying motto is that “the grass is greener where you water it!” 

OUR VALUES

OUR HARMONY LESSONS: ONE LESSON PER WEEK

OUR STRUCTURE

ALL ABOUT TUKO SAWA SOCIETY

CLAIMING BACK THE DIVINE IN US!

Human life is about stories we are told, stories we choose to live by and stories that we will tell our children.

I love stories, but I always listen with a critical "ear" especially those stories that do not belong in a particular culture. As a Cosmopolitan and a Global Citizen who feels at home where my feet touch, I am always open to listening to new stories of the land in order to update my dynamic "stories library." Mine is  not an archive for reference, rather a mobile and adaptable stories library that grows and renews.

 It is called transculturalism in practice! I am against attaching myself to any single story.  

Even the most static stories like those told in Holy Books are not ontologised in my adaptive mind!

In the video below, which I shared in a whatsapp group earlier in the year, I was trying to explain what I believe should be the right translation of "the Holy Spirit" to Swahili speakers. In Swahili, The Holy Spirit is literally translated as an external entity that will only enter good people after it (he) has been summoned by prayers or ordered/requested on behalf by an annointed person. Sadly, The Divine has been made into a multi billion dollar industry💔

Now you may ask, "Why should it bother you?"

The answer is that, in my worldly travels I have been treated with so much kindness and EMPATHY by people who know nothing about the existence of a "God" heaven or hell, let alone a Holy Spirit that is supposed to guide their righteousness. 

These people did the right thing without fearing hell or reward of an afterlife in heaven!

I feel I owe it to them to explain that the Infinite Source of Creation does not reside only in religious people, but in every Being in the Universe. We are all made of the same energetic essence and particles. Quantum Science has moved forward in leaps and bounds to show how we are an indivisible ONENESS. 

If we walk with this reverence, we will restore the "Fear of God" and treat ALL life as Sacred! 

Besides, we will also find it easier to practice THE GOLDEN RULE of treating others as we wish to be treated.

We are #Interrelated #Interconnected #Interdependent. 

EMPATHY AS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

This short clip was an attempt to alert Swahili speakers that EMPATHY and PITY are not the same, yet, both are translated as "HURUMA."

 

PERCEPTION, SPIRITUAL LITERACY AND “THE THIRD SOMETHING.”

The "Third Something" is a meaning that arises from spiritually-correct relationships with Self, Others, our surroundings and being aligned with a purpose greater than our own individualistic goals. It is an immaterial reward, a form of spiritual earning that fills us with inner joy enhancing our wellbeing physically and mentally. It exists outside us, somewhere between relationships, and it is only harvested by the right interactions, of love, humility and gratitude, which keep it alive.

My post-doctoral work in media-anthropology is focused on finding ways that nurture The Third Something at a time when materialistic worldview is the dominant way of seeing the world. I began by looking at visual literacy to decode internal biases caused by the way "development" is articulated. In my PhD dissertation I coined the term "donor gaze" to explain the harmful impact of using the narrow lenses of international development, which conceptualise "progress" only in terms of how much of the natural world we have managed to process and adapt for human consumption. This way of seeing our world separates the inseparable whole into "us" and "them," disregarding the principle of oneness that we are all interconnected, interrelated and interdependent. Spiritually-literate people are aware how life really works and they show reverence to all life.

Sadly, the metrics for measuring progress are rigid and hierarchical. I still struggle to understand how it is possible to call my grandmother poor simply because she did not spend two dollars a day? My grandmother (Bibi in Swahili) enjoyed a healthy 98 years of life, lovingly cultivating her mixed crops farm, producing everything she ate including fresh clarified butter and the traditional fermented banana brew (mbege ) which she occassionaly sold when she had a need to buy manufactured items.

Bibi walked barefooted, drew water from the natural springs (above) flowing through the volcanic rocks on the slopes of Kilimanjaro and spent quality time in communion with others at the vibrant daily market or during celebrations. Our Bibi told us stories to entertain, teach and to warn. Bibi was never hospitalised or even visited a dentist. Yet according to the statistics, she was poor. A soul-less statistic. She passed away peacefully in 1982 before Social Media could tell her that she was poor.

Life in the Post-Social Media world requires not only visual literacy but a very sound spiritual literacy that grounds us to maintain our inner OK-ness. We are surrounded by images, which we interpret using what is culturally and environmentally known to us; the so called "pictures in our heads." However, due to unprecedented progress in information technology, some of these images cross cultural borders to reach cultural Others often disempowering the receivers in non-industrialised countries because what is signified is perceived as being more glamorous and desirable than what is found in one’s immediate environment. Furthermore, the Western languages that accompany the images reinforce the notion that there is only one standard of life that all should aspire to; most often expressed in uncorrelated materialistic terms.

Consider for instance the word chair. According to the Oxford dictionary, a chair is "a separate seat for one person, typically with a back and four legs."  This is taken for granted in communities with such seating arrangements but it may be "lost in translation" when the word crosses cultural-ecological borders to a Tanzanian rural community where people sit on mats or at best on three legged vigodas (right) 

Kigoda (singular) Vigoda (plural) 

                 

Vigodas are very popular household items even in middle class homes where women sit whilst cooking on charcoal stoves in the outside kitchen. A Kigoda is often reserved for respected elders in some communities.

Explaining the word chair by literal translation alone is insufficient and in such a context it is visually illiterate. There are many more examples of visual illiteracy particularly in children and young adults whose original ‘pictures in the heads’ are constantly challenged by mediated texts, social media and even music videos. This is the exact reason why I undertook this post-doctoral research to explore a holistic perception tool in order to address young people’s anxieties about not being good enough and remind them that indeed ‘the grass is greener where you water it.’ Compassion towards self and Others is a good starting point and so I drew on the Transactional Analysis position of "I am OK You are OK" to develop an empowering personal philosophy; Tuko Sawa. (We are Okay!)

What Tuko Sawa does:

It emphasises that we are all created perfectly as we are; from the invisible bacteria to the mighty elephant and that this planet is the only home we have. We are different but equal. We are all born here, we live here and we share the same life cycle. The principle of Oneness shows without a single shred of doubt that we are all connected in one web of life. We breathe the same air, drink the same water and depend on other living matter for our own energetic needs. 

When it comes to cultures, Tuko Sawa insists that no single culture should monopolise  standardisation of meaning or indeed what a good life looks like. Different cultures have different ways of being and interpreting the world and therefore spiritual literacy can go a long way in rebalancing perception of how we intepret cross-cultural phenomena and create better relationships.

If we all decide to nurture "The Third Something" a shift will happen in how development projects are implemented because we will embark on compassionate dialogues to find out the best way of serving and empowering others to be of service too. 

This is easily done if we can all observe THE GOLDEN RULE of treating others the way we wish to be treated and extend this to the rest of Nature.