Coloniality as Appropriation of Indigenous Ontologies: Insights From South Africa and Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to frame Global North colonialism in southern and eastern Africa as ontological appropriation. In the article’s conceptual framework, ontological appropriation is colonial claims to aspects of African realities without acknowledgment of their original sources and creators. In the case of southern Africa, Global North appropriation of Khoi and San agriculturalist ontologies is illustrated. Additionally, attempts by the Global North to claim origination of Ethiopia’s ancient ontologies are cited as evidence of colonial appropriation. In accordance, the methods of the investigation involved a review of scholarship related to indigenous ontologies in South and East Africa. Moreover, scholarly voices speaking to epistemic encounters between the Global North with Africans are observed. Thus, a thesis of ontological appropriation is generated. Results of the investigation indicate sustained Global North warfare, and epistemic assaults led to the fall of Khoi, San, hunter-gather, and pastoral ontologies in the South. In contrast, in the East Ethiopia’s ancient theocracy, and monarchies prevented Global North acquisition of land, and ontic dominance. The article concludes colonialism was a deliberate attempt to modify, and control African ontologies. As a result, in southern Africa Khoi San ontologies transformed from hunter-gatherers, and pastoralists to colonial servitude. In Ethiopia, however, monarchical, and theocratic ontologies are vibrant to the present age. Hence, this article’s contribution to new knowledge is its accentuation of divergent hunter-gatherer, pastoralist, and monarchical responses to colonialism in ways that enabled, and resisted colonial appropriation of indigenous ontologies.