“We Need Other Human Beings in Order to be Human”: Examining the Indigenous Philosophy of Umunthu and Strengthening Mental Health Interventions

Abstract

This paper examines how cultural, historical and contemporary perspectives of mental health continue to inform ways of understanding and responding to mental distress even under the biomedical gaze of the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH). Based on experiences in Malawi, the authors explore three prominent interventions (practical support, counselling and support groups) employed by village health workers within a mental health task-shifting initiative and reveal how the ancient philosophy of Umunthu with its values of interconnectedness, inclusion and inter-relationships informs and shapes the direction of these interventions. Practical support is marshalled through traditional village structures, counselling provides advice and an encouragement to hope, and support groups provide a place for emotional exchange and a forum for the enactment of values, reflection and reinforcement of Umunthu. What are pronounced as biomedical psychosocial interventions are in fact the delivery of culturally embedded therapeutic approaches. Historical and socio-political evidence is offered to explain the dominance of biomedical perspectives and the HSAs’ responses and a call is made for a transformation of MGMH to embrace rich philosophies such as Umunthu and enact respectful, inclusive and democratic values to enlist collaborations between equals to develop relevant and effective knowledge and local responses to mental distress.

Umunthu, Covid-19 and mental health in Malawi

“… Wright and Jayawikrama (2020 , p.6) provide that the Umunthu philosophy originates in the Nguni aphorism umunthu ngumuntu ngabantu, which translates as a "person is a person because of or through others." In his description of Umunthu idealism, Kayange (2018 , p.120) observes that this philosophy speaks explicitly to culture as a way of life for Africa's Bantu people.…”

“…Thus, Umunthu can realistically be described as an ideal within African cultures to "express compassion, reciprocity, dignity, humanity and mutuality in the interests of the building and maintaining communities with justice and mutual caring" ( Wright and Jayawikrama, 2020 , p.6). In this case, Umunthu can be considered both a definitive account of value systems that operate across much of Sub-Saharan Africa and a normative philosophy of how people should relate to one another.…”

“…Such responsibilities are especially critical during crises and emergencies when the financial contribution from successful community members is always crucial. Thus, in their study examining the Umunthu philosophy and mental health interventions in Malawi, Wright and Jayawickrama (2020 , p.2) explained how Umunthu "continues to resonate as a contemporary, sophisticated yet pragmatic approach, despite—and in fact under the gaze of—Western biomedical approaches in Southern Malawi."…”

“… Engelbrecht and Kasirami (2012 , p.411) postulate that in communities where Umunthu is the underpinning virtue, it can effectively promote the survival and recovery of families with members with mental illness. Wright and Jayawickrama (2020) established that communitarian societies have managed mental health problems through family and community resources for centuries. They observed that "formal structures of traditional authorities, from healing approaches derived from traditional African Religions and Christian Churches, provide the recognised care" ( Wright and Jayawickrama, 2020 , p.6).…”

“… Wright and Jayawickrama (2020) established that communitarian societies have managed mental health problems through family and community resources for centuries. They observed that "formal structures of traditional authorities, from healing approaches derived from traditional African Religions and Christian Churches, provide the recognised care" ( Wright and Jayawickrama, 2020 , p.6).…”