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I’ve been researching terms translated as “human/people” – remetj, abantu, umuntu, batho, muntu, mmarima….and related concepts – umthetho, ubuntu… what I’ve found is that depending on the time and space these names could be “titles”, things that can be awarded or revoked based on behavior, rites of passage.
Meaning that being “human” or “people” in some Afrikan contexts is not a given, although it can change during space and time, the general idea is there has to be rites of passage and coherence with the group/nation’s established code.
First heard of this concept in “Muntu by Jahein Jahnz”, then again when researching terms like “remetj” and “xsy”.
From the perspective of some cultures, they treat themselves and those adhering to their agenda & customs as “remetj, omondo, abando, abantu” (ie real humans) and others as “non humans” or “non real people”. Objects. Hollow containers.
This was a survival mechanism to distinguish righteous beings from non righteous beings. In modern street slang “real N***s from fake N****s”.In Zulu this concept of “non real beings” can be written as “into” or “intho”. There is a lot of “non-humans” walking around.
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Here is a link to the study of “UBUNTU and INTO”, there should be a link to the pdf on the right hand side.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.487.9558-
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Remetj translated as “people”… at one time only referred to the Egyptians themselves.
Is it possible to establish some sound correspondences and equivalent concepts in other languages?
For what its worth I’ve memorized some look alikes with similar meanings – “lama” – stick together in KiLuba, “erima – blood network, rumu/umu/omo – descendants, amadi – free born over the land” (Igbo), omondo (Kenya), umuntu/abantu (Zulu/Ndebele; Nguni).
I think This would have to be the key to a functional African family/nation building system.
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reading my way though, interesting concept! ..but why degrade all this wisdom with that street slang?
thanks for making my brain cells rotate..!
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