After reading the chapters from African Religions and Philosophies by Mbiti I discovered that Africans have a totally different perception of time than Westerners. In traditional African culture time is a chain of events. Once made, it belongs to zamani. Westerners want to have trains running on schedule and fly to the moon. Africans have different aims in life.
Time and reality end now, the future is unreal. There is no future yet. It still is to be made by the interaction of all forces in the world.
To an African as compared to a Westerner the present is larger and the future is smaller. Future enjoyment is more real to a Westerner and he is willing to work now in order to fill his future with enjoyment. This future is "big" to him, and he likes it to be filled with enjoyment. To an African, the same work, requiring the same number of hours, occupies his present, which is something very large. The sacrifice is very high. The reward, filling his future with enjoyment, is......
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