Author: storr

‘Ubuntu:’ A Tattoo Origin Story

Story by Anyssa Sepulveda

Tattoo that says UBUNTU. On the shoulder, just above tattoos of flowers.
Ubuntu, an ancient African word meaning “humanity to others.”

UAB OTD 2 student Nike Sumler got a tattoo of the word “ubuntu” during his study abroad trip to South Africa inspired by the visit and his life. Ubuntu is an ancient African word that means “humanity to others.” Sumler also defined the concept behind the word as, “I am because you are.”

Ubuntu has roots in the Bantu languages of South Africa, but its meaning has evolved over time. Ubuntu is a way of life that values relationships over individualism and encourages people to work together for the greater good. Ubuntu has played a significant role in the history of South Africa, particularly in the struggle against apartheid. Today, it continues to inspire people around the world who are committed to building a more just and equitable global society.

Sumler said this about his reasons for tattooing this philosophy close to his collarbone:

“I wish people would understand that we’re all the same. We all deserve respect, dignity, love, and compassion and, at the end of the day, we’re all human. This word perfectly describes the way I think and how I live my life every day. I finally found a word that embodies what I have been thinking ever since I was younger.”

Sumler went to South Africa with the intention of getting a tattoo but was not sure of what he wanted. Once he heard the word ubuntu, and learned its meaning, he immediately knew that was the tattoo he wanted.

Sumler shared that his former experiences with inequality and racism have led him to “truly embody the meaning of ubuntu” by showing kindness to others no matter their background. He hopes that sharing this word and his experiences will raise awareness of the inequalities that still exist in the United States and help to eliminate them over time.

Image is a young Black person blindfolded, facing forward. The scales of justice, tipped to one side, are just over their left shoulder.
This street mural calls for freedom at Johannesburg’s Constitution Hill.
The image contains black and white sketches of smiling faces of multiple people of different ethnicities and genders. There are also colorful plants of wild garlic, sour fig and buchu. And there are colorful rectangular and bent shapes of red, brown, black and tan throughout.
A mural of hope personified at the University of Western Cape, where the OT Study Abroad Team visited with occupational therapy students and faculty.
This is a photo of an isolated beach inlet. The foreground has bushes. The small beach has a person standing, looking at the water. There are giant rock formations on the beach and all around the water. There are two people climbing on one and three people standing and sitting together on another.
Boulders Beach, near Cape Town
There are six zebras running by a watering hole. It looks like four adults and two adolescents.
Zebras at Pilanesberg National Park, a favorite stop on the 2023 OT Education Abroad trip.

Old Cape Point Lighthouse

May 1

Dr. Jewell Dickson and Dr. Gavin Jenkins at the Cape of Good Hope. This narrow, rocky promontory juts out into the sea at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, one of the southernmost points on the African continent.

The Cape of Good Hope is known for its stormy, unpredictable weather and rough seas, but the OT Abroad group visited it on beautiful day.

1st Human-to-Human Heart Transplant

May 2, Heart of Cape Town Museum

The OT Abroad team visited this interactive museum that immerses visitors in the events of the first human-to-human heart transplant. South African cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard led a 30-person surgical team that successfully completed the 5-hour operation on December 3, 1967, at Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital.

Continue reading “1st Human-to-Human Heart Transplant”

Pride of Lions Walks Past

April 30, Pilanesberg National Park

“We had all hoped to see lions but we acknowledged that it was pretty unlikely, so getting to see so many up close was incredible.

I was in awe. I had seen lions in the zoo before, but this was completely different. Seeing these animals in their habitat made me feel small somehow.”

~Madison Gaston, OTS 

Up Close and Personal

April 29, Pilanesberg National Park

“This photo is so significant because it allows us to see the beauty of this creature in its natural habitat. The elephant itself was allowing us to get so close to them so we could admire its beauty.

I was in awe during this moment. It’s crazy to think a beautiful creature like this is living in a beautiful land and there are so many people in the world who have yet to experience it.”

~Caitlyn Caffee, OTS

Excited to see the animals!

April 28, Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge

The OT Abroad group based themselves here for two days of exploration in Pilanesberg National Park.

“Our home for our time at Pilanesberg National Park. Kwa Maritane, or ‘Place of the Rock,’ is located on the slopes of a 2-billion-year-old volcano.

The safari was undoubtedly a portion of the trip that the whole party was excited about. To see wild animals, free, in the environment where they are supposed to be, engaged in their ‘daily occupations,’ was to be special for everyone, and having a ‘home’ at the end of dusty game drives to rest and relax was perfect.”

~Gavin Jenkins, chair, Department of Occupational Therapy

Sunset, Pilanesberg National Park

Pilansberg National Park

The OT Abroad team stopped to “enjoy a few moments of togetherness” after their game drive at Pilanesberg National Park.

“When I think of the years of preparation and the tireless work of my colleague, Dr. Jewell Dickson, to allow us to get to this moment, it was just a special experience and moment of reflection.”

~Gavin Jenkins, chair, UAB Department of Occupational Therapy