Sawubona

In December 2022 I attended a course from Growth Collective Singapore. During the opening we did an interesting exercise. We had to walk through the room. We stopped every time we met someone. We looked into each other's eyes and one of us said: I see you. The other replied: I am here. The trainer told us that this is a Zulu greeting.

Last week it came to my mind again and I decided to do some research on it.

I discovered that the Zulu people greet each other with: Sawubona (I see you) and that they answer with: Shiboka (I exist for you).

I came across a Ted talk by Roche Mamabolo, a South African entrepreneur. He explains that this greeting helps to bring each other into existence. If you really see me, I exist for you, you appreciate me. If we don’t see each other, it is unlikely to appreciate.

Really seeing each other makes biases disappear. To quote Brene Brown: “People are hard to hate close up. Move in.”

Really seeing each other provides connection. It creates understanding, respect.

Being really seen reduces the feeling of loneliness, of not being understood.

How special is it when we can really see each other and when we really feel seen? Especially in times of polarization, the need to see each other is even greater.

Who could you really see? How can you really see him, really appreciate him for who he is? How can you tune in to really get to know him?

How do you want to be seen? What do you need for that?

Sawubona!

Shiboka!