Reclaiming Ancestral Wisdom: A Systematic Review on Integrating African Indigenous Knowledges in Social Work Education and Practice in Zimbabwe

Despite global recognition of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in social work ethics and definitions, their integration into education and practice remains limited, particularly in postcolonial contexts like Zimbabwe. Social work in Zimbabwe continues to be dominated by Eurocentric paradigms, resulting in a disconnect between professional training and cultural realities of local communities. This study systematically reviews literature on the integration of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems, particularly Ubuntu and ancestral wisdom into Zimbabwean social work education and practice. Guided by PRISMA 2020 and employing the SPIDER framework, 612 records were screened across seven databases, yielding 13 eligible studies published between 2015 and 2025. Thematic synthesis revealed four primary contributions of IKS: promoting culturally responsive practice through Ubuntu, decolonizing social work education, revitalizing community-based care systems, and inspiring hybrid models that integrate local and global paradigms. However, key barriers persist, including the hegemony of Western epistemologies, institutional resistance, epistemological tensions with rights-based frameworks, and the lack of formal documentation of IKS. The review concludes that meaningful integration of IKS is not only a curricular concern, but a social justice imperative. For Zimbabwean social work to achieve contextual relevance and cultural responsiveness, IKS must be structurally embedded in pedagogy, policy, and practice. This calls for collaborative curriculum reform, Indigenous knowledge documentation, and the development of practice models rooted in African worldviews.