Ubuntu and Obuntubulamu childhoods: “I am because we are”: Reimagining social inclusion among youth in Norway through the lens of the African Indigenous Philosophy of Obuntubulamu of Buganda

This article explores how the Indigenous philosophy of Obuntubulamu (a Buganda version of Ubuntu) may offer a more holistic and inclusive framework for fostering inclusion among youth in Norway. It is grounded in a qualitative case study of youth workshops with four participants aged 14 to 16 from diverse backgrounds, focusing especially on one girl’s evolving self-representations and the corresponding peer discussions. Drawing on decolonial thinking, the analysis uses Obuntubulamu to illustrate how relationships with family, friends, nature, and ancestors provide a lens for foster inclusion and diversity. By integrating my lived experiences of Obuntubulamu, I position this Indigenous framework as a more holistic alternative to dominant Western perspectives of inclusion and discuss how this alternative perspective contrasts and expands Norwegian approaches.