Ronny Kinuthia

Sasa na Zamani
East African perception of time
 

through sculpture.




Bisque Fired, 55x58x37 cm


The Kenyan philosopher John Mbiti claimed that to understand the spiritual being of precolonial Africa, one must first understand its perception of time. Time, he argued, is the key to grasping its worldview, serving as both a language and a tool for comprehension. Mbiti described the East African perception of time as existing in two ontological stages: the Sasa and the Zamani. In Swahili, Sasa refers to the present, while Zamani refers to the past.

Zamani has different dimensions, where its attributes—if translated into English—could be likened to the ancestral past. With this emphasis on Zamani, ancestral knowledge remains a vital force in shaping the actions of the present within African communities.

Similarly, the East African landscape reflects a deep connection to the past. The Rift Valley, with its unique cave formations, has historically preserved a sense of what was and continues to influence the present through its chambers. Known as the "Cradle of Humanity" for its archaeological discoveries, these caves represent the ancestral past of all humanity.