University of Fort Hare Hosts Three-Day Conference on Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Partnership with African Hidden Voices

From the 1st to the 3rd of December, the University of Fort Hare (UFH), in partnership with African Hidden Voices (AHV), hosted a landmark three-day Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Conference aimed at strengthening African knowledge, spirituality, and cultural identity within higher education and society at large.

Held at the UFH Early Childhood Care Education Centre, the conference brought together traditional leaders, researchers, academics, students, policymakers, and cultural practitioners from across the country to explore the preservation, revitalisation, and elevation of Africa’s ancestral knowledge systems.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems, rooted in centuries of African wisdom, are composed of spiritual philosophies, ecological practices, healing traditions, social structures, and cultural expressions that have guided African communities for generations. These systems are not relics of the past; they remain dynamic, living frameworks capable of addressing modern challenges when applied holistically and with spiritual grounding. A recurring theme throughout the conference was the inseparability of IKS from spirituality, with discussions emphasising that,

“Indigenous Knowledge Systems preserve our traditions and cultures, yet without spirituality, a vital element remains missing, which is why we have not yet reached our true destination as a people. To reclaim our identity, we must reconnect with the spiritual essence that defines us as Africans. Only when IKS is grounded in and guided by spirituality can we truly advance and restore the fullness of our identity.”

This year’s gathering held special meaning for African Hidden Voices. Having participated in last year’s conference as paper presenters, AHV’s expanding influence in African Indigenous Spirituality (AIS), under the guidance of Inkosi yamaKhosi oMoya Imboni Dr uZwi-Lezwe Radebe, led to the organisers formally partnering with the institution for the 2025 programme. The partnership affirms AHV’s growing contribution to IKS discourse across the country.

The conference opened with remarks from UFH Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Prof Patrick Osode, who underscored the role of universities in safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge and ensuring its relevance in research, curriculum design, innovation, and community development.

His address was followed by a compelling keynote from Dr Nompumelelo Radebe, who emphasised African Indigenous Spirituality as central to identity formation, sustainability, and community well-being. Her message paved the way for robust discussions on African identity, cosmology, and evolving cultural realities, captured powerfully in the contributions of Prof Tsediso Makoelle.

Rich parallel sessions added depth, with Theology student Chulumanco Ntangeni speaking on African cosmology and the spiritual disconnection experienced by youth; Dr Nomvo Dwadwa exploring ritual spaces as living memory archives; Mr Loyiso Bayi discussing Indigenous psychology and energy-based healing; and Unathi Fihla offering an Africori perspective on existence, purpose, and ancestry. These contributions reflected the complexity and richness of IKS scholarship in contemporary academia.

Before the final keynote, African Hidden Voices delivered two influential presentations that deepened the conference’s exploration of spirituality within IKS.

Reclaiming Development through Spirit: Restoring African Indigenous Spirituality as the Foundation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, was presented by Dr K. Sibanda. He highlighted how postcolonial institutions often adopt African names, symbols, or festivals while still operating through Western legal, governance, and development frameworks, resulting in a superficial “Africanisation” that lacks spiritual coherence. Dr Sibanda argued that true restoration requires reconstructing curricula, legal systems, health models, and governance structures in alignment with ancestral wisdom. This involves reviving spiritually governed protocols that regulate relationships between humans, nature, and the divine. Inkosi yamaKhosi called for a shift from technocratic management to spiritual stewardship, and from secular legality to ancestral accountability.

Sam Langa delivered a paper titled, A Thematic Analysis of Humanity’s Impact on Nature’s Spiritual Balance, examined the spiritual sum (-1 0 +1 = 2) as a model for restoring harmony between humans and their environment. Mr Langa explored how this principle can guide politicians, economists, corporates, and communities toward spiritually aligned environmental stewardship. Drawing on teachings imparted by Inkosi yamaKhosi oMoya, he argued that climate change cannot be addressed through policy alone, true change requires humanity to rediscover its spiritual responsibility to nature. He cautioned that human greed and neglect of Nomkhubulwane (Mother Nature) disturb the earth’s spiritual equilibrium and invite natural disasters. His analysis reinforced that environmental balance is not only scientific but deeply spiritual, ethical, and ancestral.

Following these AHV contributions, the conference culminated in a transformative keynote by Inkosi yamaKhosi oMoya Imboni Dr uZwi-Lezwe Radebe.

The message stressed the necessity of elevating African Indigenous Spirituality as a guiding tool in every sphere of life. Challenging the misconception that AIS is equivalent to African Traditional Religion, reminding attendees that Africa is the birthplace of spirituality, the original source through which humanity first understood the metaphysical.

Inkosi yamaKhosi oMoya further addressed psychological and social challenges facing Africans, stating:“African people often invest great energy in forcing a sense of belonging to things that were never theirs to begin with. If we could channel that same passion into elevating, preserving, and promoting African Indigenous Spirituality and our Indigenous Knowledge Systems, we would be far more advanced as a people.”

Inkosi yamaKhosi also spoke against societal tendencies to limit individuals based on appearance, noting the condescending attitudes often faced by those who wear African regalia such as umqhele. Further encouraging attendees to reflect on how African ancestors built civilisations and excelled across all spheres because their systems were grounded in spirituality and indigenous knowledge.

Inkosi yamaKhosi’s address carried deep personal significance, as Mkhulu Mzuvukile Slabbert Steve Radebe, Inkosi yamaKhosi oMoya’s father , had once studied at the University of Fort Hare. His presence marked a symbolic homecoming and an honouring of ancestral continuity.

Across all three days, the conference expanded academic understanding while issuing a powerful call for Africans to reclaim their identity, restore their spiritual foundations, and embrace Indigenous Knowledge Systems as the blueprint for a self-defined future. By bridging scholarship with lived wisdom, the 2025 IKS Conference illuminated a shared desire for Africa to rediscover itself and move confidently forward, guided by the strength and integrity of its ancestral knowledge.