We Aren't born Tribalists

We are all born angels, at least that is what my mom told me when I was still a kid. And I grew up believing that statement. But what happens along the way? Do demons come from Hades and make a comfortable home in our minds? No one chooses where they are born, and no child is a result of a mistake. We are all created in the same way, in God’s image. But why do we start identifying other people’s tribes as inferior?

Well, it may be because of the same ‘unity’ that was upheld in our traditional societies. For example, from my native community, you are not allowed to leave a tribesman suffer when you are in a position to help. This is not a vice, in fact, it is a very good deed.

However, when it reaches the national level, it becomes one dangerous thing. When someone is in a managerial or political position, they tend to employ their tribesmen and relatives, all in the name of family ties and kinship. However, this brings disunity, given that those who are qualified for the job become automatically disqualified because they are from the ‘wrong’ tribe.

You will notice that in a matatu, people do not ask what tribe the driver belongs to, neither in a hotel do we ask the tribe of the waiter or workers before we order for food. However, we tend to investigate the tribe of the owner of the matatu, or hotel. Why? It is because we tend to get tribal on the economic platform.

Charity starts at home, and so does tribalism. Most parents tend to teach their children to favor their own tribes, even without realizing it. When an advert pops up on television, or a song shows up, the adults in the room may say something negative about the tribe concerned. Remember, children have very good memory and furthermore, they look up to adults close to them. This means that your kid will take your words as Gospel truth. They take that up until they grow and pass the same down to their kids. Like father, like son.

Tribalism has been caused by neglect. This mostly happens in social or even work places where members of a certain tribe choose to speak in their language, not minding the presence of a colleague. The other colleague will obviously feel neglected and unwanted. If this happens repeatedly, they will naturally develop a dislike in the involved tribe.

Fighting tribalism is not something hard, it is only up to us to decide.