Stories and Literature in Culture as Sources of Indigenous Insights in Peacebuilding and Development

Abstract

This paper asserts that stories as a cultural heritage contribute to the promotion of the universal values of a culture of peace: respect for life, liberty and justice, solidarity, tolerance, and gender equality. One of the ways in which literature in general contributes to the creation of a culture of peace is found in how stories become repositories of indigenous insights and wisdom about the root causes of conflict and about how to address them in peacebuilding that includes economic and social dimensions The paper presents three stories and reads them as artefacts of African cultural heritage. In the context of a vibrant literary culture they not only yield indigenous insights into peacebuilding, but could also be the basis of a reading and discussion culture that would promote awareness-raising, intercultural dialogue and understanding. Since literary texts, including stories, are the means by which society imagines itself, the cultivation of a dynamic literature must be fostered as a valuable peacebuilding action tool.