Nôs mundu, nôs lógika
cape verdean ontologies and the challenge of translation in post-contemporary anthropology
Keywords:
ontologies, decolonization, Cape Verde, anthropological translation, African epistemologiesAbstract
This article offers an ethnographic reflection on the local ontologies of Fogo Island, Cabo Verde, through the native categories nôs mundu and nôs lógika, understood as expressions of unique rationalities and ways of inhabiting the world. Based on fieldwork conducted with elders, healers, and community leaders, the article explores how these ontologies challenge Western dualist logic and call for an anthropology committed to symmetrical translation and epistemic decolonization. Engaging with the ontological turn and Southern epistemologies, the analysis emphasizes the coexistence of multiple worlds and knowledges, advocating for a deeper listening to African life logics that question the boundaries of Western anthropological theory.
Keywords: Ontologies; Decolonization; Cabo Verde; Anthropological translation; African epistemologies.
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