Truth and reconciliation: Indigenous storytelling reflection on Inxeba Elingaphakathi

Abstract

This article revisits the South African project of truth and reconciliation through the lens of inxeba elingaphakathi, the inner wound, and reflects on it through indigenous storytelling pastoral theology. This invisible wound is carried by individuals and communities in the aftermath of historical violence and systemic injustice caused by apartheid. Drawing on African indigenous perspectives, the article explores truth and reconciliation beyond institutional processes, framing them as spiritual, ethical, and communal acts. It interrogates the limitations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in addressing the depth of grief and trauma from this era and reflects on how indigenous storytelling pastoral theology may offer healing, restore dignity, and nurture relational wholeness. Ultimately, it argues for an indigenous storytelling approach to healing – one that focuses on embodied care, collective memory, and the ongoing recognition of wounds shaping South Africa’s moral and spiritual landscape.