Afrika Centre for Intangible Phenomena Studies (ACIPS)
Monthly Newsletter — Issue 5September 2025
Centering Afrikan Knowledge | Sacred Dialogues & Partnerships
Advancing epistemic decolonisation through community–academy partnerships, lived knowledge and cross-continental collaboration.
1. Sacred Dialogues Workshop with CELT-DUT
DUT, Ritson Campus — August 25, 2025
On August 25, 2025, ACIPS partnered with the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) at the Durban University of Technology to present the Sacred Dialogues Workshop under the Advancing Epistemic Decolonisation Project. With the generous coordination and logistical support of Ms. Bwalya Lunga, this event became ACIPS’s first outdoor, campus-centred public engagement aimed at reasserting indigenous knowledge within higher education.
The theme, “Exploring the Place of Afrikan Spirituality and Traditional Healing in Higher Education,” convened university staff, scholars and community elders to examine how universities can meaningfully integrate traditional healing, indigenous cosmologies and Afrikan spiritual practices into curricula, research methodologies and student support systems.
Presenters included:
Dr. Innocentia Mkhezi — decolonial pedagogy and curriculum reform;
Mr. Bernard Owusu-Sekyere — Afrikan spirituality as a developmental paradigm;
Gogo Khanyi Shusha — lived knowledge and healing practice;
Baba Nyawose — ancestral wisdom and community rites;
Baba Menzi Maseko — reflections on community–academy partnership.
The workshop emphasised practical steps for embedding indigenous knowledge: curriculum audits, community-based research modules, recognition of traditional practitioners as co-educators, and strategies for respectful ritual engagement on campus. Participants recommended follow-up training for academic staff and the formation of small working groups to pilot curriculum innovations in selected departments.
Outcomes from the day will inform ACIPS’s policy brief for higher education institutions and guide our future collaborative projects with CELT-DUT.
Ms. Sibulelo Madondo (Gogo Zanemvula) has resigned to take up a new appointment. We thank her for her service as Research Coordinator for African Metaphysics & Development and wish her well.
Baba Menzi Maseko has assumed the Research Coordinator portfolio. His appointment strengthens our capacity in community engagement, and programme delivery.
Gogo Khethiwe joins ACIPS on probation as Community Engagement Coordinator. She brings eco-tourism consultancy experience from Mpumalanga, which will support our community outreach and event logistics.
3. New Partnership — NATAV-Gh (Ghana)
Signed: Early September 2025
ACIPS is pleased to announce a formal partnership with the National Association of Traditional and Ancestral Venerators of Ghana (NATAV-Gh). The partnership follows executive-level meetings to align strategies, and will focus on knowledge exchange, joint programming, and coordinated advocacy to strengthen the role of traditional practitioners in education and public life.
Planned collaborative activities include:
Joint workshops and webinars;
Exchange visits for traditional practitioners and scholars;
Co-authored research and policy briefs; and
Shared platforms at the upcoming African Spirituality Conference.
4. African Spirituality Conference — New Dates
Rescheduled to April 15–17, 2026
To ensure more inclusive planning with our partners CELT-DUT and NATAV-Gh, the African Spirituality Conference originally slated for September 2025 has been postponed to April 15–17, 2026. This will allow for expanded participation, stronger programmatic alignment and deeper collaboration across the continent.
5. Upcoming Sacred Dialogues (October & December)
October 9, 2025 • December 2025
The Sacred Dialogues series continues. October 9, 2025 will host a webinar themed "Contemporary Practices in Afrikan Spirituality and Future Directions in Afrikan Cosmology and Traditional Practices". The webinar will be live-streamed on Microsoft Teams, Facebook and TikTok to broaden access. A December session will close the year of dialogue — details and calls for participation will be published on our platforms.
6. Digital Update
Website redesign — coming soon
ACIPS is in the process of launching a refreshed website with improved navigation, a publications hub, event registration, multimedia resources and community engagement tools. The new site will better reflect our partnerships, programming and growing archive of resources.
7. Looking Ahead
September 2025 marks a season of consolidation for ACIPS — deepening partnerships, strengthening governance, and expanding our outreach. We invite colleagues, traditional practitioners and supporters to join us in co-creating programmes that place Afrikan knowledge systems at the centre of education, research, and community life.
Contact & Participation
For inquiries, partnership proposals, or to register interest for upcoming workshops, please contact us at info@acipssa.org.za or visit our website for updates and event registration.