The Conceptualizations of Intelligence Among the Tonga People of Southern Zambia: A Parental Perspective

This paper sought to describe the basic tenets of the concept of intelligence among Tonga parents of rural Zambia. Most researchers presume that what western schooling teaches and measured by intelligence tests is universal and fostered by all cultures around, therefore, failure to succeed in both constitutes non-intelligent behavior. Others argue that, although the concept of intelligence is universal, what each culture considers intelligent behavior is unique to the prevailing socioeconomic and cultural conditions. Using the realist ethnography method, eight parents were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to provide narratives of both their lived childhood experiences and expectations of their children during and after school. The study revealed that Tonga parents make a clear distinction between being intelligent (kuba amaanu) and being unintelligent (kubula maanu). Being intelligent (kuba amaanu) is however, framed based on four core concepts – kumvwa (to follow instructions), kutumika (to be responsible), kusyomeka (to be trustworthy), and kucenjela (to be clever) – framed based on concepts of maanu (which may also be defined as cognition) and busongo (wisdom) constitute intelligent behavior.