Walda Heywat (1633-c1710) of Ethiopia provided a remarkable African guide to life. It was the first work in Africa that could be considered explicitly psychological in nature.
Heywat was the beloved student of Zara Yacob who wrote a well regarded work on the nature of truth and reason.
Heywat took his mentor’s work and expanded upon it, turning it into a more practical guide. He has received significantly less attention by scholars than his mentor. But as a historian of psychology I think his contribution is more significant.
As for characterizing Heywat’s work as a 17th century one, his mentor died in 1692. I get the sense his work was written not long after. In any case, his wisdom was largely garnered in the 17th century. I feel referring to it as such best characterizes the nature of the work.
All subsequent page citations are from Claude Sumner’s Classical Ethiopian Philosophy. Sumner’s book is the only English translation of Walda Heywat’s work. Quotations are believed to be within fair use standards.
What’s Known About Walda Heywat
There is not a lot known about the life of Walda Heywat. He was the youngest of three sons born to a wealthy Ethiopian named Habtu. Habtu hired Zara Yacob to transcribe various documents for him. He also had Yacob teach his three sons how to read and write. Zara Yacob, in turn, considered Habtu a kind and generous employer and a man of God.
Of the boys, Mektu or Walda Heywat was Yacob’s favorite. In his own work, Yacob recalled Mektu studiously learning the Christian scriptures and their interpretations. Yacob declared that Mektu was “closely associated with me in science and in my great affection. He knew all of my secrets. There was nothing I kept hidden from him.” (Sumner, p. 251)
And when Habtu lay dying, he declared his wish that Zara Yacob act as a father to his grown children. This wish ensured that Yacob remained a powerful influence in Walda Heywat’s life. Yacob continued as his spiritual guide and intellectual mentor.
After Zara Yacob’s death, Heywat recalled his 59 years of learning at the feet of his teacher and surrogate father. And if Heywat hadn’t persuaded Yacob to write down his thoughts and story befoore he died, Yacob’s wisdom would have been lost to posterity.
When Zara Yacob died, Walda Heywat took his mentor’s prime directive to heart. He applied his own sense of reason to the questions of the day, largely following his mentor’s lead. However, Heywat also heeded some of the wisdom of The Book of the Philosophers, an Ethiopian collection of past wisdom.
Unlike Yacob, Heywat sought to edify a wider community. Himself advanced in age, Walda Heywat set out to write his own book so that “all the children of Ethiopia grow in knowledge and be counseled.” (p. 253)
As such, Heywat’s work tends to be more practical, a sort of spiritual/psychological/social guide to living.
Heywat’s text is not a religious text per se, though he makes references to God. While ostensibly Christian, he never mentions Jesus. His references to God could fit for Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. This seems intentional. Walda Heywat explained that there are some religious tenets the truth of which are impossible to know.
What Heywat set out to present is a systematic exploration of human nature based entirely on reason. As such, it is a powerful African guide to life. While it should be considered in the context of his time, it which remains very relevant to today.
Walda Heywat on Emotions
Heywat stressed the virtue of patience above all other emotional practices. While being patient may initially feel vexing, it ultimately becomes sweet.
As for what were often regarded as the seven deadly sins, Heywat took a more practical psychological approach. He emphasized the negative real-life consequences of anger, pride and greed, rather than stressing a sense of their immorality.
On anger, Heywat wrote that controlling that emotion was important as “anger extinguishes prudence.” Anger must be countered with humility “lest you act with injustice or violence.” (p. 285)
Pride could also be countered with humility. Heywat advised not to try to excel above others or be overly concerned with what others think. Doing so can destroy peace of mind and create jealousy in others.
On the topic of greed, Heywat argues that it was doubly counter-productive. One suffers from focusing on what one doesn’t have and finds what one does possess inadequate. At the other hand, he doesn’t advocate fasting or consciously cultivating poverty as a religious exercise.
Enjoying your possessions and the pleasures of life is healthy, Hewyat argued. As long as you do not seek more than what you need.
On Relationship with Others
Though there are no limits to where wisdom can be found, human failings are also universal. Such failings should be born with patience. Forgiveness of others is called for in general. Even tolerance for those in whom we can find no apparent good or purpose.
Walda Heywat believed it is only lack of understanding that prevents us from seeing that all people are created with wisdom and the possibility of good. He believed that apparent punishment in life is not divinely directed because of a lack of worthiness. Instead, he argued it was the natural consequence of individual actions.
Personal responsibility is thus key. When having wronged another, Heywat advised going to that person immediately to heal that rift. His mantra was to offer consolation to the distressed and kindness to everyone. In a particularly lovely passage, he wrote ”Mutual love embellishes man’s entire life. It makes our afflictions easier to bear. It adds flavor and sweetness to our whole life.” (p. 268)
Work and cooperation are right and proper because they’re essential for survival and a comfortable coexistence. He argued that God created both the rich and the poor, those with strength and those who are weak, to foster such collaboration. And not only for that, but the mutual sharing of resources. But those who are willfully lazy should be allowed to suffer the natural consequences of their inaction.
Heywat recommended against seeking a position of authority over others. All too often it resulted in hostility from those under you. But if you must, treat those under your authority with kindness and justice. Treat them as though they were your own children.
On Trust and Caution in Relationships
Despite the fact that his mentor wrote of how he held nothing back from him, Walda Heywat suggested considerable caution in revealing oneself to others. The mutual trust he’d in enjoyed with Zara Yacob was apparently seen as an exceptional gift. This was one of the areas where Heywat seemed more influenced by The Book of the Philosophers.
“Do not trust everyone who comes to you; for he who trusts everyone he meets is foolish.” As if to powerfully underscore that point, Heywat advised, “Beware once for all your enemies, but a thousand times for your friend,” as a friend once confided in can betray your secrets in a way an enemy cannot. (p. 284)
Heywat suggested a mix of love and caution. Care deeply, he told prospective readers, and allow your loved one to believe you trust them totally. But never give anyone absolute trust. Despite the remarkable tolerance Heywat advocated towards others, a part of him always seemed on guard for potential betrayal. Not revealing your secrets to anyone, Heywat believed, was the safest route.
In the troubled times in which he lived, where expectations of adhering to a strict religious orthodoxy was prevalent, sharing a controversial idea with anyone could put you at risk. Yet especially in his discussion of other faiths, Heywat put many of these concerns aside by expressing his ideas so frankly on paper.
On Husbands and Wives
In his treatise, focusing as heavily on social ethics as it did, Walda Heywat fleshed out his mentor’s thinking on marriage. While ostensibly Christian, like his teacher Heywat rejected the monastic life and also rejected the generally negative teachings of the church towards sex. He advised that the unmarried should seek a spouse upon reaching maturity to avoid responding improperly to passion.
As to who to marry, Heywat wrote that both men and women should avoid marrying prideful individuals. Love, he declared, was more valuable than money, status or beauty, all of which could lead to arrogance and unpleasantness in marriage.
As for sexual intimacy, Heywat was progressive for his time. He advised husbands: “When you sleep with her, don’t seek the pleasure of the act for you alone, but render it also pleasant for your wife and don’t deprive her of the portion of pleasure that God gave her. Therefore, do not be hasty, but linger a little until she will also be gratified by the act, so that her pleasure will not remain less than yours or be weakened.” (p. 278)
That said, Heywat didn’t share his teacher’s positive view of women in general, declaring that men must exercise patience with his wife, given his assertion that women possessed a lesser intelligence, a weaker and harsher nature, and tendency to talk too much.
Wives, in turn, were encouraged to pamper their husbands with good food and drink. He declared that if a wife loved her husband by treating him well, he would find it difficult to hold her in contempt.
Heywat advised that husbands and wives should love each other and strive not to quarrel. Rather couples should renew their love and joy through mutual comfort and relations.
After all, Heywat reminded his readers, in the entire world there wasn’t a single man or woman without their vices.
On Parents and Children
In his advice regarding the upbringing of children, Walda Heywat suggested a firm stance but applied with a similar kindness.
Because young children aren’t able yet to tell the difference between good and evil, parents should not let their children’s bouts of bad temper irritate them. Nor were spilt water or a broken pot justification for hitting a child.
But Heywat didn’t rule out physical punishment if children showed willful acts of bad behavior such as disobedience, sloth, cursing or theft. Even so, when admonishing one’s childred, Heywat said parents should do so calmly, offering wise words of counsel “so that they understand the chastisement is for their own benefit and utility.” He advised this was best accomplished with proverbs, stories and real-life examples. (p. 282)
As to how adult children should respond to elderly parents, Heywat advised a similar patience, receiving their wisdom with grace and approaching them with compassion. If vexed, Heywat advised, adult children should instead reflect on the stiuation and focus on continuing to do what they know is good and right.
On Other Faith and Cultures
Heywat rejected mindless religious orthodoxy of any kind. He argued that most people of whatever faith simply accept what their parents teach them as the truth, Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. But given that they are all taught differently, not all of what they are told can be true. It’s then that Heywat offers a (then and still today) radical suggestion. Heywat stated it may be the case that no faith is entirely true. Anything that is said or written in whatever place can be false if reason deems it to be. As such, inquiry is the door to wisdom and reason is the key.
He made asserted that Christians, Muslims, Jews, and pagans were all equal and should be treated as brothers. Even more radical for that time and even in ours, Heywat recommended gathering wisdom from all doctrines, like a bee who goes from flower to flower. If such wisdom results in good deeds and stronger intellect, every person “should believe what seems truth to him” regardless of the orthodoxy of any faith. (p. 268)
Heywat challenged notions that he was arrogant about his acquired wisdom. When asked if he thought he was the only person to know “the truth,” Heywat declared that many people did. He did suggest, however, in an era when religious leaders were quick to condemn unorthodox thinking, they feared expressing their beliefs outright for fear of being forced out of their church.
His philosophy of tolerance applied even when travelling to other cultures and Heywat suggest that what is right in one culture may be wrong in another. Accordingly, he advised that while you should abide by the customs of your own culture when at home, but if traveling you should live according to local customs.
Heywat argued that refusing to observe the customs of the country you find yourself in that “you destroy charity, and bring quarrels and evil speech upon you.” (p. 269)
On Life Long Learning
Finally, Walda Heywat endorsed the ongoing pursuit of wisdom and knowledge.
“Do not become disheartened with having to go on learning and do not give it up during all your life; do not ever say: ‘I have learned a lot; I have enough knowledge. Even if you learn the teachings of all men, there are many things you don’t know” (p. 270)
What Happened to Walda Heywat?
Walda Heywat was a remarkable man who provided a comprehensive and early African guide to life. I am surprised at the relative lack of attention his work has received, as though his thinking was simply a conventional compilation of routine advice. His persistent embrace of compassion towards others and openness to other cultures and faiths is surprising, even in a modern context.
Not only that, Heywat’s challenge of religious orthodoxy in a religiously and contentious Ethiopia was brave and must have rankled some readers. Unfortunately, the only record of his life and teaching that I’m aware of are found in his recording of Zara Yacob’s wisdom and his own. What happened next—acclaim, sanctions or even silence—is as yet lost to history.
If interested, also read Towards a History of African Psychology which identifies other important figures in an evolution of African thinking on human nature.
References
Kiros, Teodros (2005). Zara Yacob: Rationality of the Human Heart. Trenton: African World Press.
Ritchie, Brendan (2022). Ethiopian Philosophy @ https://ethiopianphilosophy.wordpress.com/about/ retrieved on 1/13/2022.
Sumner, Claude (1994). Classical Ethiopian Philosophy. Los Angeles: Adey Publishing Company.
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