Dr. Gregory Carr, Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University, delivered the first lecture to the freshman seminar class on “Learning, Wisdom, and The African World Experience”; more specifically an Mbongi. Mbongi is a word in the Kikongo language which means “learning place”. The Mbongi is a place where people in a village come together to look for and find solutions to problems. In his presentation, Dr. Carr strived to make understood the connection between our ancestors and ourselves, by examining their contributions to global traditions and innovations in teaching and learning, the purpose and relevance of an Mbongi, as well as how these African foundations contribute to the intellectual work at Howard and the community. He discussed the misconceptions of the Africans. How they were believed to be intellectually inferior, and how these beliefs were slowly passed down through mis-education. Africans created writing, counting, sciences, art, spiritual systems, and formal teaching. They built pyramids, branched out to populate almost every continent on earth, and ruled Spain for nearly 800 years. These actions alone prove that Africans were highly intelligent beings. Dr. Carr also expressed the importance of studying the pass contributions of our ancestors in order to learn from their mistakes, observe their success, and apply what wisdom we have gained from their experiences to generate growth within ourselves. In other words, “se wo were fi na wosan kofa a, yenkyi”: there is nothing wrong with learning from hindsight! By the end of the lecture you started to see that even if you have never known Africa, you cannot deny how much it is apart of you. It’s through the developments of Africans, and their ancestors, and their ancestors after that, and so on and so forth, that you are who you are today.
Africa
Africa, my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this you, this back that is bent
This back that breaks
Under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers
That is your Africa springing up anew
Springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.
David Diop
~ Al'Shondra ~
Since the ancient world education has been viewed as a privilege and necessary for the world to move forward. For hundreds of years education was something available to only the rich, and for a time, people of a certain race. In modern times however, we as a people have evolved and have come to learn that everyone has the right to and education and those who thirst for knowledge should have the option to learn more. In Dr. Carr lecture however we discover that the importance of education was first realized in the African nation.
ReplyDeleteDuring Dr. Carr’s lecture we observed the role of education in the African world from ancient Egypt to modern America today. In ancient Egypt, Dr. Carr showed the class how the very words spoken were influenced by the emphasis put on education in the culture. Those who were able to be educated saw it as a great honor and those who observed them saw that they had been given a great honor. Education however is not just memorizing facts and important dates in history. Education is also the gaining of wisdom that can help us in our everyday challenges for not only ourselves as individuals but the world as well. To me this explains why people who are just “book smart” don’t exactly see the whole picture. Yes they may be able to tell you when the civil war started, ended and how it affected the economy at the time, but they may not be able to apply the circumstances to our situations as a nation today. Overall the lecture gave us insight into how the African culture has influenced knowledge and education today despite the influence of the white mind set on history.
Dr. Carr’s lecture this past Monday was certainly an enlightening one. The lecture was entitled “Learning, Wisdom and the African World Experience: An Mbongi”, and discussed mainly the deep roots of African thought and it’s seldom recognized impact on the world’s thinking. Concepts from Egypt were heavily discussed, including Egyptian words such as Medew Nefer meaning good speech, and Sankofa, meaning go and get it. It was also discussed that these ideas, as well as the creation of writing, reading, counting, and measuring shaped the thinking of Europeans, and pointed to the question how do we as African decedents return tothe time and prestigious position of learning and deep thought that those before us had achieved.
ReplyDeleteThis lecture was so powerful because it touched on concepts that aren’t normally discussed in the public school system, as well as the reasons behind why they’re not discussed. Yet another Egyptian word, Medu Lawu, or training your replacement, demonstrates how education was started and how presently Americans are being trained to forget their African roots. In order to re-member the progressive African state of mind, Dr. Carr stated that the axis of learning must be set around excellence and not deficit, and that digging deep must take place in regards to examining and cherishing the music, literature, prayer and art of older times.
My experience in this class has led me to a different outlook on history and my personal life. It’s discussion on Africa’s extensive history and it’s influence on the world has piqued my interest for the further study and discovery that I will undergo throughout this course. It has lead me to believe that “I am because we are”, and that in order to find out more about myself past knowledge must be pursued in not only an academic sense, but one searching for wisdom as well
The last Freshman Seminar class was based on the topic of " Learning Wisdom and the African World Experience: An Mbongi". The lesson was led by Dr. Carr Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. The lesson's primary focus was to explain the history and purpose of an Mbongi and it's relation to the class. Dr. Carr explained that the Mbongi would be used as a mechanism for students to take notes and reflect on the day's learnings. The word Mbongi's literally means "learning place" in the Kikongo language. Its role in my personal studies will be to give me guided assistance in formulating my thoughts and creating questions.
ReplyDeleteAnother relevant topic that was discussed in the day's lecture was the pressing question "What is African Contribution?" As a young student here at Howard University I find myself searching for ways that I can become a contributing member to the African-American society. Previous leader's contribution can be used as an underlying key for students who would like to make a difference. Key leaders that were mentioned include Dorothy Heights, W.E. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, etc.
A very profound quote that Dr. Carr mentioned was "How did we get from the pyramids to the projects?" Throughout the lesson he discussed the great discoveries of ancient African Ancestors. Dr. Carr reviewed the origin of great discoveries like geometry and other philosophies. Although it seems that the African race is responsible for many modern day advancements, they are rarely credited for the discoveries and inventions they made. Their great discoveries and elite status also does not reflect African-American's status here in the United States. In this day and age many blacks are poor, living in poverty, and uneducated. It is my hope that the great scholars being created here at Howard University will find a way to revive the African-American race to be an elite and educated group of people like our ancestors.