Who should Tell the Story of Africa?

[Auset32]

Producer David Stead interviews Professor Tadesse Tamrat, lecturer at University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Who Should Tell The Story of Africa?

All people need to learn about their past and need to be able to participate in the creation of their own legacy. In the past, the story of Africa has been told and defined by others and these 'others' have been considered authorities on the subject. The representation of African events and characters by non-Africans has led, in many instances, to the creation of a negative portrayal of Africa.

"It's not really our history from our point of view. It might be African history from an European point of view."
Dr Wosene Yefru, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee.

While Europeans have amassed valuable written information, the down side is that their interpretation of history has brought with it cultural baggage, such as stereotyping, says Dr Wilhelmina Donkoh, who lectures at Kwame Nkrumah University, Kumasi, Ghana.

SUITABLE METHODOLOGY?
The history of Africa has tended to rely on written evidence. But Africans had their own particular system of recording past events, situations and traditions, before Europeans started writing about it. This was based on collecting oral testimonies.

Most Western societies regarded this method untrustworthy as a means of gathering and preserving information. As a result, Non-African historians used written documentation to chart the history of the continent. If this was missing, it was assumed that nothing worth recording had happened.

It was not until the 20th century, that there was a major revolution with regard to oral evidence for history. In the 1960's, oral history went through a process of validation and historians began to use it as a source.

POLITICAL EXPLOITATION
History has political uses. It can be employed by citizens and governments to create social cohesion as well as division. This means that in the making of history, there is scope for the distortion and manipulation of historical events. At certain points societies can choose to distort or misrepresent facts.

"Most societies eulogise their heroes, idealise their founding fathers and romanticize their past. It might be incorrect or wrong but it has its political uses…

In the US, the discovery that Thomas Jefferson had a black mistress and had children by her…Although known to some historians, it was a taboo subject…Two hundred years later, the country is ready to discuss the intimate life of one of its founding fathers."
Professor Ali Mazrui, Binghamton University, New York.

NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH
The nature of history is such that it provides no absolute truths. Nevertheless, historians are responsible for interpreting facts and should endeavour to evaluate data objectively in order to determine the truth.

Modern African historiography has experienced many turning points. Initially emphasis was placed on the ancient African empires and kingdoms and on the battles for independence. But since then, African historians have become more questioning about events in their continent.

"African leaders failed to produce the social and economic benefits that were expected from independence…

Historians have begun to write a more critical history, that does not only celebrate the achievements of political independence and political power but criticizes what to do with that power."
Professor J.F. Ade Ajayi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

GRASSROOTS HISTORY
Grassroots history examines society as a whole. It concentrates on the ruled, rather than the rulers.

"You don't look for pyramid builders and sphinx builders, great monarchs and great architects, and those who beat Columbus across the Atlantic…

You look at the history of the plough in Africa, the history of the blacksmith in African villages, the history of a particular marriage custom in African society and the functions it serves."
Professor Mazrui, Binghamton University, New York.

Today African historians are concerned about how to interest students in pursuing a career in the same field. Often students may not be aware of interesting job opportunities for them. This is a matter for concern for historians who do not want to witness a decline in commitment to the study of African history.



Listen here To hear this discussion, listen to the 'Talkabout History' programme on The Importance of African History3

Who should Tell The Story of Africa?

Where Should Research be Done?

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[Baba Ahmed]

Hotep Auset32!

Ahhhh, u're an angel of melanin in disguised English. ;) Maybe u've followed the thread kik'n back & fwd on establishing a "forum" for teaching and learning OurStories. This article will help. I suggested your name as a possible teacher and or an organizer for it. I know u're busy. In the time I've been here this is the first "talk" I remember dealing with a "class" to be conducted here at AfroChat. Whacha think?

BTW, I copied this article.

Let met hear from u, please ma'am.

[Baba Ahmed]

"In the 'View from the Bridge' and in the final chapters, I make a more definite break from the 'old line' of historians. To be objective and more scientific, this school insists, the research scholar should do no more than present the cojmprehensive and fully documented results of his/her investigations. There should be no 'subjective' commentaries, no editorializing. One should just present the factual data and leave interpretation and evaluation to the reader.

This may not only be the correct viewpoint, but it is even beautiful for historians who represent the already arrived people who control the world. They can well afford the luxury of historical knowledge for knowledge's sake --- the great satisfaction that comes from just knowing how things came to be.

But the Black historian, member of a race under perpetual seige and fighting an almost invisible war for survival, dare not follow in these footsteps of the master. Quite the contrary, after faithfully researching and piecing together the fragmented record of the race's history, the task of critical analysis and interpretation should begin. What were our strengths in the past? In what respects were we most vulnerable? Where did we go wrong? And all this, like the study of history itself, must be for the express purpose of determining what to do now.

In short the Black historian, if he is to serve his generation, must not hesitate to declare what he thinks the results of these studies mean. For even when our history shows us where we have been weak, it is also showing us how, through our own efforts, we can become strong again."
==================

Chancellor Williams, THE DESTRUCTION OF BLACK CIVILIZATION: Great Issues of A Race From 4500 B.C. To 2000 A.D.; Copyright 1987 by Chancellor Williams; pg 22

[Auset32]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

Hotep Auset32!

Ahhhh, u're an angel of melanin in disguised English. ;) Maybe u've followed the thread kik'n back & fwd on establishing a "forum" for teaching and learning OurStories. This article will help. I suggested your name as a possible teacher and or an organizer for it. I know u're busy. In the time I've been here this is the first "talk" I remember dealing with a "class" to be conducted here at AfroChat. Whacha think?

BTW, I copied this article.

Let met hear from u, please ma'am.

Hotep,
I have not followed the" thread of establishing a forum for teaching and learning our stories"
Let me read the thread and I'll let you know if I can assist.
Auset323

[Baba Ahmed]

Thread's title: "can Black people be save by white thought" in Think Tank; initiator jamesfrmphilly

[Nudimmud9]

I contend that African History should be taught primarily by Africans or people of African decent. The reason is very simple. White people do not have an intrinsic or neonatal-spiritual connection to the information, the people or the culture as we do. Because of this fact, there are certain aspects of our custom and our culture that are just plain foreign to them. As it where, you can learn about it from textbooks all you want. You can even prognosticate as to what it might be like to be apart of that culture all of your life time.

All that being said, there’s nothing like being in the skin of an individual to understand their perspective as an individual and a member of a greater collective. This is particularly relevant in the areas of culture and the shaping of history from that cultural evolution.

This is not to say that they (white people) should keep their hands off of our history. It is to say that, in order to get a more balanced and complete perspective, we need the successors of original African Peoples and customs to be the principal teachers and relaters of that information.

As a final point, you are correct BABA. It is in much of these teachings that our renewed strength does lay as individuals apart from the collective and members of that whole.

[Auset32]

Originally Posted by Nudimmud9

I contend that African History should be taught primarily by Africans or people of African decent. The reason is very simple. White people do not have an intrinsic or neonatal-spiritual connection to the information, the people or the culture as we do. Because of this fact, there are certain aspects of our custom and our culture that are just plain foreign to them. As it where, you can learn about it from textbooks all you want. You can even prognosticate as to what it might be like to be apart of that culture all of your life time.

All that being said, there’s nothing like being in the skin of an individual to understand their perspective as an individual and a member of a greater collective. This is particularly relevant in the areas of culture and the shaping of history from that cultural evolution.

This is not to say that they (white people) should keep their hands off of our history. It is to say that, in order to get a more balanced and complete perspective, we need the successors of original African Peoples and customs to be the principal teachers and relaters of that information.

As a final point, you are correct BABA. It is in much of these teachings that our renewed strength does lay as individuals apart from the collective and members of that whole.

Hotep
I agree with you especially with teenagers. I had a experience when I was presenting at a highschool during Black History month, the school was 20% Native American ,balance between African Americans & European Americans
and African American teens would not ask me any questions if anyone was near. I was presenting items from the continent of Africa and talking about my trips there. They would wait until I was alone or only other African Americans were around. They were unsure what the answers would be. I also think the teaching should be in a AfricanAmerican community without srangers present. this I think is very,very important. AA children need to feel they can ask anything and not be fearful of answers that others might laugh at or just snicker.
Auset3

[Baba Ahmed]

Yes and with our own schools with curicculums controlled by us, actually the younger ones will get it first and foremost. Then, to use my own children as examples, come Middle & School ages, they'll be prepared to cut through much of the b.s. that's dumbing down our children today and exposing them to everybody's culture and language except Afrikans. Featuring modern Mexican and Japanese cultures, with a drop or two of info re West Afrika and maybe with Egypt as part of Middle Eastern cultures. I remember when Asia Minor was used, instead of Middle East. Oh well, just indicates more home work for parents. Many of our sista and brutha teachers know no more than their euro counter parts about teaching Afrikan Stories. U're probably familiar with Dr. Jerome (?) Harris, of New York, who along with the likes of Dr. Asa Hilliard got a grant from somebody to teach Afrikans in America in Atlanta how to teach Afrikan Histories in Public Schools! Damn! come to think of it, that's been about 20 years ago!!!

[Moorfius]

Hotep

Sents we have only been "Lied" to about the "Truth" of history on earth by our european teachers even about them selves and every body else...why whould we even concider allowing them to of all things...teach our Black African in America children?? At what point do (some) we think they are going to tell the "Truth" about any thing with out distorting it as they have a long history of doing? As long as we think they (europeans) have the remote ability to teach us any thing concerning "The Knowledge of Self" we will continue to be their "Slaves" because that is what they must do to keep the power and control to them selves at our expence. We must remove and absolutely purge our minds of all "Faith" in any thing that is "Western Thought" before we will be able to "See" ourselves for who "We" are. Concider the "Fact" that before we were so rudely interupted by the "Beast People" and brought into slavery by them...we were here on this earth for a time too long to be "Recorded". We (KMT) Africans don't have a "Birth Record"...but it is well known to the "Learned" that the "Europeans" have only been in existance on this planet for about 6,000 thousand years...they do have a birth record that is the begining of a "Race" of people known as so-called "Whites". Race: Something that has a begining and a end. They have "Fooled" Africans into thinking that we are a "Race" too...but we are not! The so-called African is the Origenal Man of the Earth...when there was no one here but "Us". We created the "First" civilizations with out equal and with only "Spiritualality" as our guide...not the "Euro-Distortions" of today. Every thing they have including "Us" they "Stole"! Every idea, secret, method, degree was stolen from our "Ancestors" and none were developed by them...only currupted, distorted and used to oppress and distroy every thing they come in contact with as they concidered even unto this day a "New-Discovery". How can any one discover what already was and is?? Answer: only a "Race" of people who are "New" to this planet and have "No" unterstanding of any thing on it because they are a (Occidental) accident of "Nature" and are (enemys) at odds with every thing "Natural". Every thing has been turn "Up-Side-Down" to satisfy their Greed and Need for Control over what they can not live with in "Peace" under any circumstances. If they don't have a enemy to fight, rape, robb, murder, pillage, distroy, invade etc...they will turn on them self...they "Must" do these things..."It is the nature of the Beast"! They are "Not" so-called African and have "No" connection with that land other than what they have taken from there. Who are we trying to impress?? Them or our own "Future"?? What we don't do today to "Free" and to "Liberate" our condition...(We) our children will have to do it in the future and the same condition will be with them because "We" did not do our "Job" of "Liberating" our selves! We "Must" tell our-story to our children because they are our future selves...not europeans who have proven for at least 500+ years in America and for "Thousands+" of years to our (KMT) "Ancestors" who knew them self and knew others and were not "Confused" about who the Open Enemy "Is" as (Too Meny) some of us are today...after being hoodwinked, bamboozeld, run amuck, made ignorant to the knowledge of our so-called African self. Remember: What ever we learn from them...it is only what they want us to know.

Ase`