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'The advantages and disadvantages of the Afrocentric approach to the study of culture in Africa'

“That the Africans have a long and vivid history of their own is now widely understood. But what manner of history has this been? consider the ways in which these cultures have grown and changed from distant times until now. Lastly, fit these aspects of African civilisation into their modern perspective as the connected parts of a living whole.”

Basil Davidson 1969

The very existence of a need for any form of a distinctly unconventionally African centred approach to socially accepted study in any field has arisen out of, and in opposition to, the mercilessly oppressive, fascist European colonial and Imperialist systems of mis-education of the African both on the continent through its colonial/neo-colonial administrations and policies and in the schools and Universities of the diaspora. Not far ahead of the trans-atlantic slave trade, the ongoing Arab slave trade, the genocide of the native American-indians and chattel slavery, the social phenomena that are these abhorrent prevailing philosophies and methodologies that in turn generate policies which in turn construct gullible and subservient minds. These tried, tested and refined policies and procedural systems could, at best, be viewed as an unfortunate “arrogance of practice ,” whereas, a better informed opinion may be more prone to render them as shockingly callous, barbaric and quite possibly lean even more so towards the realms of the inhumane. Yet it is rarely even acknowledged in this present day that this tyranny is certainly a historically unique and unrivalled, comprehensively documented, crime against humanity.

Although the concept behind afrocentrity existed before and transcends the inevitable boundaries formed by the coining of the phrase, its construction was a necessary and inevitable reaction to the historic reality of the African experience. In the first issue of The Black Man magazine for 1938 Marcus Garvey, under the editorial caption, “seeing Black,” said “the black man is living in a world that he doesn’t understand. It is a world of aggression, self-preservation and the seizing of opportunities as they come. The white man has showed himself capable of residence in such a world.” In this adept analysis and critique of both historical and current affairs he goes on to highlight that “on every hand we see him experiencing his influence upon the world and pulling everything toward him…… national and imperial freedom are as requisite as his very life, and so without waiting on anyone else he asserts himself to the point where he has kept our CIVILIZATION in continuous confusion.” This resistance to the “political and economic system of slavery and exploitation” existed prior to Marcus Garvey, Molefi Asante, Dr. John Henrik Clarke and the countless many other unknown, unrecognised and forgotten individuals who fought and continue to fight for freedom. The greater portion of this fight for autonomy and self-definition exists within the mind. The so-called freedom that the African of today knows is one that was carefully “calculated not to enhance his independent national outlook, but still to control his destiny.”

This and many other attempts to articulate an African dream/vision or to speak of, see and identify the world, especially Africa, through a perspective other than, even challenging, the stance of the mainstream were greeted with the trite hostility and ferocity. Peter J. Paris aptly points out that although the criticisms of the emergin “voices of racial and ethnic minorites, so called third world people” were quite-rightly “forceful” in their challenge to the White-supremacy based academic configuration, their “criticisms centered on basic epistemological questions.” There was great resistance to the works and achievements of many great African students and teachers like the late great Cheikh Ante Diop. He was not a lone character in his torment, ridicule and ex-communication from the European intellectual community was often the tool for silencing dissidents. However, as the numbers of western educated Africans began to increase and as more and more European scholars became aware of the depth, richness and relevance of African history and culture to the world as a whole, there arose a unique period where western academics started to take a genuine interest in the study of Africa. “they critically analyzed the presuppositions underlying traditional Western scholarship” which, Peter J.Paris reminds us 2hitherto had privileged white-male bias to the detriment of all other groups.” As the numbers who were willing to speak against the habitual degradation of all things African increased and, similar to previous inquisitions of this nature, the systematic suppression of any evidence presented by someone who dared to suggest that the European Judaeo-Christian propaganda circulated within and throughout Western culture was in fact that- propaganda .

Although all three meanings of propaganda are relevant the most important of these is “deceptive or distorted information that is systematically spread” with the key phrase being “systematically spread.” What this shows is that there always has, and in most likelihood, always be an agenda within the Western education system. Garvey’s social commentary is thorough and he goes on to note that “when it is considered that in every section of the world where the black man find a habitat, his relation with the white race is that of a subordinate, one can well realize the tremendous task that is before him.” In an attempt to address some of the many problems to which he was a witness he goes on to give some advice that makes probably the most extra-ordinary and prevalent example, seemingly specifically for this discourse, of what was in his (and many others) mind necessary for a resolution. This articulation and many others of its kind came to become one of the main points of criticism against his personality and many others who took a similar approach to both study and life in general. What was this revolutionary advice? He simply said “we can only advise the black man to think black!” Within this seemingly mundane statement lay the patterns of thoughts and deeds that were later to become known as the Afrocentric way.

In a system that indoctrinates children from 5 through to 16, punishes free-thinking, promotes and advocates followers and consumers, champions its defenders and silences dissenters. Those who criticise are ridiculed and shunned, those who present “new” evidence ignored all for the sole purpose of maintaining and propagating this current world order. This brief description gives us an overview of the Eurocentric approach to education, life, and other peoples and cultures of the World. Therefore, acknowledging the differing perspectives, lifestyles and experience of the groups that may approach the study of Africa, the advantages and disadvantages of the differing approaches to the individual, institution or society will depend on what it is they hope to achieve as a result of their studies. For the legitimate truth-seekers there is only one approach to the study of Africa, however if you have an alternative agenda no matter how wholesome or sinister this may be you will find disadvantages with this approach.

The real issue we are discussing is in fact whether or not Western Imperialism and the justifications presented and continuously revised, amended and modified in order to facilitate, maintain and as a result of this imposition on the World and her inhabitants, are in fact justified or merely propaganda. The very fact there is such an objection of this assertion to African interpretations of history, culture and life in general exemplifies the necessity of an alternative approach. This applies even to subjects often assumed and/or believed to be objective and based on quantifiable facts like science, geography, medicine and mathematics, much less the subjective disciplines such as the study of culture, religion, philosophy, history and psychiatry. Afrocentrism, as a rebuttal of these socially accepted fantasies and theories is merely an acceptance of Western superiority and Imperial might. As the etymology of the word suggests true afrocentricity is African centered thoughts, deeds and lifestyle. This has no bearing whatsoever as to what the accepted ideas of Africa within Western culture are or should be, it is in fact the absolute converse.

It is in fact the lack of interest in and influence by Western scholars, ideology, lifestyle, education, languages, economic practices, and so on. What this in fact proves is that the entire discourse as to what approach you would use when learning from and about someone else, especially in the field of human expression, which is culture, shows and incredible lack of humility and respect for human life in its many forms and an absolute disdain for nature. The systematic theft of Africas cultures, people and resources is the cornerstone of so called Western civilization. Even in this so called modern climate, America, Britain, Rome, The City of London, The Vatican, and the District of Columbia all owe their privileged position in the world to this factor. Western Kings and Queens are ordained in Africa’s largess, the museums and stringently guarded national treasures of Western states overflow with Africa’s stolen legacy and wonders. The true question is whether or not Africans will see, acknowledge and act upon these facts in terms of reclaiming her heritage and the redistribution of her resources amongst her people and upon her terms before it is too late.

True Afrocentric debate will take place in Africa, by Africans, for the purpose of African empowerment not scholarly or Western approval or acceptance. In fact, the acceptance of an afrocentric approach and discourse by the West is by its very nature immaterial. Due to the fact that this discussion will start and end within the four walls of a Western classroom- even the ones in Africa, makes it neither here nor there to the true afrocentric. Many ideas and theories have been postulated to support and/or refute this approach but to the true Afrocentric the babbling of Western educated elite scholars will fall on deaf ears. According to UC Davis History Professor Clarence E. Walker “Afrocentrism is a mythology that is racist, reactionary, and essentially therapeutic”, but any attempt to refute these claims could have you labelled as one of “those who don't want anything critical said about blacks.” I must agree with him that to the critical thinker "There is no evidence that the ancient Egyptians were black as we understand that term today," and that the current over-emphasis on these ideologies are quite “absurd.” However, this is “blackness” and “whiteness” as we currently understand the terms are in fact social constructs far removed from the biological realities of skin pigmentation. To this the day the absurd notion that Kemet is not in Africa and that therefore there is no correlation between the cultures of Kemet and those of “black-Africa.” Although, at first glance, there does seem to be an over-emphasis on the civilization, practices and cultures that was ancient Kemet, a deeper look and comparison with the efforts of the Western societies to discredit Africans and to remove any form of connection between the ancient African civilizations and the Africans of today, in fact shows a lack of African discourse on the matter.

Afrocentrism is often dismissed by its critics as simply a reactionary movement with the sole purpose to shore up the self esteem of Africans and African Americans by claiming that everything in western civilization came from Africa. These claims however are not without foundation, yet are dismissed and obscure from public viewing, even so, the face of the Sphinx does not lie, despite Western denial. These facts and many others have been proven and brought to light by the outstanding work of Afrocentric approached scholars like Dr. Cheik Anta Diop, Dr. Joseph Ben-Jochanan, Dr. Theophile Obenga, Dr. Molefe Asante, John Henrik Clarke, John G. Jackson, St. Claire Drake, Wayne Chancellor, Runoko Rashidi, Legrand Clegg, Ashra Kweisi, and a host of others. With the due criticism that perhaps there has been an over-emphasis on the study and reclamation of the land and cultures of kemet, perhaps at the expense of some of the many other great African civilizations and cultures on the continent and around the world it is important to note that this is not a result of an Afrocentric approach to the study of culture. It is due to the fact that although many current African cultures on the continent still in fact trace their roots back to Kemet the attempts to steal this legacy from Africans and to revise and rewrite history in the favour of the European has been unrelenting and should not take place unchallenged. Despite this fact there are many scholars, students and researchers whose Afrocentric approach to the study of African culture takes them far and wide beyond the scope kemet and even the shores of the great continent. This is evident in the work of brother Runoko rashidi..

It must be noted however that an afrocentric approach is not the only honest way of approaching the study of culture in Afrika. If Afrocentricity is the acknowledgement of indisputable and undeniable truths like the fact that, by design, our current experience as Africans is ominous, yet parallel the world throughout. If Afrocentricity is acknowledging the fact that is the responsibility of Africans worldwide and especially in North America and Britain (because of our resources) to reunite our ancient Africoid brother and sisterhood then I can see this as a beneficial and therapeutic tool for the empowerment and autonomy of many traumatised African peoples. However these aspects do not define afrocentrism as an approach to study. These are merely aspects of various afrocentric ideas that, like all things, have their benefits and their drawbacks however this has no bearing on the overall principle that genuine students of Africa must take into account her customs, traditions, traumas and worldviews and place them at the centre of their objective approach to its study.

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