Afrikology and Community: Restorative Cultural Practices in East Africa

Abstract

Introduction Natural resources supply raw material for getting the work of the world done. Cultural resources organize co-operation among people for getting the work of the world done. --Dani Nabudere, 2006 The foundation of this article is the timeless supposition that we are culturally more together than we are alone. Our theme aims to explore the practicalities of culture in peace creation, and in the workings of Afrikology as an epistemology in East African communities, or to put simply, Afrikology and cultural clusterism in action to ask what are the operational aspects of Afrikology, and what is the DNA composition of the cultural clusters in Mount Elgon cross-border communities of East Africa (Mount Elgon is a volcanic mountain on the border of eastern Uganda and western Kenya, hence, the oldest and largest solitary volcano in East Africa)? To begin with, the first articulation of Afrikology declares that: it is a true philosophy of knowledge and wisdom based on African cosmogonies. It is afri--because is inspired by the ideas originally produced from the cradle of humankind located in East Africa which emanates from the source of a universal system of knowledge originating in Africa. Thus, the philosophic product is therefore not relativistic to Africa, but universal in its essence, with its base in Africa. It is also--(ko)logy because is based on the logos-the word, which was uttered to set in motion the universe in its originality. It was from this word that human first emerged and was from that that humanity emerged as thinking and acting agents with language with 'word' as the active cultural achievement. As professor Dani Wadada Nabudere (1932-2011), the epistemological and philosophical grandmaster of Afrikology, states in Afrikology: Philosophy and Wholeness (2011), he states: Afrikology is not African-centric or Afrocentric. It is a universal scientific epistemology that goes beyond Eurocentricism, or other ethnocentrisms. It recognises all sources of knowledge as valid within their historical, cultural or social contexts and seeks to engage them into a dialogue that can lead to better knowledge for all. It recognises peoples' traditions as a fundamental pillar in the creation of such cross-cultural understandings in which the Africans can stand out as having been the fore-bearers of much of what is called Greek or European heritage as fact of history that ought to be recognised, because from this fact alone, can be shown that cross-cultural interactions has been a fact of historical reality (2). Professor Nabudere argues meticulously that for centuries the African personality has been bedevilled by the burden of foreign domination that has affected her self-understanding. Subsequently, Nabudere urges that the process of re-awakening and recovery in Africa has to be one of a historical deconstruction in what he calls raising, not by others, but by Africans themselves, tracing the origins and achievements of their civilizations. This, he insists, requires the adoption of Afrikology as an epistemology that recognises orality as a valid source of knowledge. He therefore, encourages researchers and practitioners alike to adopt a holistic approach towards recognising that orality can only be interpreted under a platform that accommodates multi-and interdisciplinary approaches. Appropriately, this is what he calls 'act locally, think globally.' Implicit in this epigram is the belief that is local struggles in the villages that can guarantee African-rebirth, resurgence and renaissance and ensure that local communities reject neo-traditionalism that had been instituted by the colonial state. However, Nabudere at the same time warns that this should not be seen in isolation, but in solidarity with other local groups elsewhere in the world. The argument here seems to be that if the driving force towards globalization is domination, then globalised resistance based on global consciousness ought to be its antithesis. …