African Studies Graduate Seminar Series

Gye Nyame: An A[fri]kan Cosmological Thought

April 4, 2024

3:00 - 4:30 pm
Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center

Overview:

Adinkra are visual motifs with verbal complements. Although information surrounding its genesis varies, these motifs, aesthetically sound and inherently profound have been an integral part of Akan writing and visual culture. Each Adinkra walks with a proverbial complement in the Akan language, Twi. These proverbs have been translated into other languages, particularly English to allow for comprehension by those who may not understand Twi.

A tyranny however is sometimes presented as the translations distort and many times gradually usurp the Twi proverbs and meanings associated with the symbols over time. In this presentation, I examine the Adinkra known popularly as Gye Nyame. I present this Adinkra analyzing its complementary proverb to show a cosmological thought amongst the Akan peoples. Relating this to the BaKongo visual cosmogram dikenga, this deep thought goes on to further elucidate an Akan conception of time: a cyclical transformational process whose beginning and end is unknown. Moreover, the Gye Nyame adinkra allows us to probe into the Akan concept of the all-pervasive force Nyame. In many instances, Afrikan concepts are equated to Eurasian concepts which unfortunately contribute to the reduction and distortion at best, a cancerous mutation or an erasure at worst of our profound thought. In this case, Nyame is often equated to the Eurasian concept of ‘God’.

The Gye Nyame adinkra brings to the fore the Akan conceptualization of Nyame which when put in its rightful Afrikan context and analyzed will be shown here to point to ‘The Totality of Creation’. Here, I argue it is important to probe indigenous knowledge with indigenous languages. The implications of equating our thoughts blindly to foreign concepts will also be discussed.

This discussion will be grounded in the theoretical framework of conceptual mimicry which I borrow from the plant and animal world to explain this phenomena. 

Presenter: 

Yaw Asare, PhD Student, Department of African Studies

Seminar Chair:

Dr. Mario Beatty, Associate Professor, Afro-American Studies

The Miracles of Mary Texts

March 21, 2024

3:00 - 4:30 pm
Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center

Abstract/Overview:

Historically, Africa has been subjected to a Euro-centric narrative that diminishes its contributions and portrays the continent as devoid of any substantial history. Contrastingly, Europe is often positioned as the epicenter of knowledge production, shaping Africa's way of life. This ahistorical revision not only jeopardizes the validity of scholarly pursuits but also influences the formulation of policies. To address this historical misrepresentation, it is imperative to acknowledge Africa's rich history and its valuable contributions to global development. This shift in perspective will lay the foundation for more informed and equitable policies that respect Africa's agency and diversity. Ethiopia stands as a counter-narrative to the prevailing Western perspective on Africans and their role in embracing Christianity. Contrary to the Western account that often associates the introduction of Christianity in Africa with European colonizers, Ethiopia's historical trajectory challenges this narrative. Among Ethiopia's intellectual treasures, the genre of Ethiopic texts known as the Miracles of Mary (TM) has captured the fascination of scholars. These TM manuscripts, constituting a collection of miraculous stories about the Virgin Mary, have been written over a millennium across the globe.

Presenter: 

Dawit Muluneh holds a Masters degree in Ethiopic and Coptic Studies from the Catholic University and is currently a PhD student at Howard University in the Department of African Studies.