2.5 afrikology unit of the durban university of Technology (duT

CPUT

2.4 afriKoloGY uniT of THE durban uniVErSiTY of TEcHnoloGY (duT)

mrs Yaa ashantewaa K archer-ngidi

director: afrikology institute: durban university of Technology

Established in 2005, the institute of afrikology is an offshoot of The Karaites institute of afrikology which was founded in 2001 under the leadership of struggle veteran and former black consciousness movement (bcm) leader, Kgalushi drake Koka. afrikology is the multi-disciplinary, integrated study of african history, culture and experiences. Guided by an ethos of continuous examination of oneself and others, the institute researches the rules of engagement for promoting and implementing african renaissance initiatives, engaging and learning from, rather than dictating to, local communities which have always been engaged in this transformational work.

The institute is guided by the promotion of Pan-african engagement. it is guided by the words of struggle stalwart Winnie madikizela-mandela, who said: “i no longer have the emotion of fear. There is no longer anything i can fear.” in this spirit, the work of transformation cannot be conducted timidly and should always be practical in its orientation. it is also important that it should be led by civil society, independent from government departments control. in particular, civil society’s role in fostering social inclusion must be recognised. Such inclusion may best be promoted through a collectivised consciousness. for example, in rwanda, the words “remember, renew, restore” are widely emblazoned on buildings as part of the country’s nation-building efforts in the wake of the genocide of 1994 in which about 800 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.

by contrast, South africa remains divided by a plethora of voices, often talking at cross-purposes. for example, an underlying complaint expressed by students during the nationwide #rhodesmustfall and #feesmustfall (#fmf) protests that broke out in 2016, was that they were fundamentally misunderstood. in this regard, it is important to acknowledge that social cohesion efforts in South africa should not seek to build one homogenous nation out of the country’s residents, but should recognise the diversity of the parts that form that whole. in addition, social cohesion should act as a bridge to local, provincial, national and continental unity; serve as a means of recompense and redress; be an adhesive for national growth and development; and be a force for transformational change. at the same time, South africa’s internal cohesion is unsustainable unless it is linked to africa’s destiny and supported by people-led regional integration that continuously challenges inequity based on issues of race, class and gender. meanwhile, as a relatively new democracy with a history based on racial segregation, the slow pace of change in addressing issues of human rights, such as health, education, justice, equality, housing, xenophobia, racism and poverty, threatens South african nationbuilding. in seeking to foster social cohesion, the institute of afrikology employs a “past-present-future” paradigm: in order to go forward, you must know where you have been; and at the same time, you cannot speak about the past without acknowledging present trauma. it is acknowledged that everyone has experienced trauma at some point in their life, and that africans will continue to talk about their pasts as part of communal healing processes. Within the higher education system, properly funded work to address the trauma experienced by black students, including at the universities themselves, is required. Graduates who can produce innovative solutions are crucial to efforts to transform society. To facilitate the production of such graduates, trauma centres should be established at universities, where students are encouraged to come and tell their stories. for example, the institute of afrikology at duT has created a space for students to come in and record their narratives as they see fit without having to feel judged.

in pursuit of a more socially and economically inclusive community and country, the afrikology approach proposes a number of key principles that should be followed: • Nguzo saba or unity – the goal is a principled togetherness for mutual benefit based on equality, reciprocity and friendship; • Kugichagulia or selfdetermination – asking a number

sECTiON 2 SHarinG TranSformaTion lESSonS and iniTiaTiVES

of fundamental questions (Who am i? am i all i should be?), the goal is to foster self-conscious people who can forge the future; • Ujima or collective work and responsibility; • Ujaama or cooperative economics, which entails building, maintaining and profiting from businesses according to the practice of shared wealth; • Nia or purpose – that is, nationbuilding that takes pride in and expresses africa’s historical and cultural identity; • Kuumba or creativity – the goal is to improve african communities; and • Imani or faith, which is a belief in the capacity of africans to act righteously and create good, just societies.

The principles of afrikology should inform how all african children are educated. universities should offer a new kind of pedagogy that engages students instead of talking down to them; fosters creativity; and offers spiritual enlightenment, while decolonisation may be found in the efforts of students and academics to conserve their african-ness. in this regard, the youth should be encouraged, as advised by pioneering pan-africanist and Ghanaian independence leader Kwame nkrumah, not only to look forward, but also to look back and give thought to what they must finish for the last generation.

They should also realise that leadership is a conscious process, a choice that must be made. martinican political philosopher and revolutionary frantz fanon gave warning that africans should not copy the example of Europeans and thus become “obscene imitations”. They should rather have faith in themselves; their leaders; their teachers; their parents and grandparents; their communities; and their history, and dare to free themselves politically and culturally – in which case they will win.