WEDNESDAY l 12.5.18 OUR 69TH YEAR
CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
S P E C I A L
Akhenaton Pharaoh of Egypt (13751358 B.C.), by Barbara Higgins Bond, places him with his wife Queen Nefertiti, in front of a city. Akhenaton and Nefertiti were the first monotheistic rulers in history. Their reign radicalized the Egyptian civilization’s view of life.
T O / T H E A D V O C A T E
ACKNOWLEDGING AFRICA Accumulated knowledge originating from classic African civilizations stolen by Europeans By Jose Arebalo scene editor
jarebalo.theadvocate@gmail.com
Impactful lessons surrounding ancient African artifacts focused on teaching students about diverse histories were shared to a packed lecture hall completely filled with a diverse group of attendees. Manu Ampim, history, anthro-
pology and geography department chairperson, shared his research findings in his “Southern Origins: Classical African Civilizations” presentation in GE-225 on Nov. 27. To present a broader understanding of history and contributions from African civilizations is why he gave this presentation, Ampim said. Ampim started the presentation by showing architectural achievements from ancient Egypt. He went t h rou g h slides of
PROFESSORS TWIST TALES WITH CRUDE HUMOR PAGE B2
Squad faces strong teams in tournament Photographs capture the action of Contra Costa College’s men’s basketball team in play against top schools in the area.
n “It’s
great to see the whole room filled and to see the campus turn out for something so important.” — Katrina VanderWoude, college president
pieces of modern life and their traditions. The cuts represented the number of lives the warrior had taken and the ostrich feather is a symbol of high status. His research was conducted by observing these civilizations and histories “as a subject of their own experience rather than a focus of contempt.” Field research done so far on these subjects had left more to be desired for Ampim. Students in the audience were completely engaged while listening to the historic contributions from African civilizations. “As an African-American, it’s very important to be enlightened about African civilization, to see your ancestors and what it means” undecided major Alexander Watley said. Many ancient African contributions have been overshadowed by a trend of Western education failing to teach a full accurate history, Ampim said. This concern fueled him as humanities classes were facing cuts last year. The proposed cuts led to a rally from profe ss ors to defend a broader and more inclusive
education. Later, Ampim p o i n t ed out the Western created idea of the black pharaohs. That many media outlets in the early 2000s had begun to instill the idea SEE CLASSIC AFRICAN HISTORY, PAGE A4
Remembering coach Kinnard Beloved coach remembered by friends By Efrain Valdez sports editor
evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com
PAGE B8
Western monuments and architecture shedding light on the African influences that were present in each structure. “Why would George Washington have an obelisk and a reflecting pool? He was a stonemason, an admirer of African culture,” Ampim said referring to the Washington Monument. The world’s’ first stone obelisk can be linked back to the ancient civilizations of Tekhen as far back as 1500 B.C.E. There were rarely pauses in the presentation as each slide inspired lessons from Ampim. The lecture hall was focused intently on each word in the presentation. College President Katrina Vanderwood said, “It’s great to see the whole room filled — to see the campus turn out for something so important.” Ampim shared photos of the Ampim pyramids in ancient Kush and the Dahshur pyramids. These structures show an advanced understanding of arithmetic present in ancient cultures, he said. He also showed photos of some of his time spent in isolated areas in Sudan. They were places so tightly guarded he had to first pass a security clearance. Pictures of the Mursi communities he had visited filled the screen. Different civilizations have proudly passed down their own traditions. The Nuer tribe had distinct scars marked across their foreheads in patterns different from the Dinku and Shilluk. Patterns were each made to represent their heritage and marked proudly. Ampim also shared what real African warriors look like — men with cuts lined across their chests, ostrich feathers on their head and an assault rifle over their shoulder. Photos mixing
Longevity and charisma are a combination of traits that are not given to an individual, they are acquired by only the finest of people. Former Comet physical education professor and football coach Tom Kinnard was someone who used those characteristics to encourage his co-workers, enlighten the students he coached and bring joy to everybody he knew. The Oklahoma-born,
Richmond-raised educator found a way to not only be a great member of the East Bay community, but a person who genuinely cared about SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE the youth’s involvement in sports Former CCC football coach and athletic director Tom Kinnard and academia. passed away on Monday, Nov 19 at the age of 79. He spent 27 However, this community now years at the college serving many different positions. mourns the loss of Kinnard, who passed away on Nov. 19 with his family by his side at the age of 79. coaching stints at Salesian and “It is a tremendous loss for the Kinnard, who was a Contra Kennedy high schools. community because he cared so Costa College alumnus, started Former CCC football coach much about the athletes,” Creer teaching and coaching football at Robert Creer, who met Kinnard said. “We have been friends, aththe college in 1973. in the 1950s as kids, said they have letes and coaches since I was in He cemented himself as a fix- shared a lifetime of memories and ture at the college following short experiences that are unforgettable. SEE OBITUARY, PAGE A4