1 - All Knowledge Is first of all Local Knowledge: An Introduction
Africa Development,
Vol. 30 No. 3 (2005): Africa Development: Special Issue 'All knowledge is first of all local knowledge'
Abstract
Against a monolithic view of knowledge production and the tendency to universalize science, this article calls attention to the unique genius and distinctive creativity and originality which underlines production of knowledge in any given cultural context. It takes seriously, the fact that, at its roots, knowledge production is context bound. Hence the authors emphasize the fact that all knowledge is first of all local knowledge. From this fundamental understanding of the true wellsprings of the production of knowledge, it argues against a mythic veil, which reformist modernity, especially, tended to place on the process of producing and transmitting knowledge. This deceptive myth about knowledge production, it opines, has had the negative impact of stereotyping, blackmailing, inferiorizing and derailing the production and sharing of knowledge and its artefacts in cultures other than the West. The colonial encounter, with its assumptions and presumptions, helped to rub in this vision of reformist modernity and to muffle the voices of colonised cultures. Hence such labels as 'indigenous' knowledge. In recognition, therefore, of the creative and genuine originality latent in every culture, this article seeks to empower cultures to realise, work on and appropriate the riches embedded in their own local knowledge tracts and trajectories. This appropriation by cultures, of their own rich genius, is, for the authors, the gateway to re-acquiring cultural dignity and self-confidence and indeed an opportunity for each cultural node to positively contribute to the commonwealth of world knowledge. Such variegated approach to mining the wisdom and ecological advantages of various cultural groups will enhance the sharing of knowledge in a spirit of both vertical and horizontal border-linking exchanges of riches found in different cultural contexts and knowledge fields. The ancient wisdom of the Igbo of south eastern Nigeria is used in the article as an illustration of this latent, culture specific genius. The article also highlights the mission of Whelan Research Academy for Religion, Culture and Society, Owerri, Nigeria, in creating awareness, space and forum for paying closer attention to indigenous knowledge tracts endangered in this derailment of a wider spectrum of cultural nodes of knowledge.
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- A.chebe, Chinua, 1958, ·Things Fa// Apart, London: Heinemann.
- Ajayi J., L. Gama and G. Johnson, 1996, The African Experience with Higher
- Education, London: James and Currey.
- Appiah K.A., 1992, ln My Father s House: Africain the Philosophy a/Culture,
- New York: Oxford University Press.
- Ashby E., 1964, African Universities and Western Tradition, New York: Alfred Knopf.
- Ashcroft B., G. Griffiths & H. H. Tiffin, eds, 1989, The Empire Writes Back,
- London: Routledgi
- ates R., V. Mudimbe & J. O'Barr, (eds), 1993, Africa and the Disciplines: The Contributions of Research in Africa to the Social Sciences and Humanities,
- Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Bemal M., 1990, Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roofs of Classical Civilization
- II, London: Free Association Books.
- Bhengu M., 1996, Ubuntu: The Essence of Democracy, Cape Town: Novalis. Crossman, P., 1999,
- Endogenisation and African Universities: Initiatives and
- Issues in the Quest for Plurality in the Human Sciences, (Policy study on development
- co-operation), Brussels: BelgianAdministration for Development Co-operation.
- Crossman, P., & R. Devisch, 2002, 'Endogenous Knowledge: AnAnthropological Perspective', in: C.
- Odora-Hoppers, O.c.: 96-125.
- Devisch, R., 2001, Cultures, Sciences and Endogenous Knowledge Practices:
- Sorne Anthropological Perspectives, in: Science and Tradition: Roots and Wings for Development,
- Brussels: Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences & UNESCO: 29-53.
- Diop C.A., 1954, Nations nègres et culture, Paris: Présence africaine.
- Ela, J.M., 1994, Restituer l'histoire aux sociétés africaines: promouvoir les sciences sociales en
- Afrique noire, Paris: Harmattan.
- Eze, E.C., ed., 1997, Postcolonial African Philosophy: A Critical Reader, Oxford: Blackwell.
- Gamba, H., 2003, 'Explorations inAnimist Materialism: Notes on Reading/Writing African literature,
- culture and society', Public culture 15(2):261-286.
- Gerdes P., 1999, Geometry from Africa: Mathematical and Educational Explorations, Washington: The
- Mathematical Association of America.
- Guyer, J., 1996, 'Traditions of Invention in Equatorial Africa', African Studies Review 39:1-28.
- Gyekye, K., 1997, Tradition and Modernity: Philosophical Reflections on the African Experience,
- Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Hountondji, P., ed., 1994, Les Savoirs endogènes: pistes pour une recherche,
- Paris: Karthala.
- Hountondji, P., 1995, 'Producing knowledge in Africa today' (M.K.O. Abiola distinguished lecture),
- African Studies Review 38(3):1-1O.
- Janzen, John, 1989, 'Health, Religion and Medicine in Central and Southern African Traditions', in:
- L. Sulliban, ed., Healing and Restoring: Health and Medicine in the World's Religious Traditions,
- New York: MacMillan.
- Ki-Zerbo, J., ed., 1990, Educate or Perish: Africa's Impasse and Prospects, Dakar: UNESCO-UNICEF.
- Lichtenberg-Ettinger, 2004, 'Weaving a Woman Artist with-in the Matrixial Encounter-event, Theory',
- Culture & Society 21:61-94.
- 1asolo, D., 1994, African Philosophy in Search of Identity, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
- Mazrui A., 1992, 'Towards Diagnosing and Treating Cultural Dependency: Th
- Case of the African University', International Journal of Educational
- Development 12:95-111.
- Mazrui A., 1978, Political Values and the Educated Class in Africa, London: Heinemann.
- Mazrui A., 1992, 'Towards Diagnosing and Treating Cultural Dependency: The Case of the African
- University', International Journal of Educational Development 12:95-111.
- Mbembe A., 2002a, 'African Modes of Self-writing', Public Culture 14(2):239- 273.
- Mbembe A., 2002b, 'On the Power of the False', Public Culture 14(3):629-641.
- Mudimbe V., 1988, The Invention of Africa: Gnosis, Philosophy, and the Order of Knowledge,
- Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
- Ndaw, A., 1997, La pensée africaine: recherches sur les fondements de la pensée négro-africaine,
- Dakar: Les nouvelles éditions africaines du Sénégal.
- Ngugi wa Thiong'o, 1986, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature,
- London: James Currey.
- Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, 1996, 'The Allegory of the Cave: Language, Democracy and a New World Order',
- Black Renaissance/Renaissance noire 1(3)
- Odora-Hoppers, C., ed., 2002, Towards a Philosophy of Articulation: IKS and the Integration of
- Knowledge Systems, Cape Town: New Africa Education Publisher.
- Odhiambo E., 2002, 'The cultural dimensions of development in Africa' (M.K.O.
- Abiola distingui hed lecture), African studies review 45(3):1-16.
- Ramose, B.R., 1999, African Philosophy through Ubuntu, Harare: Mond Books Publishers.
- Sogolo, G., 1993, Foundations of African Philosophy, Ibadan: Ibadan University
- Press.
- van Binsbergen, W., 2003, Intercultural Encounters: African andAnthropological Lessons towards a
- Philosophy of Interculturality, Münster: Lit Verlag.
- van Rinsum, H., 2002, 'Wipe the Blackboard Clean: Academization and Christianization', African
- Studies Review 45/2:27-48.
- Wiredu K., 1996, Cultural Universals and Particulars: An African Perspective,Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
- Yesufu, T., ed., 1973, Creating the African University: Emerging Issues in the [970s, Ibadan: Oxford University Press.
References
A.chebe, Chinua, 1958, ·Things Fa// Apart, London: Heinemann.
Ajayi J., L. Gama and G. Johnson, 1996, The African Experience with Higher
Education, London: James and Currey.
Appiah K.A., 1992, ln My Father s House: Africain the Philosophy a/Culture,
New York: Oxford University Press.
Ashby E., 1964, African Universities and Western Tradition, New York: Alfred Knopf.
Ashcroft B., G. Griffiths & H. H. Tiffin, eds, 1989, The Empire Writes Back,
London: Routledgi
ates R., V. Mudimbe & J. O'Barr, (eds), 1993, Africa and the Disciplines: The Contributions of Research in Africa to the Social Sciences and Humanities,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Bemal M., 1990, Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roofs of Classical Civilization
II, London: Free Association Books.
Bhengu M., 1996, Ubuntu: The Essence of Democracy, Cape Town: Novalis. Crossman, P., 1999,
Endogenisation and African Universities: Initiatives and
Issues in the Quest for Plurality in the Human Sciences, (Policy study on development
co-operation), Brussels: BelgianAdministration for Development Co-operation.
Crossman, P., & R. Devisch, 2002, 'Endogenous Knowledge: AnAnthropological Perspective', in: C.
Odora-Hoppers, O.c.: 96-125.
Devisch, R., 2001, Cultures, Sciences and Endogenous Knowledge Practices:
Sorne Anthropological Perspectives, in: Science and Tradition: Roots and Wings for Development,
Brussels: Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences & UNESCO: 29-53.
Diop C.A., 1954, Nations nègres et culture, Paris: Présence africaine.
Ela, J.M., 1994, Restituer l'histoire aux sociétés africaines: promouvoir les sciences sociales en
Afrique noire, Paris: Harmattan.
Eze, E.C., ed., 1997, Postcolonial African Philosophy: A Critical Reader, Oxford: Blackwell.
Gamba, H., 2003, 'Explorations inAnimist Materialism: Notes on Reading/Writing African literature,
culture and society', Public culture 15(2):261-286.
Gerdes P., 1999, Geometry from Africa: Mathematical and Educational Explorations, Washington: The
Mathematical Association of America.
Guyer, J., 1996, 'Traditions of Invention in Equatorial Africa', African Studies Review 39:1-28.
Gyekye, K., 1997, Tradition and Modernity: Philosophical Reflections on the African Experience,
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hountondji, P., ed., 1994, Les Savoirs endogènes: pistes pour une recherche,
Paris: Karthala.
Hountondji, P., 1995, 'Producing knowledge in Africa today' (M.K.O. Abiola distinguished lecture),
African Studies Review 38(3):1-1O.
Janzen, John, 1989, 'Health, Religion and Medicine in Central and Southern African Traditions', in:
L. Sulliban, ed., Healing and Restoring: Health and Medicine in the World's Religious Traditions,
New York: MacMillan.
Ki-Zerbo, J., ed., 1990, Educate or Perish: Africa's Impasse and Prospects, Dakar: UNESCO-UNICEF.
Lichtenberg-Ettinger, 2004, 'Weaving a Woman Artist with-in the Matrixial Encounter-event, Theory',
Culture & Society 21:61-94.
1asolo, D., 1994, African Philosophy in Search of Identity, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Mazrui A., 1992, 'Towards Diagnosing and Treating Cultural Dependency: Th
Case of the African University', International Journal of Educational
Development 12:95-111.
Mazrui A., 1978, Political Values and the Educated Class in Africa, London: Heinemann.
Mazrui A., 1992, 'Towards Diagnosing and Treating Cultural Dependency: The Case of the African
University', International Journal of Educational Development 12:95-111.
Mbembe A., 2002a, 'African Modes of Self-writing', Public Culture 14(2):239- 273.
Mbembe A., 2002b, 'On the Power of the False', Public Culture 14(3):629-641.
Mudimbe V., 1988, The Invention of Africa: Gnosis, Philosophy, and the Order of Knowledge,
Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Ndaw, A., 1997, La pensée africaine: recherches sur les fondements de la pensée négro-africaine,
Dakar: Les nouvelles éditions africaines du Sénégal.
Ngugi wa Thiong'o, 1986, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature,
London: James Currey.
Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, 1996, 'The Allegory of the Cave: Language, Democracy and a New World Order',
Black Renaissance/Renaissance noire 1(3)
Odora-Hoppers, C., ed., 2002, Towards a Philosophy of Articulation: IKS and the Integration of
Knowledge Systems, Cape Town: New Africa Education Publisher.
Odhiambo E., 2002, 'The cultural dimensions of development in Africa' (M.K.O.
Abiola distingui hed lecture), African studies review 45(3):1-16.
Ramose, B.R., 1999, African Philosophy through Ubuntu, Harare: Mond Books Publishers.
Sogolo, G., 1993, Foundations of African Philosophy, Ibadan: Ibadan University
Press.
van Binsbergen, W., 2003, Intercultural Encounters: African andAnthropological Lessons towards a
Philosophy of Interculturality, Münster: Lit Verlag.
van Rinsum, H., 2002, 'Wipe the Blackboard Clean: Academization and Christianization', African
Studies Review 45/2:27-48.
Wiredu K., 1996, Cultural Universals and Particulars: An African Perspective,Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Yesufu, T., ed., 1973, Creating the African University: Emerging Issues in the [970s, Ibadan: Oxford University Press.