Book – Ancient Egyptian Philosophers by Molefi Kete Asante

 Introduction

This is a book that immediately challenges conventional wisdom and confront the reader with Africa’s huge epistemic loss in the ocean of intellectual/knowledge imperialism imposed by the Eurocentric system since the 16^th century. The suffocating system which is accepted, curated and defended by Africans both on the continent and abroad is nourished by truth-denial of Africa’s illustrious intellectual and authentic knowledge heritages reaching back to remote antiquity. Deliberate knowledge occlusion is inserted to prevent Africans from grasping their rich past for potential reclamation of their dignity. The implications of such recovery were calibrated in advance.  

Some of Africa’s suppressed and excluded civilizations, intellectual advancements and social innovations plus experiences, achievements and personages are captured in this anthology. Given that most Africans today deny and reject any evidence of their illustrious past, this text is timely. African’s intergenerational disorientation amplified by Eurocentric conventional knowledge fixed under 5000 years with Greeks as the highest court is unsustainable. What is unmentioned is that the same Greeks i.e. Socrates, Thales, Pythagoras etc apprenticed African ancestors in ancient Egypt mystery schools. Furthermore, their ancient Egyptian language of scholarship kmyt (Kemet) is still available in numerous hieroglyphs which contemporary African intellectual and knowledge production system must embrace. It is the source. Africans can’t accept Greeks as their intellectual ancestors when the latter trace their original learning back to Africa.

Therefore, from this anthology we present samples of insights, reflections, mediations from ancient African philosophers on various topics ranging from monotheism to ethics, statecraft to morality. One of the most puzzling aspects of these texts which are older than 5000 years old is that many aspects of Eurocentric knowledge including Christian doctrines are iterations of ancient Africa’s intellectual property. It is apt to ask - if the first human civilization is African, why aren’t Africans learning directly from their ancestors? An authentic response will knock on the door of liberation and emancipation. Still, it is exciting to share this text with a summary in the next section.

Summary

The author presented fragments from select ancestor-philosophers whose works were locked away in libraries, museums and archives. These ancestors include but are unlimited to Imhotep, Amenhotep, Akhenaten, Merikare, Dauaf, Ptahhotep, Khunanup and Kagemni etc. Their insights, reflections and meditations touch on concepts, ideas, theories and practices with timeless ontological and existential footprints. The moral and ethical framework culminated in Ma’at, the reference for personal and collective ordering. Some of these insights and concepts which defined the African mind continue to shape global human experience to this day.  

Some Kemet words capture the broad outlines of the concepts and ideas. Examples are ankh (life, living, presence, existence), seneb (wellness, health), djed (stability), heheh (eternity), Neter (Divine, deity), meri (love). Ancient Africans defined the 4 celestial powers – air, moisture, earth and sky; and the 4 elements including water, earth, fire and air. In diverse ways they broke grounds on the fundamental questions – what is the origin of life? What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of life. 

Below are some insights and reflections;

- The concept of wholism points to the interconnectivity of phenomena in the universe which means that nothing is isolated hence “everything is everything”. Oneness or at-one-ness is an original African idea.

- The permeating immanence of the Spirit is default in everything seen and unseen which link one and many in an enduring dynamic dance.

- Ego is a core requirement of existence and materials are life accompaniments in so far as they remain under the control of human authority. The elimination of ego and materials as departure points for seeking harmony is rejected by African ancestors.

- Good is superior to evil which transformed that latter into a non-absolute reality.

- Land (agriculture/food) is the primordial interconnector of one and many, human and Divine (Spirit).

- Multiple (poly) consciousness strives towards harmony.

- Inclusiveness of all phenomena in time and space is the default for existence (living, unborn and the dead). 

- Ma’at guide harmony through centredness and agency which reconnects, relocates and reunite oneness/goodness of the First Occasion/the beginning/creation.

- Divinity/Spirit is activated by human beings with the spoken word.

Lessons

These insights, reflections and meditations from African ancestor-philosophers of antiquity are some of the earliest intellectual harvests on order, goodness, unity, harmony and oneness. These inserted philosophical, theological and wisdom prescriptions; which continue to endure in different forms including both the ethnic and universalist, hegemonic religions. The beauty and grandeur of these gifts should unstrap readers particularly Africans from imposed intellectual straitjackets that locked imagination and imprisoned consciousness. They demolish intergenerational rejection of Africans’ collective capacities and abilities to do great things by default as evidenced in the past. Echoing Bob Marley, Africans must “emancipate themselves from mental slavery.”

Finally, these texts show that African civilisations never prioritised or elevated monetary systems as the core function of statecraft rather played assigned and managed roles in the holistic binding together of the peoples. This book is highly recommended. 

Life is beautiful!