Character is Everything

Dr. G’s lecture definitely hit many interesting and enlightening points. He opened my eyes to new concepts and made me reflect on what more I could do to transform and develop more knowledge on particular subjects. I really enjoyed hearing him speak on how to transform and advance old, misconstrued knowledge, build your character, and give Ijuba to those in the past. He proved that concepts people hold such as, “Africans have no history” or “There is no Black philosophy” are completely incorrect because we have history of philosophy that dates even before the Bible and Christ. The Goddess Ma’at and the Principles of Ma’at are just two examples of the beliefs and structure the Ancient Egyptians held as a form of detailed philosophy. It’s sad to know so many people go through life ignorant to the fact that they hold false knowledge of our history whether by choice or due to circumstances. I loved when Dr. G explained the difference between knowledge, to be able to acquire information, and wisdom, to have the knowledge and apply it to life. Wisdom is what we should all strive for as he stated that knowledge alone is not enough.

Having wisdom in life would also help to build your character which is the most important asset to being a human being. Dr. G spoke a lot about how essential it is to have good character; to lose your character is to lose yourself. Omoluabi is a term which refers to “A person of character, disciplined, and self-improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community…” This term is also related to Iwa, the general idea of good existence and character. “Honor may vanish from your house, Cosmetic beauty may fade, Iwa is what endures even into the grave, Take care of your iwa.” This quote stresses the importance of good character and I think it is one to remember always.

A final point he made was in relation to paying Ijuba, homage, to those who came before us and for all that we have. It is another way of giving thanks for everything we have been given and acknowledging that we are here on this earth because of ancestors so we should also acknowledge that. We should also give homage to ourselves and those surrounding us who may help in everyday life. Overall I found Dr. G’s lecture to be very enlightening and I enjoyed getting further knowledge on subjects that are rarely ever touched in history books and in classrooms.

Omoluabi

Going into this freshman seminar I didn't know what to expect, actually going into any freshman seminar i never know what I'm about to learn. I knew we had a guest speaker from Africa coming to do a lecture but I didn't know what about. When he started to lecture I was a little confused because I didn't really understand him too clearly but there were a few things that stood out to me as he went on. "Omoluabi", meaning a person of character who is self improving. When we learned more about what this phrase meant, it reminded me of a college student. It goes on to say it means, gaining the respect of others and putting your education and knowledge to service the community, and this is exactly what you're trying to do in a college setting. Dr. G went on to talk about academic knowledge. He said there is a motive which leads to advancement and finally transformation. These steps describe the very steps we take through college, at the end we will transform into a completely different person. Something else that stood out to me were "The Instructions of Ptahhotep". This stated that a man of character is a man of wealth, and as I read this, it meant to me that you don't need to have money in order to be wealthy. Your character, the way you treat others, the way you contribute to society, they love you receive from your family and peers, defines your wealth, not money.

Values

Three points in Dr.G's lecture were Ijuba, achievements of Ancient Egyptians, and the importance of character. Ijuba means homage. We should pay homage to those who came before us and those who are around us. We also should pay homage to ourselves.We have to recognize others around us. Some people would say that africans have no history and no philosophy but Dr.G gave specific examples as to why this is wrong. BEFORE Christianity and even Socrates existed Antef, a philosopher in Kemet. He was also talking about how important character is in a person's life. Without good character, you will lose everything and you will not be successful or happy. As I was listening to this lecture I could not help but think that it was similar to Dr.Carr's lecture. Dr.Carr also spoke about achievements during the time of Ancient Egyptians and the importance of recognizing african american's legacy that started a very long time ago. What Dr.G said about character was very true. If a person has good character then they will be given opportunities that a person with bad character would not receive. I did not like the presentation of the lecture but there were some valid points.

~WORD~

Mbongi- “A house without a room; The Mbongi is a space where public investigation and discussion of concerns are held.” When Dr. Greg Carr began to speak about Mbongi he stated that when participating in an Mbongi, “One must be very clear honest and engaging.” He also taught us that we participate in Mbongi more often than we realize. For example this weekend my floor mate and I had an Mbongi. As I styled her hair we spoke about everything; school, relationships and family, we advised each other and when it was all said in done I realized how much closer we had become and how good I felt after being able to open up, speak honestly and engage her in things that were important to me. Dr. Carr then spoke of terms that were related to Mbongi these terms were; Boko, Yemba, Lusanga, and Kioto. When I think about it these terms are all affiliated with my most memorable Mbongi. For example the Mbongi always seemed to be in a place where I felt free to be myself (Yemba), amongst a group of diverse people, who gathered together (Lusanga) to discuss different opinions and view points (Boko) and together shared a sense of relief (Kioto) when the Mbongi was over. An Mbongi was Dr Carr’s prime example of how African Americans still have their heritage but sometimes fail to realize it, he states, “Let’s be clear! Black people have not lost our culture we use it every day but what we don’t often do is connect our learning to our wisdom and are experience then gets diminished by folks who have no idea who we are, sometimes we don’t know.”

Africa- The start of human knowledge; another main topic of discussion was Africa, the mother land. Dr. Carr let us know that Africans created, “Writing, counting, sciences, arts, spiritual systems and formal teachings.” He spoke about amen, an Egyptian word, one of the oldest words in the human language. He spoke about hieroglyphs, “Howard has two of the only African Americans in the world who can read and write Egyptian language,” which was something I was shocked to here but very proud of. Djehuty and Ma’at, the creators of letters and scribes, which is the foundation of all human knowledge, were also a topic of discussion. I really enjoyed this part of the lecture because I find it intriguing how the world makes sure to make Africa’s down falls known but they find it hard to give us credit where it is due. Also I think it’s important for African Americans to understand just how great of a people we are, and it’s time to set are standards and expectations higher. Howard is such a special school and I see it as a privilege to go here for it’s a place where we can learn and grow as a people without boundaries and without losing site of who we really are.

America the Great- It ain’t so great anymore. I love that Dr. Carr emphasized the fact that we are world citizens. He stated that, “Howard’s bigger than America, America ain’t gonna be here much longer anyway. Let’s be clear we live in the world and were citizens of the world.” I really like this quote because I really do feel like a citizen of the world and I think that it’s important for people to travel and to become well rounded human beings for there is so much to learn from other cultures. America will not be around forever and we will eventually have to move on to bigger and better things. When that day comes maybe then things will be peaceful, when everyone is the minority somewhere, when were not able to judge anyone by the color of their skin but instead their character; I’m looking forward to that day!

The Depth Beyond Our Skin

Since I have stepped foot on campus I have heard nothing but good things about Dr. Carr. People speak to the enthusiasm he exudes in his lectures which display his love for the African culture and the subjects in which he teaches. I am so glad I was able to experience this teaching for myself during our Freshman Seminar class this past week. The knowledge he instilled in us that day was something a majority of us never had the opportunity to hear. Dr. Carr was correct when he said we spend time in school learning more of our history in terms of slavery rather than the contributions our people have made.

 Coming from a predominately white school I have never heard of an Mbongi but the concept was amazing to me. It was weird to think that we live through this concept everyday not knowing it. An Mbongi is literally “a physical and intellectual space, or “common shelter” which constitutes many traditional African functions: law and order, cultural education, maintenance of social and political life, conflict resolution, the council of elders.” This can be translated into daily life through barbershops, hair salons, cookouts, and other places African Americans get together to talk and gossip.  We have unspoken brotherly and sisterly bonds between one another simply through the fact that we carry the same pride in our race.

Another valid point Dr. Carr made was that although in school we were taught that our history began with slavery and we have come a long way since then, we cannot let that be the basis of our accomplishments. We are more than just a race who endured slavery and racism and managed to produce the first U.S. leader of our kind, Barack Obama. We have done so much more than that. We were the first to produce any people from our motherland, Africa; we created text through Egyptian writing and held many power positions in many countries before Obama was even born. We were leaders before the world decided to acknowledge our accomplishments and give us any credit. If they won’t be the ones to credit us with what we deserve then the least we could do is learn for ourselves where we come from and the depth of our race. I am honored to be part of such a rich culture of astonishing, intelligent, and powerful people. I only wish more was done earlier in life to make us more aware of everything Dr. Carr showed us. I truly enjoyed his lecture and am looking forward to hearing more from the various speakers we will have this semester.

My Legacy !

When I think of the word lecture, the first thing that immediately comes to my mind is being at home. I think of how my parents often lecture me and sometimes it almost feels as if they take pleasure in haranguing me. If my lectures at home were anything even close to “Learning, Wisdom, and the African World”, I would pay more attention. When Dr.Carr first began to speak, he was talking so fast that I did not think that I would be able to catch anything that he was saying but within a few minutes, my attention was so captured that I was going to make it a point to hear what he had to say. There were three key points that I walked away from the class period with. The first point was how great my people truly are. A light bulb went off in my head when Dr.Carr said something along the lines of, “If you think that our legacy begins with slavery then anything after that will seem like progress.” Those few simple words were so profound! Way too often when I think of our great thinkers and achievements, I focus on the time period during and after slavery. I think about the four hundred years of chains and the oppression that followed. I think of people such as Douglas and Dubois but it never occurred to me that slavery was just a sort of disruption in our history. Our time in America was just a short time period. We have had so many great philosophers, achievements, and accomplishments way before Columbus “discovered” America. Another point that ties into this one is, is that all throughout grade school, teachers speak about Egypt and Africa as if the two are of no relation. Egypt is in Africa and it is about time that teachers make it a point to point that out! The second point that Dr.Carr made clear was why Howard is the place to be. So many people are mesmerized by the number of celebrities that have called Howard there alma mater but it felt good to hear him speak of intellectuals that teach at or have matriculated at Howard University. I remember when he was talking about the Egyptian symbols and the two black men that had degrees certifying them as fluent in this language. When he pointed to one of them in the back of the room, my jaw dropped. A third point that Dr.Carr brought up was how this all affects me. This is MY legacy. Greatness is running through my veins because of the people  who have come before me. These are all points that I never realized or even hinted at. I have always been proud of my heritage and loved being black but these ideas made me take my thoughts a step further. I feel as if I am apart of an elitist group.  The saying ,“You are either in it or in the way”, is clearly appropriate. I do not feel as if other races or ethnicities are beneath  me but I am an African American student at Howard University so the world is my oyster. As long as I take full advantage of the opportunities given to me, there is nothing I can not do! HU-U KNOW ! ( AND IF YOU DON’T, YOU BETTER ASK SOMEBODY!)

Human Excellence

Before Dr.Carr started his lecture I didn't know  what to expect. I assumed that we would be discussing Africa in a broad aspect. I was completely blown away with this lecture. I learned many different things that altered my way of thinking. Dr. Carr pointed out one very important point during his lecture that really stuck. he said, " Barack Obama is a Black leader but he is not our FIRST black leader. I felt that this was very important because we often lose sight of the black people that made it possible for President Obama to be president. Another great point Dr.Carr made was the true creators of mathematics and the alphabet. When reading textbooks, we never read about the ancient Africans that were the true inventors of some of the most important innovations in the history of this world. Djehuty and Seshat have been covered up but the idea of the Greeks and Mayans being the "inventors" of aspects such as mathematics, the alphabet, and many other things. As a people we have yet to free ourselves of the negative mindset that society has beat into us since the slave trade. Knowledge and wisdom are the only  ways to better ourselves and our brothers and sisters. Leaving Dr.Carr's lecture i felt empowered.