Howard University - College of Arts and Sciences - Study Abroad

Images from Kemet

2010-08-26T16:56:00.015-04:00

Group picture on the Giza Plateau

Temple scene

Group picture at the Temple of Luxor

Jalil at the Giza Plateau

Interesting contrast

The Great Pyramid at Giza

HU camel riders

4,000 years old "solar boat"

Nefertari's Temple in Abu Simbel

The brothers at the temple

Sense of peace

2010-08-21T23:08:00.001-04:00

I did not think my last blog of my trip to Egypt would be so difficult to write, but it is. First, I would like to say how blessed, grateful, and thankful I feel to have experienced such a magnificent place. If someone would have told me this time last year, I would have gone to Egypt I would have simply laughed. I am so thankful to have people in my life who care enough to push me and that want to see me succeed. Thank you! In my very first blog, I wrote that I was anticipating a life-changing experience. I can honestly say I have acquired that life-changing experience. I have learned so much about myself, my ancestors, and how I want to make a difference in this world. I really on this trip was able to look at the woman in the mirror. I am empowered and truly even more equipped to make a change. Everyone on the trip, from the students from Miles, Chicago State, Northeastern Illinois, and my beloved Howard were wonderful. We were able to learn from each other, share powerful testimonies, and engage in intellectual conversations. I feel that the friendships that we developed on the trip will continue for years to come. I was always treated like the baby of the group, being the youngest, but everyone especially Sarah, Kirin, Michelle, Debra, and even James all were like my big sisters and brothers. They took really good care of me. I am truly appreciative for them and their patience. lol I am really excited to take what I have learned to my community and to let them know the power we hold in our hands as descendants of kings and queens. As I left Egypt, I gained a sense of peace. I have a sense of peace about myself, my past, and am eager for the future. Thank you Egypt, Dr. Carr, Dr. Batey, Dr. Agee, and Dr. Welch for such a wonderful once in a lifetime educational experience. To my new family, the Egypt Study Abroad trip 2010, much peace, love, and happiness to you all. This is definitely not the end, but so long, farewell, until we meet again. : )

Hotep means peace

2010-08-20T18:25:00.003-04:00

"Ancient Egpytians saw the divine manifest himself in all creation. New or different religious denominations would not have mattered to Egyptians because God is always expressing himself or creating himself in a new or different way. African people don't care what religion you are, its about how you live your life."
Dr Greg Carr
"To the Ancient Egyptians, good speech wasn't about what you said or proclaimed. To have good speech, one must perform ma'at in their actions."
Dr Mario Beatty

We are all back to the rigid temporal space that bind us to our oppressor. When I say oppressor I don't mean the quintessential White man, I mean ourselves. The nature of the oppressor isn't external, the true nature of the oppressor is that thing that looks to force everyone to a standard. So I thought about what Doc and Doc B said and I asked God for understanding of those paraphrased quotes. As it was the onset of Ramadan, I began to fast to understand some things about myself and my relationship to those ideas.

I remember on our full lecture day when I got up and I began to share what this trip meant to my life. As I began to share, I could see people's eyes start to water. I could see the divine moment of a new creation taking place. The Kemetic people must understood things about the Creator that we long have forgotten. The biggest thing being that religious affiliation does warrant a safe passage into the Afterlife, just actions and a good heart will.

To this day, that's how African persons see the world. To this day, the tradition of good speech or having a good heart ensures victory in the end. To this day, "God knows my heart" is something that transcends religious dogma. The Christian Church is seen as the moral compass of the Western world but there was a time when you had to pay to get out of purgatory. There was time when the Church allowed and justified the presence of European slave traders to steal humanity to the means of bolstering capital. When I stood up, at that moment of creation, I realized that the African worldview that allows for the creation or the expression of the modern world's 3 biggest religions is the key to reconciling their differences. What I'm saying might seem a little cryptic or a little far fetched but the idea that we must take a step back to create again is what the Akan call "sankofa" and now I understand that.

Upon our return to the States, one thing became clear to me. The progeny of the Arab invaders who now occupy the space also wish to stifle the worldview of those Ancient African people. They do it but proclaiming the Egyptian phenotype to be "North African Caucasoid". They do it by not allowing us to photograph the monuments. They do it by not allowing Dr Beatty nor Dr Carr to explain the cultural context of the glyphs in the temples and tombs. They do it by not allowing us to fully engage the Ancestors in their language. Most importantly, they do it by exploiting the African memory for profit.

As African people it is our responsibility to re-claim that space. It is our responsibility to tell the stories of those have heard, those who know what we have forgotten. I could go on for days but I'll end here. You guys will never know what you mean to me. You all beared witness to a personal weheme mesu and I will never forget you. None of you.

James Robinson
Howard University Student Association
Director of Student Advocacy for 2010 - 2011
jamesrobinson1010@hotmail.com
@kurtleelove

The End of the Road

2010-08-19T09:10:00.004-04:00

Sitting back in the comfort and familiarity of my own room, one year older today, I reflect on my year and my recent adventure: Egypt. While doing this, I play the one song that comes to my mind-Boyz II Men: "End of the Road". "Although we've come to the end of the road Still I can't let go It's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you..." My adventure is over, the attachments we made are hard to let go, and we have left Egypt (my home...our home).

After two long weeks that seem to not have been long enough, I sit here wishing to still be in Egypt-the place all of us who embarked on this trip call home. Speaking as someone who marks this experience as her first study abroad trip, I can honestly say with no question that I am beyond ecstatic and overwhelmingly overjoyed that my first experience was Egypt. When asked how my trip was, my only response with the biggest smile on my face is: "THE BEST TRIP OF MY LIFE!" As many times as I have traveled far away from home, this trip was definitely incomparable to the rest. Everything that you see in pictures in reference to Egypt, in addition to anything else you could possibly think of or have read about-we saw and touched. From the pyramids, to the sphinx, to the temples and the tombs-we did it all.....including swimming in the Nile. WHO DOES THAT?!

Although the site seeing was remarkably incredulous, I think what made the trip so preeminent was the people I met and was able to enjoy the experience with. In two weeks we became our own family. I honestly do not believe that I would have had the type of time I had without the once in a lifetime friends I made. Moreover, the greatest part is that we can continue our friendship when we return to school!

Despite my return to the familiar things I enjoy most such as being able to use and drink my tap water, eating ALL different types of fruits and meats without second guessing and worrying if I will regret it later, being able to drive throughout my town during the day and night without the fear of someone jumping out of a van or just walking in the middle of a busy highway, or being able to walk in my neighborhood without being harassed by vendors or guys who call me "cousin" or "sister" or "like my skin color because it is the same as theirs", or who want to know "how many camels" or if I have a husband; I will miss some Egyptian customs I have now gotten used to such as bargaining. I never paid the price they asked for for anything while I was there. You love it when you get good at it...and I got good at it.

However, it was imperative that I return "home". Not only was I surprisingly missed more than expected, I have knowledge to disperse and stories to share. Furthermore, I cannot wait to continue enhancing my scribal skills when I return to school by working with Dr. Carr. He really is my staff and I appreciate him beyond measure. The expectation that I am going to increase my knowledge of the world and he is going to help me despite the fact that I am not taking on his department as another major makes me even more anxious to return to Howard.

Although we have come to the end of the road, and I sill cannot let go of everything I learned, the people I met, and the experience I had...this is just the beginning.

Boys singing in the Nubian Village

2010-08-18T12:38:00.002-04:00

Memories to Last a Lifetime

2010-08-18T09:46:00.001-04:00

Group Shot after Class

HU and Miles at the Karnak Temple

Group Picture at the High Dam

Climbing the Great Pyramid

Ramses the II

A Toast to Egypt

2010-08-18T08:54:00.001-04:00

Two weeks…GONE!

I cannot believe it. I am sitting on a plane back to the America I thought I missed. It was only when walking down the breezeway to the plane that I realized: I’m not ready.

Of course, I miss EVERYBODY at home and it was hard not being able to freely pick up a phone or use Internet, but then again, it was nice to be away.

This was my first time abroad and I am so glad I started here. Egypt, as I said in my first post, has been a lifelong dream. Now, I can say, that dream has been fulfilled…more than I ever thought it would be. It seems like we have done EVERYTHING here that there is to do. I am so glad that I went with the Howard University tour group. There is no way that I could have gone to every site and stayed as long as we did by myself.

Along with the wonderful itinerary, and excellent lectures, I met some great people that I doubt I would have met any other way. And the best part is, we all go to the same school! Although we were only here for 2 weeks, it feels like a month (IN A GOOD WAY! LOL). All of us have had such a great time and there was honestly not a second that I regretted coming or wanted to go home.

I will admit, I am ready to get back to American food and some other comfort things, but those things are so minor in comparison to the experience. Like I said, I feel like I wanted to stay— I cant believe that. But even though we’re on our way back, I’m already making plans on where to go next. Hopefully I will be able to tag along on the South Africa trip next year with this same group. Wherever I go though, I have been primed for a lifetime of travel. The whole process was exciting..

Before I left home, I tweeted, “I can’t believe I’m going to Egypt and I probably wont believe it until I’m back home or at school.” I must say— I just might be prophetic lol.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I JUST SPENT 2 WEEKS/ HALF A MONTH IN EGYPT!!!!!!

Several times throughout this trip, I would stop and say….”HEY! We’re in Egypt!”. Now, I’m going to change it…

HEY!!! I was in Egypt!!!! Amazing.

Salute! ::raises glass::

Staffs of Old Age

2010-08-16T23:39:00.004-04:00

Our bags, heavy with new books and keepsakes, are being loaded onto the busses that will spirit us to Cairo International Airport and a flight back to New York. The students, their minds and tongues awash with concepts, figures and language from the world's parent civilization, hurtle back toward Howard with renewed intellectual vigor, reinforced as has been the case with the cohort of our two previous Kemet study abroad groups by a deep sense of purpose and mission. This year's initiative allowed two of the students of the world's foremost African scholar of Egyptian language and culture, Theophile Obenga, to bring together students from two Black universities and to initiate another university in its first study abroad in over a century of its existence. We have drunk once again from what Jacob Carruthers called "the deep well of African thought," this time in the company of students and faculty from three other universities in yet another unique undertaking. While here, the Presidential Commission on Academic Renewal completed its final recommendations. While reviewing them and reflecting on the past year of detailed discourse and exchange among our faculty, staff and students regarding the past, present and future uniqueness and direction of our beloved Howard, I lay our work here in Kemet alongside the work of this past year, looking and listening for lessons. A clear and familiar one emerged: our hope and aspirations are firmly rooted in the long view memory, genealogy and instruction left to us along the evidentiary pathways created by our Ancestors. There is no more credible, useful and, ultimately, fruitful intellectual work to be attempted and achieved. We return to Howard renewed, refocused and expectant that the fruits of this academic labor will continue to ripen and fortify the development of scholarship unique to the American and global academy. It is our duty. It is our charge. It is the mantra first set to language in the writings of PtahHotep in the late 25th century BCE, when he wrote "May this servant be instructed to make a staff of old age, that he might speak to him the words of those who have heard (sedjemew)." Our staffs will ripen under our instruction this Fall and in subsequent semesters and years. We must be prepared to invest them with the words of our Ancestors, literally "those who have heard."

Time to Say Goodbye & Return "Home"

2010-08-16T16:58:00.005-04:00

A scribe is one who hears what is said but one who loves what one hears does what is said. Therefore, in order to be the best scribe I can be, I might as well keep writing.

Right now, we are starting the journey back “home”. We are leaving Luxor and heading back to Cairo where we will unfortunately spend our last night and begin our journey to New York tomorrow morning. Personally, I think my peers as well as myself would prefer to head back to Aswan and never go back “home”. On the other hand, I have this feeling that although we have become so close, it just maybe time to put some distance between ourselves. When certain people start snapping on you, it is definitely time to say goodbye.

Now you may be wondering why I refer to America as “home”. This is because in reality we are already home. “Home” is the place of residence created for you by our ancestors who fought and struggled for this place of residence after they were kidnapped from their place of comfort. However, we must return in order to share what we have learned with those who did not have the opportunity to join us this time around. Hopefully, we will be able to bring them in the future and personally share with them first hand because no story of our experience will hold a torch to an actual first hand one.

The Good Society

2010-08-16T09:15:00.000-04:00

Hotep
"The Ancient Egyptians had one word for truth, order, reciprocity and that word is Ma'at. The Western concept of truth does not need to have justice. If that's not the case then why do they have separate words for it?"
-Dr Greg Carr
While being in this place, it is very easy to see how the African people who built Kemet could see a new day as being the repetition of birth, or weheme mesu. If I didn't have a watch or a computer to remind me, I would have no sense of time at all. The worldview of these people is deeply entrenched in the concept of Ma'at. Ma'at is cosmic order, justice, righteousness. Ma'at has no beginning nor end, the goddess just is. She is the order that the laws of the universe must obey. It's as Dr Carr said, the Ancient Egyptians had a concept that encompasses all of those concepts. They are indistinguishable from each other.
A Miles College student, Brandon Young, and I were in conversation about the topic. He paraphrased Plato saying that the truth can be found without justice. I was immediately reminded of Napoleon, who more or less said, that historical truth is written by the winners of war. At that simple interchange between students, it became clear that ingenuity of African civilizations could not be conceptually understood by the West. It was true in antiquity and stands valid until today.
In closing, I'll add this. Ancient Kemet marries the idea of truth, order and justice to eternity. The West makes the truth relative to the moment and limits the concept of justice to mortality. We have been doing better a lot longer than the whole world has been. Why not continue in that tradition?

James Robinson
Howard University Student Association
Director of Student Advocacy for 2010 - 2011
jamesrobinson1010@hotmail.com
@kurtleelove

Reflections On Kemet

2010-08-16T04:17:00.000-04:00

In the words of James Baldwin, “My memory stammers but my soul is a witness.” These words represent my experience with Kemet. There is still so much knowledge I need to gain about the place around me but yet, I feel connected to every place I’ve visited. We are socialized and trained to learn a false history of the cradle of civilization. Our History. Growing up I always felt that the way the black community was portrayed was wrong but I was never able to articulate my feelings and thoughts in ways so that other people could understand. I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Howard University where I was able to be the student of many great teachers. One of these teachers, and the one with the most influence on me, is Dr.Carr. He always says such profound things with such great ease. I often feel that he’s saying things I’ve always somehow known or things that seem so obvious but that I couldn’t figure out how to put into words. He is the person that has helped me learn that I am African, and that my history, and the history of my ancestors did not start with slavery. This idea was so foreign to me four years ago and now I can’t imagine not knowing it.

My first trip to Kemet was in 2008. During these past two weeks, memories from my first trip have come back, flooding my mind. I am no less amazed now than on my first visit, at the genius and majesty of the civilization that stood all around me over 4,000 years ago. I am so grateful that the ancient Egyptians built with such purpose and with the intentions that their masterpieces would last forever, so that I can marvel at them and learn from them and the culture that they represent. This year’s trip is very similar to my first trip because the same emotions have come rushing back. Pride, because my ancestors did these things. Hope, because what we have done we can do. Anger, because such extreme efforts are made on the daily to steal our legacy from us, and because people who have no claim to all the sites we visit, think that they have the right to profit from them. These feelings, along with many others are part of my daily experience here. This trip is also very different from my first one. I have been able to do things that I didn’t get to do the first time. For example, I saw the unfinished obelisk, went to the Nubian Museum in Aswan and the Luxor Museum in Luxor, and I got to wade in the Nile River. As a learning experience it is also very different. Dr.Beatty and students from Chicago State University have come along with us on this journey so I have had the opportunity to learn from them. Dr. Beatty’s passion is so overwhelming that I can’t help but to absorb it. His complete mastery of the ancient Egyptian language and understanding of ancient Egypt, coupled with his willingness to teach and answer questions has allowed me to gain a completely new and advanced understanding of Kemet. Being able to learn from Dr.Carr and Dr. Beatty has given me such a well-rounded learning experience.

This trip has been a refreshing spiritual journey, helping to further discover who I am. As well as that, it has continually helped me realize why and how I have to live my life according to ma’at. One of the lessons of Ptah Hotep that we have learned is that if ma’at stands firm then our children will live. With this journey we have all been given the charge of bringing this experience and our lessons learned back to our families, friends, and communities so that they can grow, develop, and live up to their true potential. A couple of days ago in lecture, Dr.Carr said that we have to learn who we are so that we can take the good from people without privileging their humanity over our own. This is the struggle we all face, learning who we are despite the forces that constantly try to prevent it, so that we can move through the world the way we were meant to and live up to our divine purpose.

Ancient Egypt has so many lessons to teach, and they are in every structure, temple, hieroglyph, painting, and text. Some of the lessons that are really staying with me are that to be fully committed to something you must do it with excellence and strive for perfection and that patience is a virtue. The pyramids, temples, and monuments are images of the cosmos on the ground. The Temple of Amun at Karnak is a result of over 2,000 years of building. The ancient Egyptians had “hour-watchers” that would pay attention to the movement of the heavens. They would rotate this duty for thousands of years so that they could map out the stars and as a result were able to plan their temples. Every other monument and structure is a testament to this way of life. Every glyph is a piece of art and every idea and blueprint for a monument was planned out and understood down to the last nanometer. If their work wasn’t perfect, they didn’t use it. We saw this first hand with the unfinished obelisk. It would have been the largest obelisk ever completed but while the Egyptians were working, a crack split down the center and they stopped working on it. Their work was perfection and designed to last forever and I hope to embody these principles when working on things that I’m passionate about.

In lecture, Dr.Carr talked about how “people fight to create identities based on what their objectives are. The truth, really, is of no consequence.” We are a witness to this everyday when we view the images that modern society presents to us, claiming they are representations of ancient Egypt despite all evidence, text, and testimony to the contrary. During one lecture here, we spoke about the National Geographic Magazine that featured King Tutankhamun. Zawi Hawass had the final say on the image that would be released on the cover. He solicited three teams of scholars to do facial reconstruction and chose the image with the white phenotype. This action fell in line with Hawass’ theory that the ancient Egyptians were “Caucasoid North Africans.” The term itself is absurd, yet it has become an accepted theory. Zawi Hawass uses his power and authority to push his theory. He uses no research or evidence to back it up. By using euphemisms like “Caucasoid North African” he is able to call the ancient Egyptians white without actually engaging in a conversation about race. It is left to us to combat things like this because people readily accept incorrect theories and assumptions. While here, we have been faced with a critical question: why? Why would he and scholars like him do this? Why must they perpetrate lies? Why are they so unable to face the truth staring back at them? The only answer I can think of is that they are in such awe of a culture and people they have no claim to that they will do anything to be able to have these master pieces somehow belong to them. If they were to accept and proclaim the truth, they would be going back on everything their society represents.

The Greeks themselves gave testimony about their visits to Kemet in the Late Period and gave descriptions of the ancient Egyptians as Black Africans. Modern Westerners say that this testimony is “unreliable” and they ignore the education the Greeks went to Egypt to get. Egyptian priests trained the first philosophers of Greece. “Greek” and “Roman” columns are imitations of flowers and plants grown in Egypt. The head of Djehuty is a bird from Africa that we got to see while we were in Aswan. The dress of Seshet is from a jungle cat inside Africa. The skin of Seti I is black as night and the extra flesh around the mouths and noses give evidence to a black phenotype—as do the monuments which display broad noses and thick lips. The wigs in the Cairo Museum have braids and afros. The table of races inside one of the tombs we visited showed the Egyptians as belonging to the same group as the Nubians. The wood figures of the Egyptian and Nubian armies, both have dark brown skin. This evidence, and so much more, shows us that the ancient Egyptians were black Africans. My job is to make sure that my community knows these things so that they can claim and know about the excellence of their ancestors and can have the confidence to go through life feeling proud and complete.

Our legacy is grounded in so many different things. Our ancestors were responsible for the development and creation of so many disciplines. Africa is the cradle of philosophy, art, science, mathematics, medicine, architecture, music, writing, and countless other areas. The creation of writing is one of the most important things we are responsible for. Evidence of Sumerian Cuneiform dates back to 3200 B.C.. The earliest evidence of a writing system in world history proceeds Mesopotamia, and happened prior to Sumerian Cuneiform. Prior to this knowledge, when the question of which writing form came first, Sumerian or Egyptian, there was a debate about independent invention versus diffusion: if the Sumerian Cuneiform was first, how could the Egyptians borrow the idea of writing without using Sumerian signs? Who influenced whom? Signs were found on early Mesopotamia pottery that are not “readable” from the vantage point of the Sumerian language, but they are “readable” from the vantage point of the Egyptian language.

Today in lecture, when Dr. Beatty was speaking he said that, “if you are truly African, you should have the confidence to stand on your past, your ancestors, your legacy, and to use that legacy to build your reality—unapologetically.” This is what I plan to do. Coming to Egypt has allowed me to gain such a greater understanding of my past, ancestors, and my legacy so that I know who I am and who the people in my community are. Together we can change the future for our children and our descendants for years to come, increasing their understanding and love of themselves. If we can do this then we will know that we have lived up to our purpose.

SHE IS BECAUSE SHE IS

2010-08-16T02:13:00.005-04:00

"Behind every good man is a good woman." This is an Afrocentric concept that partially helps to explain the importance or value of a woman in a community. A woman is viewed as a source of power, life, and often creates an energy such as assurrance, confidence, or endurance. To enfeeble the identity or role of a woman is to simply defeat and delete a man. The people of Ancient Kmt (Egypt) understood the power of a woman, thus explaining a woman's presence in major events such as birth, war, and death. Her job is ongoing.

Let's take the Afrocentric idea, "Behind every good man is a good woman," and expand it as it applies to Ancient Kmt.

"Above every good man is a good woman."

On the walls of man temples and tombs, there are images of the birthing stool or at times a mother actually giving birth. A man enters this world under a woman, politically and socially, putting the woman above. He relies on his mother for years to gain sense of life and the culture he is being raised in. Some of the temples we've visited would show the image of a Pharaoh suckling milk from what looks like a cow. This image of a cow is actually represents the divine goddess, Hathor. She is often seen as a woman with the eyes and ears of a cow. She is the goddess of joy, music, and dance. That is powerful; to have a divine depicted as a woman who instills and exerts happiness, purpose, and life.

"On each side (front, back, left, and right) of a good man is a good woman."

The determination of a King in Ancient Kmt not only depends on the first born son, but relies on the mother's blood line. When Egyptians describe where they come from, they explain it through their mothers' lineage. They are showing their existence through their mother. This is why Kings on thrones are always seen next to their mothers or wives and never their fathers. In the temple of Rameses II, he is shown at battle with the Hitites, but right next to his side is his wife. She has her hands stretched out to him as though she is encouraging him and reassurring him that she is with him. Even in the after life, women are present. On the outside of the burial of King Tutankhamun, there are four divine women seen with their arms stretched wide covering the King. These women are Isis, Nephthys, Selket, and Neith. They are protecting King Tutankhamun, distinctly positioning themselves on the right, left, front, and back. No harm can come to the boy King in his afterlife.

Intentionally, I haven't discussed a woman being under a man. This is because it doesn't exist. A woman is a man's equal. She, along with the man, is perfect balance. This is the order of Ancient Kemetic beliefs. The Egyptians used a divine woman to represent order, Maat. She is truth. She is justice. She always prevails...

This idea of women being inferior is a Eurocentric or Western idea. Hmm...a "Western" idea... it's dead in Kmt. It has no importance or significance in the African culture. That's why it's hard for some to understand the Kemetic value of a woman. They are looking at it from a Western view, in turn making it difficult to comprehend. A woman is always there. She is behind, in front, on the left, on the right, above, but never below a man. There is no escaping her. She is life. She is because she is. Maat.

Re-Membering

2010-08-15T23:25:00.000-04:00

According to Ngugi wa Thiong’o, the dismemberment of Africa was “simultaneously the foundation, fuel, and consequence of Europe’s capitalist modernity.” The two stages of its dismemberment are: the separation of the continent of Africa and its diaspora and the individual African from his memory. It is through this dismemberment that the wholeness of the African subject is destroyed and its double cultural decapitation influences and shapes our perspectives on Africa. The process of re-membering is restoring memory and relinking.

In the mid 19^th century, when Europe began to lose control of its former colonies it turned to Africa for resources due to their development of a culture of scarcity. This is when Europeans began to systematically dispossess Africans of natural resources in Africa. This was called African colonialism. Colonialism is another attempt at controlling a peoples memory. “The colonizing presence sought to induce a historical amnesia on the colonized by mutilating the memory of the colonized; and where that failed, it dismembered it, and then tried to re-member it to the colonizer’s definition of the world. Therefore in retrospect, Europe technically does not exist.

When I first met Dr. Carr, he introduced me to the term "Being Present" Being Present is being aware of one’s immediate genealogy, which is “the basis of human identity and, according to Kemetic and subsequent African cultural edict, the trace evidence of the genetic relationship between the Creator and the living person.” “A people without a consciousness of their Being in the World, can easily be guided by another to wherever the guide wants to take him, even to his own extinction”, according to the Heideggerian phrase. With this in mind, one must realize that racial self-assertion is the necessary first step in the reclamation of a positive self-awareness. Racism was a conscious class ideology of imperialism, colonialism, and colonial relations & it is race that was, is, and could be used as a means of diminishing the self-evaluation of the dominated. This is clearly delineated by the creation of whiteness. Ethnicity literally means “other” from the Greek word heathen. Non black ethnicity, whiteness, is a social category created for black ethnicity to be the opposite. “Black” is not race, it is culture. This is how Europeans began to dismember the memory of Africans.

“Language is a communication system and carrier of culture by virtue of being simultaneously the means and carrier of memory…To starve or kill a language is to starve and kill a people’s memory bank.” This is how the Europeans imposed their ideologies on African people-they tried to erase every strength of the African, socially, mentally, physically and replace it with that of their own. Europeans claimed their ways to be better than that of Africans and systematically dismembered them by imposing the psychological idea that Europeans were of the superior class and in order to survive or make it in the world Africans would have to conform to Europeans ideas in every way. This is delineated by institutions in the very beginning of a child’s education. American schools institute fundaments of European imperial rule in which they socialize African children to identify with European values. The educational institutions aim at getting students to modify their memories to appreciate European superiority especially through literature and history, to the point of inevitably acquiring the reflex to think that the vast topic of Literature was English literature and there was no other being in existence until the Europeans creating history where they began. Literature, like all other subjects focused on the English versions and was used to express racial superiority by the Europeans.

Memory resides in language and is clarified by language. Language is a mutual form of communication. Every society may have one main language but different classes of people may create their own type of language, a form of slang for example, giving their society multiple forms of language. Some African governments have a problem with the multiple languages. They have a fear of intensifying the divisions created by different languages. As a result, most governments tend to pretend that African languages do not exist or try to force monolingualism. However, the solution is not to bury the languages and the means of African memory under European ideologies, but rather the solution lies in translation. “Translation is the language of languages, a language through which all languages can speak to one another.” It is through the translation of works directly written in African languages that a shared modernized heritage will emerge. Ultimately, the re-membering of memory can only be successful only if the keepers of memory, ie. African writers, musicians, and artists, share their memory.

Black Responsibility

2010-08-15T17:05:00.000-04:00

When first signing up for the Kemet 2010 trip, the thought of lecture every night sounded awful! And I’ll admit, even the first couple days here, I still wasn’t in love with the idea. Thankfully, these weren’t just regular lectures. Every night, I have found myself questioning myself, what I have been taught, and what I am doing/going to do with my life. First, let me say that Dr. Carr and Dr. Beatty are two of the BEST teachers that I have ever had. Their dedication to the topic of African Studies and their unending knowledge in the area are extremely inspiring.

While sitting in lecture on Saturday, I sat back and looked at my past two years as a PASSIVE Howard University student. I felt like an honest failure. And the bad part is, there is no one to blame but me. Of course on paper, I’m doing fine at Howard, my grades are good and my scholarship is still intact after 2 years. However, I think that I am taking this time in college for granted. I feel that I have yet to really take on any true scholarship. By this I mean, reading a lot of books, questioning things, and just studying overall philosophy in and on life.

With Dr. Carr and Dr. Beatty going through slides, I felt bad that I had very little previous knowledge on topics that we were speaking on. In that moment, I made a promise to myself to do better. MUCH BETTER. I now believe that this is the renaissance of my personal scholarship. I am going to start reading and writing outside of class. In addition, I am going to seriously look at what I am doing in college. What do I REALLY want to do when I get out.

I think that too many people go through college and life passively. I refuse to be like that any longer. After this Kemet experience, I really feel a responsibility to educate others and persuade them to make the same promise. When I was first introduced to the concept of a scribe last week, I took it at face value —a person that writes things down for preservation. But after delving into the occupation over this trip, I have truly come to understand and appreciate the importance of this position. Now, I too want to be a person to pass down knowledge to others. I want to continue the legacy and preserve the wisdom of our people.

As a result, I am applying for the position of scribe. This is my letter of intent.

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-15T10:22:00.004-04:00

Written August 5, 2010 (my born day!)

Earlier today, at the Cairo Museum Dr. Greg Carr poured libations before we entered the museum. He spoke of those that came before all of us. It was such a powerful moment it’s hard to describe. I know I cannot convey the power of his words, but I’ll. After a few ashe’s Dr. Carr came to the part where it was necessary to honor those of our family that were taken and those forced into a system that would rob them of much of themselves. He spoke of those who returned to their native land only to steal those still living in that space. At that moment, a spirit of understanding, pain and compassion came over me; I immediately began to cry, as were others.

I felt like I wish I could have been there to help or show compassion to those who made a conscious decision to capture their extended family members. And I felt sorry that they even had to contemplate that decision. I’m almost ashamed to stay that I, in the past, have felt betrayed and angry with those that aided the devils in the demise of our great lands and dishevelment of people. It’s such a complicated web of emotions and thoughts and feelings that are brought up at the mere mention of my people who were in this travesty.

The final part of the libation, Dr. Carr spoke of our children’s children’s children, and how they will be speaking our names soon enough. Wow. I was filled with so much love, hope and concern at that possibility not only for my great-great- grandchildren, also, for me, a person that has many, vast responsibilities to our children’s children’s children.

Now after getting to our hotel in Aswan I thought I would shower, take Benadryl (because I’m breaking out from what? Who knows?) and scribble a few notes about the past few days on this beautiful balcony (with an amazing view of the Nile) and listen to music- but soon after rearranging the chairs so I could prop my feet up I stopped and stood still, and listened.

I hear the constant humming of the hotel’s air conditioner, the quick pitter-patter of children running with an occasional scream or two. Far in the distance, I seldom hear music that I at first had mistaken for horns. The air is like a warm blanket that covers every part of me. Not too hot, and definitely not cool at nearly midnight. To think that I would have missed all this if I had put my IPod on my “Feel Good Music” playlist instead of just feeling.

If I take nothing else away from this trip, I want to become an active contributor to this place, whichever place I am. There is something different here in Aswan than in Cairo. As soon as I got off the bus from the airport the majestic lights took me over. I no longer am concerned with my latest allergic reaction or that 23 years ago I was born because today I actually felt reborn. Aswan just feels good inside. It’s really indescribable how great it feels to be in Aswan. I wouldn't have wanted to spend my born day any other way, than with my Howard family in our home away from home.

I Don't wanna Go....

2010-08-15T05:24:00.002-04:00

"I Don't want to go back to America" now you may think we want to say, "I Don't want to go back Home", but as these days get closer and closer we all may agree that we are in fact Home. Egypt has been such a comfortable place for us and we all are realizing how much we want to go back to America to bring our loved ones here so they can truly know what Home is. If we could have taped this journey on MTV Reality show or a ABC Reality Show, I guarantee there would have been a million flights booked to Egypt after the 1st episode. This is an experience that the world must see, the world must know; LUCKILY there are about 40+ SCRIBES here who will make it known to everyone they come into contact with the truth. I will miss the people, the intelligent professors and students who have been on this trip. It's crazy how we all had to travel hundreds of miles to find out the truth about our history and to have life changing conversations. Don't worry friends and families, we will be having these conversations with you all when we get back.

The EGYPTIANS, you know the one's who made the pyramids and all those statues and tombs that we have shown you all.....well get this

THEY HAVE COLOR, YEP CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT BLACK, COLORED, BROWN SKIN, whatever you use to describe yourself. Well look in the mirror, because this is what they look like.

HOTEP!

A pictures worth a thousand words

2010-08-14T04:22:00.001-04:00

To be able to touch a miraculous work of my ancestors was life changing.
Climbing the Rock Tombs of Elephantine Island . Sam, James Robinson, and Breyiana Moody.
Playing rope with the children of the nubian villiage. - Breyiana Moody
In awe - Breyiana Moody
The way in which the Ancient Egyptians used natural light within the temples is absolutely amazing. -Breyiana Moody

You Think You Know...But You Have NO Idea

2010-08-14T01:26:00.001-04:00

..................................*sigh and deep breaths* I apologize for beginning this entry so unusually but after the class we just had....at this current moment that is all I can do. In fact, I do not apologize because that would give the implication that something wrong has been done ensuing a feeling of possible regret, which is not the case. There are so many words to describe today’s full day class session, but at the same time there are no words sufficiently expressive enough to describe it.

For almost two weeks now, we have traveled together, taught and learned from one another, lived together, and experienced something most of our people may never get to experience first hand together. With all this time that we have spent together getting to know one another, we probably know each other better than our closest friends; but at the same time you can know everything about a person and still know nothing about them. This was discovered today as my various peers and elders reflected about the trip and the connections and impacts it has made to and in their personal lives. As many people shared their thoughts and reflections, it was obvious that a certain feeling of familial trust had been established amongst us. It was this connectedness of such where if the person cried, you cried; the person laughed, you laughed; the person got angry, you got angry. The entire situation reminds me of the song “I Cry” by Ja Rule featuring Lil Mo. “When I cry, you cry, we cry together.” I was humbled by the entire class because it was finally clear that everyone understands why we came here. Everyone if not completely cognizant is at least aware of our memory dismemberment and can now work towards re-membering it.

Today’s class let you know that there were other people [there] with you. There are other people who have/are going through what you have/are going through or worse. This entire trip if nothing else has established this fact: there are people like you. There are countless times on this trip that people looked at the sculptures and figures on the walls of temples and had the epiphany: “That’s me. I look like that. Those are my lips and my nose.” For any black person who felt as if they did not belong or were not good enough to accomplish greatness or exceed such, that theory was and should have been completely decimated and shot to hell with whatever/whoever made you feel as such when you are re-minded of what your ancestors, the Africans, the Egyptians accomplished. They created EVERYTHING from NOTHING; as we will when we go back “home” to share with our family and friends what we have learned. They think they know.....but they have no idea.

It's All In the Stars

2010-08-13T15:21:00.001-04:00

Today’s wake up call is 5:30am for our three hour drive to Abydos. By now, I think everyone is used to the earlier wake up calls and driving long distances for hours. This just means one thing to us: NAP TIME!!

Abydos, although mostly buried, spreads over five square miles and is composed of archaeological remains from all phases of Kemetic civilization. It is the original center for Wosir (Osiris) and is most famous for its seven Holy of Holies dedicated to Sety I, Ptah, Re-Horakhty, Amun-Re, Wosir (Osiris), Auset (Isis), and Heru (Horus). There is a back gateway oriented to the site of the old royal cemetery at Umm el-Gaab. The most distinctive and memorable pictures on the wall were the ones illustrating the myth of Osiris. In this myth, Isis and her sister, Nephthys find Osiris after he was killed by Seth. His death is not erased nor undone, but integrated into Maat (the divine order of the world). Osiris is awakened from his slumber and through transfiguration, Isis is able to impregnate herself by him, in order to conceive a son, who will avenge his father’s death. The beauty of Abydos is seen through its imagery, which depicts more intimacy and affection between humanity than previously seen at other sites. We also got to see the archaeological site of where it is thought Osiris to be buried.

The second stop of the day was to Dendera. Dendera is the temple for Het Heru, also known as Hathor, the personification of love, motherhood, fertility, music, and dance. She is represented with cow ears. The thirty-four columns of the temple are headed with four sided heads of the cow goddess adding the spectacularity of the already amazing art on the walls and ceilings, which show off the extreme extent of the Egyptians knowledge of the sun, stars, and universe. The ceilings illustrated their discovery of what we know today as horoscopes and how they measured time based on just studying the stars. AMAZING? INCREDIBLE? UNFATHOMABLE? UNBELIEVABLE? I know. I gave up trying to find words to describe the works of the Egyptians a long time ago..........last week.

With A Full Heart

2010-08-13T15:10:00.000-04:00

The whole time we have been in Egypt a real bond has grown between all of us. We have come a long way from the first day in JFK airport when we hardly knew anyone. Through our daily lectures, I have really gained so much insight on African civilizations and also the lives that African Americans are living right now through testimonies that were given.

During lectures, I don’t speak out like some others. I prefer to sit back and absorb everything that is said. The room sometimes gets filled with so much emotion. On Friday in particular, we opened the session with a brief talk by Mr. Clarence Jones on his blog entry. After he spoke, the floor was opened for reflections. It seemed that after about 30 seconds of looking around to see who would say something, the floodgates opened. Several people started to get up and share their experience and reflections on this trip.

To give a more well rounded expression, many people drew from their past life experiences. Moments like that really give you insight into people’s lives and what they have been through. I applaud all of my classmates who have been through storms in their lives and are still making great things happen everyday. I was shocked by the struggles they described and I struggled to place myself in their shoes. In that moment, I gained a new appreciation for everyone in the room. I can honestly say, you can never judge a book by the cover.

2010-08-12T17:44:00.002-04:00

Michelle Ricks in front of Ramses the Great

Het-Heru (Greek name Hathor), literally translate into the house of Heru. She is his wife-consort and she is also the goddess of beauty, love & feminine fertility. The Greeks would later take a tangent slant on her and rename her Aphrodite. The Romans would name her Venus. The complexity in the relationship between her & Heru wouldn't transliterate in the Greek comosology.

Doc at one of Ramses' stelae in the first capital of Kemet, Mn Nfr. What the Greeks would later call Memphis.

Dr. Mario Beatty with other Chicago State colleagues with the backdrop of the Great Pyramids in the El Meriden.

Jalil Mohammed, James Morgan & myself at the Cairo airport after we had all landed.

Rebels With a Cause

2010-08-12T13:07:00.003-04:00

Rise and shine at 4:30 this morning!!! It was all part of the plan to beat Re at his own game. First stop of the day was the colossi of Amenhotep III. These were the statues of Amenhotep III & Queen Tiye.It was a little difficult to tell because their faces were pretty much gone due to time.

Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir El-Bahri designed by Senenmut was the next stop of the day. I find her accomplishments as pharaoh during her reign to be incredulous. This is especially because there was no female who had ever taken the reigns of what was known to be a man’s job at that time. Her temple was an example of how they tried to erase her out of history by scratching her out of most of the wall drawings.

Next, it is what I have been waiting for since the Cairo Museum- the Valley of the Kings!!! We went into King Tut’s tomb, Ramases III’s, Thutmosis II’s, and Ramases IX’s.

Seeing King Tut’s tomb really did not help in giving me a viable explanation to where all the treasures we saw at the Cairo Museum were originally found. In fact, it added to my disbelief. The tomb is way to small to fit everything we saw at the museum, but unfathomably it did. We also saw King Tut’s mummy itself. It had to be taken out of the coffin and placed in a glass case because it was too weak to be moved. This is due to Howard Carter, who uncovered the tomb. It took him ten years to find it and five years to take all the treasures out. In the process of doing this he searched Tut’s mummy for pieces of gold, amulets, and other jewelry, resulting in the further weakening of the body.

Ramases III’s tomb was a little more complex than Tut’s and it was definitely bigger. The key thing about his tomb was that it depicted the table of races and therefore delineated how the Egyptians viewed themselves in comparison to the rest of the world. Did they consider themselves to be African? According to the pictures on the wall, they sure did!! Also, on both walls on either side of the tomb when you first walk in you see his declaration of innocence, which was a written depiction of his character-another key aspect of his tomb.

Thutmosis III’s tomb was unnecessarily overly complex. Before you even go into his tomb, you have to climb some very steep stairs that lead into a mountain. Then to enter his tomb, you go down another flight of stairs that were also steep which lead you to one room which connects the last room with a very small, steep staircase that is perfect for those who are vertically challenged. The last room has a coffin and hieroglyphs filled the walls in both rooms. These hieroglyphs were questionable in my eyes because they were unlike the other previous paintings on the walls we have seen. They looked primitive and unlike what we normally expect from the Egyptians. It seemed they were drawn with a Sharpie marker and they were stick figures. Dr. Carr’s explanation of this is these were earlier works that date back to the 1500’s and 1400’s.

Ramases IX’s tomb structure was pretty simple. This is probably due to the fact that it was unfinished. The last stops of the day were the worker’s village for the workers of Deir Al-Bahari Temple and Ra-Moses’ tomb. It is hard to believe the village was even a a real village at some point that housed 400 workers.

The biggest issue of the the day was the limitation on our ability to take pictures inside the tombs. Most of the day we were instructed to leave our cameras on the bus. Now if we really want to take pictures, we are going to find a way. We are African. It is in our blood to resist, esp. those limitations imposed on us that have no business being imposed. If you do not believe me, look at slavery. There were a couple of incidents where security tried to hold us down, figuratively. The first incident was in King Tut’s tomb where the “security guard" (I use that term loosely) clearly took 20 pounds ($4.00 U.S.) from a white man and allowed him to take a picture or two but literally got in our face at the slightest sound or hint of light. The other incident occurred at Ramases IX’s tomb where yet again one of my peers was accused of taking pictures. This time the “security” confiscated his phone and took him to the head of their joke of a department. As usual, Dr. Carr did what he does best and handled the situation. The point of the matter is that these incidents should have never occurred in the first place because these people have no right to restrict us from any means we take to feel close to our people. They are making a business on the backs of our ancestors which is just so disrespectful. But, I bet you are wondering if we really did commit these crimes we were accused of. Well, I will let you come to your own conclusion on the topic. All I suggest is that you keep in mind that we are African.

Real Recognize Real

2010-08-12T08:22:00.003-04:00

Many of my fellow travelers have expressed a certain level of discomfort since our arrival in Luxor as have I. Some of the things that I have witnessed and been a victim of are the same racial double standards we find perverting American society on a usual basis. Today, I admit I lied to a vendor to test his seemingly sincere demeanor. He approached me and a female student and asked where we were from, obviously expecting us to say America or some other Western nation. When I replied "Ghana" he immediately lost all interest in trying to make a sale to us. It is quite ironic that even though we are in Africa in some ways due to the high Arab population and the Islamic tone of the country, we are not in Africa...... if that makes any sense.

Yesterday, however there was a very interesting thing that happened while we were at the Luxor Temple. Our group ran into a group of young people from the Congo and a group of you men and myself locked eyes as though we were distant relatives (which we are) and immediately embraced one another. At the time we did not know if we even spoke the same language (we did) but all we knew was we saw some familiar faces in a land that has been for centuries occupied by foreigners even though it naturally belongs to us. The Asian and Caucasian tourists walking around probably didn't notice as some of them were crazily walking around a statue of Kheper-ra in a circle because of some old wives tale that it will grant them a wish. However had I made a wish it would have only been for that which I received. A subtle reminder that although Kemet is now largely in the hands of outsiders and visited by people who truly only come for the novelty of it at the heart of it all was once the idea of African men and women like us who wondered what was beyond the rocky patches of the Nile, that we now call the the cataracts. As we departed and exchanged Facebook information one of the Congolese Brothers repeated an oft spoken phrase that we use in Urban America..... "Real Recognize Real"...... That experience yesterday proved it to me.

The White Chapel, The Black College & The Divine African Legacy

2010-08-11T17:15:00.000-04:00

Today we went to the Temples of Karnak and Luxor and in an experience that has become a staple of our trip we found ourselves off of the beaten path and going to visit the White Chapel which was built by Senwosret I. This has probably been one of the most humbling academic experiences in my life because of the fact that this place is known in some circles as the worlds first University. As Dr. Carr and Dr. Beatty performed a libation for their late mentor Dr. Jacob Carruthers I thought about all of the students who passed through this small chapel building where they learned the sciences of Astronomy and Theology and how they were not separated but fuzed and understood as one sacred science that itself was a rule and guide for their daily lives. Now I and and the rest of our entourage were passing through these same halls being instructed by Master Teachers in an unbroken line of academic and social excellence. I truly wonder if we at Howard University are aware of this legacy when we make decisions that not only impact our campus in Washington D.C. but on a wider scale the world. I couldn't help but sit down as the libation was being performed not so much on account of my own physical fatigue but more so because of the humbling experience of being in that Divine African Legacy

It seemed like poetic irony as we walked through the temple of Luxor and we were told that this entire temple complex was once buried under sand and rubble and an entire town was on top of it before it was excavated. In fact there is a mosque building that is now out of service but was build on top of one of the structures unknowingly and is still there. As I looked at this image I thought of all the Muslim men, women and children who lived there lives not knowing of the 100% African tradition that was right under their now non-existent town. A similar thing could be said of Washington D.C. as many people know it was built on Kemetic archetypes but few Americans are aware of this. Today more than any other day I realized the importance of my attendance at a historically Black college.

As we Pursue Change

2010-08-11T16:08:00.001-04:00

As we begin our journey to Ancient Kemet, I was unsure of what laid ahead. After 6 days of site visits, lectures and readings, covering centuries upon centuries of rich history, I could only begin to attempt to absorb it all. How could I go back to my family, university, and nation with this abundance of new knowledge and pour the truth back into the masses. I finally stumbled upon the something that was in front of me for weeks. In our travel packets /reading there is the Teaching of Ptah Hotep. Which reads,

“Don’t be proud of your knowledge. Take counsel with the ignorant as well as the wise.” . . . .Good discourse is more hidden than green stone, yet may be found among the maids at the grindstones. “

Coupled with the corresponding lecture I learned that Ptah Hotep strongly lived by the concept of the Medu. The Medu stood for the staff of old age, something sturdy to pass on to the next generation. Basically the strength of a legacy: if you pass on this truth, this truth will make the next generation live, therefore battling against the fear and reality of non-existence.

While reading this material and learning about the Medu I was reminded of a poem I once learned, which could aid me in the way in which I could create My MEDU, or strong legacy by passing on the truth.

“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”

Early Pics......

2010-08-11T16:03:00.006-04:00

Ramesses II @ Memphis

Ramesses II @ Memphis

Stelae of Ramesses II

Great Pyramids in the distance

Reflections: A Spiritual Journey to Kemet

2010-08-11T14:16:00.015-04:00

Hotep my brothers and sisters.

Although our visit to Kemet has included stops at numerous iconic sites, such as the Pyramids at Giza, the royal mummy hall in the Cairo Museum, the Philae Temple near Aswan and Ramses’ II temple monuments at Abu Simbel, the objective of our journey has a greater purpose beyond sightseeing. For me, this has been a spiritual voyage that is God inspired. This is truly an experience of a lifetime. I have so much to share about the journey to Kemet.

This journey has been the medicine to further rejuvenate my mind, body and soul. In addition, the acquisition of knowledge of the contribution that our ancestors made to mankind is another primary objective. This objective has been more than adequately addressed by our illustrious co-lectures; Dr. Greg Carr and Dr. Mario Beattie. I thank both of them for their commitment to this effort.

After some reflection and enlightenment of my sacred purpose as one of the elders on this trek to Kemet, I come before you on the eve of a day that is of some personal significance; my 62nd birthday. My thoughts emerge from a deep inner urge to give praise to my Rock, Redeemer, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I lift Him up. I also seek to convey a brief autobiographical Sebayet, which will include a few words of wisdom, which is meant to inspire members of my Howard University family and other interested readers and listeners.

Such expression is consistent with the Instructions of Ptah- Hotep, which is the most ancient complete literary work existing. It was written in the Fifth Egyptian Dynasty, 3580 B.C. to 3536 B.C. In this papyrus book, Ptah-Hotep sets down the rules of behavior that all wise men should convey to their sons. It consists of 37 maxims framed by a prologue and an epilogue. One of the maxims reads as follows:

May this servant be ordered to make a staff of old age, So as to tell him the words of those who heard, the ways of the ancestors, Who have listened to the gods.

May such be done for you, So that strife may be banned from the people, And the Two Shores may serve you!

Said the majesty of this god: Instruct him then in the sayings of the past, May he become a model for the children of the great, May obedience enter him, And the devotion to him who speaks to him, No one is born wise.

Therefore, consistent with the Instructions of Ptah-Hotep, I offer the following testimony (my staff of old age) for those who are inclined to hear.

My journey of sixty-two years has taught me the value of faith. For without faith in God we are like wheat blowing in a storm; without purpose or direction. It is written in Hebrews 11:1 that, “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”Over the course of my life, I have learned that through focused pray God reveals the evidence of His truth and mercy. This is done in His own time and serves to confirm the validity of our faith in His presents.

The Early Years
My mother once told me that oftentimes, God brings us to our knees to bring us closer to Him. Early in my life, the death of my father was a life altering experience that tested my faith. I was 16 years old and I searched for answers. Why did he leave me, my mother and siblings so early? How could I go on without his love, support and guidance? It was during those quiet times on my knees in prayer, during the reading of His Word or during the mid-night hour in the midst of a deep slumber that God began to reveal His purpose. Scripture teaches us that our Father in heaven will never forsake or leave us. Joshua 1:5 says, “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” I was in search for some explanation, justification or understanding for how to go on without my father. However, the answer to my second question is found in Proverb 3:5, which reads, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Young Adulthood
Late one evening while on guard duty in the Republic of Vietnam at the age of twenty-one, I again was presented with a situation that tested my faith. The siren when off and I scrambled to get my gear together. Within two or three minutes, I heard the sound of a 122 millimeter enemy rocket whirling over my head. Momentarily, I froze in a state of panic and fear. Mercifully, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small bible, a gift from my mother. I turned to Psalm 23, which reads, “…Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil: for thou art with me…” I read it twice and I was instantly returned to calm because I knew that He was in control. It was as if I heard him whisper, “Peace be still” (Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm, Mark 4:39).

This episode in my life reminds me of Ramses II (ruler of Kemet from 1304 BC to 1237 BC) during The Battle of Kadesh, which was the decisive war between the Egyptians and the Hittites for control over Syria. It took place in the spring of the fifth year of the reign of Ramses II. Like me, Ramses II found himself in mortal danger. Accordingly, he makes a plea to his god, Amun, which was a god in Egyptian mythology that in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt. His position as King of Gods developed to the point of virtual monotheism where other gods became manifestations of him. With Osiris, Amun-Ra is the most widely recorded of the Egyptian Gods. The following is synopsis of Ramses’ II partition to Amun-Ra during the Battle of Kadesh:

Here I stand, All alone; There is no one at my side, My warriors and chariots a feared, Have deserted me, none heard My voice, when to the cravens I, their king, for succor, cried. But I find that Amun's grace Is better far to me Than a million fighting men and ten thousand chariots be. Yea, better than ten thousand, be they brother, be they son, When with hearts that beat like one, Together for to help me they are gathered in one place. The might of men is nothing, it is Amun who is lord, What has happened here to me is according to your word, And I will not now transgress your command; But alone, as here I stand, To you my cry I send, Unto earth's extremest end, Saying, 'Help me, father Amun, against the Hittite horde."'

It is important to note that in the three religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, whenever the faithful pray, regardless of language, they always end their prayer by saying Amen. There is no linguistic translation for Amen, because it is a name and not a word. The origin of Amen is Egyptian, for Amen was taken from the name of Amun-Ra. The Jews have learned about Amen during their sojourn in Egypt, which lasted for four generations. The name of Amun, which means the Hidden One, in Ancient Egypt, lives on.

Latter Years
In January 2007, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I have one chance for a cure. The doctor explained that the Whipple procedure was a twelve hour surgical operation that is fraught with the risk of fatal consequences. The Whipple procedure surgery is a complicated process that requires a great deal of skill to perform. I often refer to this has a reengineering of my digestive system.

However, this operation was the best hope for complete eradication of the cancer that was wrecking havoc on my pancreas. With only one day notice, I began preparation for this uncertain outcome. On the night before the operation, I organized my financial, legal, and other matters and spent many quiet hours alone in pray. In addition, I organized the things that I would take with me to the hospital. The obvious items including a tooth brush and tooth paste, slippers and pajamas were packed. Other important items included my cell phone, which included my contact directory and music files with an attachable speaker system.The next morning, I arrived at the Howard University Hospital early. The twelve hour surgery was completed without incident. After, spending several hours in the recovery room, I was wheeled to the intensive care unit (ICU). During the first night in the ICU the pain was immense.

Songs of Praise
The combination of pray, morphine and songs of praise got me through one of the most difficult evenings of my life. Thanks to my cell phone and handy dandy mini- speaker system, I was comforted with songs of praise and worship all night long. Examples include Yolanda Adams’ “The Battle is the Lord’s”, Richard Smallwood’s “Angels, ” and “Changed”, by Tramine Hawkins to name a few. As many of you know, Richard Smallwood is a Howard University alumnus. The lyrics from his song “Angles” have special meaning. In part, he says, “unseen hands guide me through the pain and darkness. Yes, angles are watching over me.”

Ironically, ancient Egyptians regarded Amun-Ra as the “hidden one”, which the ancient Egyptians prayed to in the time of trouble. This seems to be more than just an ironic coincidence to Smallwood’s lyrics. The next morning the nurses stated that the praise and worship service through song that I conducted all night long was a blessing to them.

I was present at Walter Hawkins’ last concert in April 2010, which was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. This was Bishop Hawkins’ last public performance prior to succumbing to a two year battle against pancreatic cancer. His words and songs of praise and worship still ring in my ears. He shared his battle with the audience and told us that God is in the business of performing marvels. He thanked God for allowing him to live. I thank God for Bishop Hawkins’ legacy of songs of praise, faith and worship. Some of my favorite songs include Marvelous, Going Up Yonder, Be Grateful, Never Alone, and When the Battle is Over.

Epilogue

My prayer is simple; Thy will be done. This has become a litmus test for the balance of my journey. I had to turn it over to Him and trust that it would be alright. Because like songstress Yolanda Adams’ said the Battle is the Lord’s. There is power in turning it over. Hallelujah!

The doctors said that my recovery might take six months. Through the grace of God I was back to light duty at work in six weeks. During the time at home I prayed, shouted and worshipped Him unceasingly. I thanked Him not only for what He had done but for what He was going to do.

More than a year after the surgery I was leaving a meeting and one of my Howard University co-workers stopped me to inquiry about my health. I indicated that I was doing fine. He mentioned that I helped him to renew his faith. In amazement, I asked him how this was so. He said it was because of what I said to him during a visit he made to my hospital room. I asked, what did I say? He stated that I said that I knew that there were Angels watching over me (undoubtedly my ancient ancestors, my father and mother, and a host of others). He then said that he could see the peace and calm in my face. Moreover, a year later he was a witness to my marvelous recovery.

It has been more than three and a half years since my diagnosis. The statistics suggest that the survival rate beyond five years is around five percent. The doctors and nurses all marveled at my recovery. Some called it a miracle. But, I know that Jesus is the marvel worker and I am just the vessel. It is with gratitude that I thank the nurses and doctors at Howard University Hospital.

A note of special is extended to my surgeon, Dr. Wayne Frederick, a gifted prodigy that journeyed from his home in Trinidad at the age of 16 to begin his undergraduate education at Howard University. He then went on to graduate from Howard’s medical school. He is a talented Surgical Oncologist and acting director of Howard University’s Cancer Center. Dr. Frederick is the protégé of the legendary Dr. LaSalle Leffall, who is currently the Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery at Howard University Hospital. It is noteworthy that Dr. Leffall was trained by the iconic Dr. Charles Drew, a legendary pioneer in the field of blood transfusion. I thank God for the skill, dedication, and compassion of these exemplars of medical excellence. Their work is consistent with the spirit of Imhotep (2655-2600 BC) who was one of the world's most famous ancients from Kemet and is often recognized as the world's first doctor, a priest, scribe, sage, poet, astrologer, and a vizier and chief minister. Imhotep is considered the father of medicine. In fact, Dr. Eric Anthony Joseph, a scholar from Lincoln University asserts the following:

When the Egyptians crossed the Mediterranean Sea, becoming the foundation of the Greek culture, Imhotep's teachings were absorbed and sampled there. Yet, as the modern Greeks were determined to assert that they were the originators of almost everything, Imhotep was forgotten for thousands of years. In his place the legendary figure Hippocrates, who came 2,000 years after Imhotep, became known "incorrectly" as the "Father of Medicine."

This falsehood is so woven into the pedagogical fabric of western higher learning that upon graduation from western medical schools students must or will take this erroneous and rightly called "Hippocratic" oath! What a hypocrisy made by my so-called learned scholars who continue to perpetrate this known "lie" to the next generation of physicians

In conclusion, although the journey is not over, I have learned that faith and grace are enduring dimensions of a God-center life. Five themes emerge that are critical to staying on course. These include:

The power of prayer

Reading His Word

Turning it over to Him

Songs of Praise

Unwavering Faith in His Divinity

The most important of these is Faith. Hebrew 11:6 says, Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Praise the Lord my Rock, Redeemer, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I lift Him up. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

Yours in the spirit of Ma’at (truth, balance, order, law, morality, and justice.)

Clarence Jones, CPA

Living Large

2010-08-11T13:35:00.002-04:00

The Karnak Temple is the most important and archaeological site in Kemet. It is the largest temple complex ever constructed with Amun as the central figure of the temple and is referred to as Ipet Resyt (the southern private chambers). The prominent local divinities of Karnak were Montu and Amun. We saw the sandstone columns and still painted ceilings of Hypostle Hall, the Kiosk of Taharqa, Hatshepsut’s obelisk, the Sacred Lake, and the Festival Temple of Djehutymes III. One of the most impressive things I found about the Karnak Temple besides the fact that it took about 31 people to make a full circle around one of the columns, was the sphinx-lined processional way that stretched to the Luxor Temple.

As usual, in order to further enhance our general knowledge, we took a detour to the White Chapel. The White Chapel was built by Senwosret I and is also known as the world’s first university. The beautiful and tragic thing about the White Chapel is that many people are unaware of its existence. Because of this, they are missing out on the legacy and history. It is in this quaint, little building that students learned astronomy and theology and how they are but one science rather than two which is used as direction for their daily lives. At this temple, I was blessed with an out of body experience as Dr. Carr performed a libation. There is nothing that can compare to or describe the thoughts and feelings I had that makes me even more thankful and appreciative of having the opportunity to have this experience.

The Luxor Temple is dedicated to Amun Re. It is referred to as the southern Opet (place of seclusion). At this temple, we got to see first hand the greatest example of these modern day crooks participating in one of their favorite activities-restoration of the temple. (ie. the desecration of the original work in attempts to make it look pretty and the way it might have originally looked in the ancient times.) Personally, I do not see why they find restoration to be necessary because it takes away from the natural, personal affect the original Egyptian works give. In my opinion, they should be allowed to age without interruption.

Brother James

2010-08-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

James & I showing some brotherhood at Karnak

Arrival in Waset (Thebes): The Power and the Most Select of Places

2010-08-11T00:04:00.008-04:00

We have arrived at the world's largest temple complex of the classical era, the nearly two mile stretch of buildings known as Ipet Isut (Karnak to the Greeks) and Southern Opet (Luxor Temple). The collective area, which covers both sides of the Nile and includes the Valley of the Kings and Queens, was called Waset ("The Scepter of Power") by the Ancients and Thebes by the Greeks. Here, Kemet centered the marriage of governance structure, spiritual philosophy, scientific inquiry and artistic expression, beginning in predynastic times and stretching across the entire unbroken three millennium life of the nation. Traveling here by bus from Aswan yesterday, we stopped at two of the most important temple sites of the Late Period, the massive double temple complex dedicated to Sobek and Haroeris at Kom Ombo and the imposing Temple to Heru (Horus) at Edfu, the largest temple remaining from classical Kemet (note the scale in the picture above: we are standing next to one of the figures of Heru as a falcon that appears so tiny in the picture of the temple pylons).

At Kom Ombo, we considered the significance of the double "holy of holies," examined the temple's "per medjat" (library, or literally "house of books"), its "per ankh" ("house of life," where scribal instruction was carried out) and the stunning display of medical instruments and techniques, including various scalpels, forceps, sponges, mortars and cupping vessels that link the practice of medicine from the 2700 b.c. era of Imhotep (who the Greek swore to as Asclepius in the Hypocratic Oath) through the age of Greek and Roman study under Kemetic tutelage in the third century b.c.e.

At Edfu, we explored the remarkable recitation in stone of the "Battle of Heru and Set," a central narrative of testing one's character in the face of the ultimate adversity that lies near the center of Kemetic cosmology. The night before, our last in the idyllic surroundings of Aswan, the gateway to Nubia in classical and contemporary times, we reviewed the implications of African concepts of character, from the Kemetic through the Yoruba idea of "iwa rere" to contemporary moorings in African-Centered psychology.

Our nightly class sessions have reached a watershed of intensity as our students have begun to grasp a basic familiarity with elements of Kemetic language. Today, we will examine the implications of a national building project that, like the pyramid age, was designed to bond the entire population to a common purpose and resonant social meaning: the elevation of the Divine as a first order organizing principle of national life. Today's work is the first necessary step toward bringing together all we have learned and are laying the foundation for studying.

We are working to upload many more images, some video and the power points from our class sessions shortly. The internet access here is better than in Aswan, which will facilitate our efforts. Keep reading!

They Had to Have Magical Powers!-No.They Were Just African

2010-08-10T18:17:00.001-04:00

Today was another day with a very calm environment despite Re possibly giving us the biggest kiss he has given us to date. It seems that the majority of us of were sleep on the bus ride to and from both temples.

Today, we visited Kom Ombo famous for its double Holy of Holies and where there are engravings of the first representation of medical instruments for performing surgery, including scalpels, curettes, forceps, dilators, scissors and medicine bottles. It seems crazy to me that things we still use today were created or discovered and used for the same purposes thousands of years ago. Kom Ombo later became a Greek settlement during the Greco-Roman period. The Greeks did not try to impose but tried to synthesize Egyptian culture.

Edfu is the temple of Horus and is the second largest single most preserved temple in the world. It tells the story of Horus’ triumph over Set (disorder, conflict, seek of power) -never deleted but defeated in order to maintain order in the universe. The engravings were so immaculate, so incredulous, and so intricate. It was so unfathomable. Also, everything in every temple is so perfectly aligned and carved. The Egyptians oriented this temple as they did the others in line with the solar cycle. I do not know why we are still amazed by all of these things after a week of seeing all these extraordinary works. One of my peers is still so amazed that she posed the explanation to this greatness as the Egyptians having magical powers. I said, “No. They were just African.” That in itself should have you expecting greatness beyond measure.

HU in the Nile

2010-08-10T16:05:00.002-04:00

Greetings from Kemet

2010-08-10T07:19:00.000-04:00

I bring greetings from the land of our ancestors,

This is the first blog I've been able to post, so I have a lot of making up to do. This past week in Egypt has left such an impression on my spirit that I cannot even begin to describe the feelings I've been having, so at the very least I can share what has affected me. From the pyramids, the sphinx, the tombs and temples to the market place, the nubian village and the bazaars, I feel that I have seen the world and it's only been one week. And beyond what we're seeing in Egypt, what we're learning is also amazing.

Since I've been in Egypt I've had to confront the eurocentricity that I realize is very present in my own mentality though I try to repudiate its existence. And notions such as black Egyptians, though they were enticing sounded fallacious to me. But I have seen the hieroglyphics depicting a great people with black skin. I have heard the history and I am now rejecting the lies that have been forcibly fed to my consciousness. The ancient Egyptians were a great and mighty people and every pyramid, every hieroglyphic is a testament to their might. Walking into each building is a spiritual event because I recognize that the contributions of these people are still evident and very relevant to contemporary life though I never knew it.

Take the story of Auset, whose Greek translated name is Isis. She, the maternal line, transmitted power to the rulers. She is identified by the thrown that is placed above her crown in hieroglyphics because she transmits kingship; she transmits power; her son becomes ruler. The Goddess Isis has been worshipped by different names all over the world and her contemporary counterpart is the Virgin Mary, praised for the life she brought into this world. When I heard this I was amazed.

There is so much more I would like to share, but I'm pressed for time.

Until next time,

ankh, udja, seneb (life, prosperity, health)

Gloria

Welcome Back to Childhood

2010-08-09T23:11:00.003-04:00

Today we are visiting the Aswan rock tombs. The means of transportation today? Sailboat!! The atmosphere is a great change from the regular bus ride-calmer, more peaceful, and more relaxing. Thankfully, I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER today because if I still had that little cold I would not have been able to handle all the activity we did today. Nothing but rocks, sand, and sheer personal strength, endurance, and will power to reach the top. It was definitely a hike. But we all made it. Next stop was our tour guide, Faruk’s village where we were welcomed with open arms by the mayor and children. We were shown great hospitality and were entertained by the children as they sang us songs and we jumped rope with them. It was a great honor and privilege for them to open up their personal space to us and even consider us family. We ended the day with a swim in the Nile. The boat ride to the area designated for swimming was proof of the family we have created with each other in the last week. The energy of this connectedness we have established resonates to others when we are together so intensely that they want to add to the energy. When we arrived at the swimming area, that’s when I think we all reverted back to our childhood ways where nothing mattered except us having fun by any means necessary. This includes jumping off the top of the boat into the Nile. Now how many people can say they have done that?! Yup, it is ok for you to be jealous now.

Nubian Village!!

2010-08-09T19:31:00.002-04:00

Visiting the Nubian village was definitely one of the best hours of my life. It was the home of our tour guide Farouk. His mayor and the kids were so happy to see us. They were energetic and friendly. The boys gave us a lively welcome song full of drum beats and dancing. Then we taught the girls how to jump rope. They asked for notebooks and pens. It was just so hard to turn them down when we ran out of items. I will never forget those kids.

Afterwards, we went swimming in the Nile! Well, I just stepped into the Nile. But, others jumped off the top of the boat into the Nile. Words cannot describe their boldness. It was a great experience, too. Nobody wanted to leave.

Overall, this was a peaceful, relaxing day. Much more so than the sweltering days we have endured thus far. Now I must get ready for tomorrow's journey to Luxor.

Like Coming Home

2010-08-09T14:39:00.001-04:00

After a week of traveling around visiting the ancient ruins of Kemetic civilization we finally were able to go to our guide Farouk's villiage on Elephantine Island. Three words: IT WAS AMAZING. Like children in the U.S. the kids are currently on their summer break however, many of them came out to see us as we arrived in our sail boat and presented a monetary gift to the mayor of the town and visited the surrounding area. I couldn't help but shed a tear at all the smiles I saw from the young Nubians who in so many ways reminded me not only of children who I know back in the States, but reminded me of how I used to physically look so long ago. As they sung a celebratory song for our enjoyment it quickly became apparent that some things in life, African life at least are truly universal such as jump rope. Some of the girls began to show off their many skills and even I joined in on the fun. I was amazed at how excited they were to see us and unlike many other places in Egypt where we have been constantly mobbed by people of all ages asking for money, I only had one little girl namd Zaynab ask me for something so that she could get a bottle of water from the local store and I gave her my 10 pound bill under the condition that she share with her sister Amira.

After we left the villiage we went to swim in the Nile river and to my surprise the same group of young people were already at our pre-determined swimming location. Today I felt that I was truly home.

Strip Me

2010-08-09T11:28:00.002-04:00

Egypt is everything I wanted it to be and also everything I could have never imagined it to be. It's quite funny how things can be so different halfway around the world, but also the same as what you see on a daily basis in your own backyard. For instance, the highest price I've paid for a can soda is $4.00! (I was DESPERATE!!!) But contrastingly, I saw the effects of "gentrification" in Egypt, something that is no stranger to the city of Washington D.C. It's also interesting to see how the tourist industry vigorously drives the country of Egypt and how vital it is for the survival of the Egyptian people.

It's quite amazing to view the impact history can have on a person. When I was a second grader, my mom gave me a CD that had a virtual tour of Egypt on it. Everyday for at least three months I would watch the tour and learn various things such as how mummies were prepared, what lakes emptied out into the Nile River, and the names of various kings, queens, and pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. For a long time, I have always said that Egypt would be my first international trip. And what do you know? I am here in the great country of Egypt on the magnificent continent of Africa.

Although I had been studying this country off and on for many years including skimming of the summer reading, it dawned on me that what I had studied could only compare to one tiny spec of salt, in regards to the the concrete history or better yet OURstory that actually engulfed this country. As I looked out the window of my flight before it entered Cairo, I noticed the vast area of nothing but sand and wondered to myself if there may have been ancient ruins still buried in the actual sand. And sure enough, from the assurance of my outstanding professor, Dr. Carr who is well informed about Ourstory of ancient Egypt my thoughts were correct the artifacts that have been recovered from the ruins of Ancient Egypt is actually the tip of your pinky fingernail in comparison to your entire body. Amazing! As I walked through the terminal, went through customs, and stepped out in the 106℉ weather with a blazing sun hitting the back of my neck, I decided I wanted to be stripped. I wanted to be stripped of the National Geographic virtual tour of Egypt (although it was a great CD), stripped of western thought from western textbooks, and even stripped of the thoughts of Egyptian Egyptologists like Zahi Hawass, who should probably go back and rethink his theories, especially on the issue of race of the Ancient Egyptians. So Egypt, you have my permission to strip me. Let your statues, temples, and artifacts strip me of HIStory and begin to tell OURstory.

A few Egypt Pictures and People

2010-08-09T11:14:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for following us!! We are enjoying this experience and taking lots of pictures to bring them back to you. We are meeting new people, and getting closer with other colleges. I can truly say that most if not everyone, feels right at home when we are here. We see COUSINS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, UNCLES, AUNTS, everyday. Today (Aug 9th) we went to a village in Aswan and spent time with the children (little cousins) and adults (family). Aswan has been 1 of the best highlights so far, we honestly look just like the people who live here.

Until nextime

Hotep

Access and Ease

2010-08-09T00:38:00.000-04:00

Rinsing your toothbrush before you put it up-- you never know how much of a habit this is until you are FORBIDDEN to do it!

While in Egypt, I have learned to not take things for granted. We have so much in the United States and we don’t even think about the ease at which it comes. Like my first sentence says, we alludes, we cannot drink the water. Everyday we have to brush our teeth with bottled water. There have been some close calls, but everyday we have to remind ourselves to not drink the water or to stay away from certain foods.

Another thing that I have learned to appreciate is internet. In the states, basically everywhere I go, I have access to wi-fi. Here, that was not the case—at least not for the first few days. I was almost embarrassed by how much I longed to “tweet” or get on Facebook. I felt so disconnected! Along with being away from the World Wide Web, I was and still am, without a cell phone. Besides the few $0.50 texts that I send, I cannot talk to any of my loved ones. I know this entry sounds like I’m a spoiled kid, but I’m just keeping it real! Lol.

But although I have been without some amenities that I have at home, I have had the chance to meet some very cool people. Those that I already knew, I have been able to see a different side of. I am very excited to start out the new school year with these people!!! Love y’all!

Attempt to Limit Me.-I AM AFRICAN. I WILL RESIST.

2010-08-08T16:11:00.001-04:00

Temple visits today!!!! Today we had a 2:15 wake up call due to the fact that we had to make a 4 hour drive down to Abu Simbel which is close to Sudan. We also visited the Nubian Museum. It is official, I am sick. I have a little cold, but I refuse to miss anything. As Dr. Carr says, “You can’t come this far, and not take the last two steps.” I will take these last two steps, even if I have to crawl them.

Abu Simbel: the Temple of Ramses II is dedicated to ReHurakhte, Amon, & Ramses II himself. He built it as a warning to tribes further south, of his absolute power and a glorification of himself and his great deeds. He chose the location with such precision so that twice a year the first rays of the sun rising illuminated the Holy of Holies located in the temple. The days which this occurred were February 22 (his birthday) and Oct 22. After the temple was moved due to the building of the High Dam, the days are now February 21 and October 22. The two most notable features of the temple are the world's firs peace treaty which Ramses made with the Hittites located close to the bottom left hand corner of the front of the temple and the very first grafitti located on one of the massive statue's knee also in the front of the temple.

The temple of Nefertarti is located next to Abu Simbel. It was built for Ramses II’s first and favorite wife, Nefertari. The temple is dedicated to Hathor and is smaller than the great temple Ramses built for himself. Ramases' temple was extravagant and fueled the argument of the height of his arrogance. In my opinion, I do not think it was arrogance. His conceitedness was well deserved. He ruled for 67 years and was an essential and vital part of the development of ancient Egypt.

The worst part of the day was the fact that we were not allowed to take pictures and talking was also prohibited, i.e. tour guides. There was an incident where Dr. Carr was explaining some glyphs to us and someone came in, reprimanded him with a firm “No talking” and made an attempt to kick him out of the area. Furthermore, there are unnecessary areas designated for no pictures in the temples and there are people with no authority to enforce it. There are many times I have found myself restraining my thoughts from being spoken in not so many words to let them know that they have no right to impose limitations on how I choose to document the work of my ancestors. Then have even less of a right to take them from me if I do, such as they did to one of my peers. I need them to start showing respect and stop using tourism as a means for their own economic enhancement.

The environment of the Nubian Museum was less strict than that of the temples. They gave us full access to take pictures and even allowed us to touch some of the pieces. The museum highlighted Nubian culture and civilization in comparison to that of the Egyptian. In my opinion, there should be more museums like the Nubian Museum.

Endurance

2010-08-08T15:11:00.002-04:00

For the past 3 days, we have been in Aswan, Egypt. The difference between here and Cairo are night and day. Although we did not really get a chance to roam the streets of Cairo, there is a difference that one can sense in the people. We had all been told that Aswan was much more laid back and had a “southern feel”. After being here for 3 days, and called “cousin” by countless Nubians, I have come to love this place.

The weather here has been unbelievable. I have NEVER been anywhere that had a low temperature of 91 and a high of 113. Back in the US, we have nothing to complain about! Lol. I have never been so hot in my life. But through it all, I have to remember that we are here for a great reason, but I know that I wouldn’t miss this for anything.

Our hotel, The Movenpick, located on Elephantine Island is beautiful and has a very nice view of the town. One of my favorite memories here was going to the market. We did not know where exactly it was, but once we stumbled up it, we entered an entirely new world. One block off of the main street, we were immersed into Nubian life. Bargaining with vendors and walking among the people, we all agreed that this place was great! It is amazing to see how many people are out late at night. It seems like the city never sleeps.

Yesterday we visited Philae Island and the Temple of Isis. After a short boat ride, we came around a small bend and were all awe-struck by the immensity of the temple and the small complex surrounding it. Walking between the columns, and noticing that EVERY column had a different design, attested to the creativity and skill of the Egyptians. At every site, I am amazed by the craftsmanship and longevity of the monuments. The conviction in the beliefs that Egyptians possessed definitely serves as an inspiration and aspiration for me.

Today, we drove out to Abu Simbil. It was amazing to see the temples of Ramses II and Nefertari hidden in the mountains. I applaud those who helped move the temples and the incredible care that was taken in doing so. The buildings are massive and the walls are very heavily adorned. It seems that nothing has really been changed after all of these years. We were not allowed to take any pictures inside, which was a huge disappointment. I wish that I could share with you the brilliance of the walls and the stories that they told. Every day here, the sites that I see amaze me. This has truly been an amazing trip thus far and I think that everyone should visit here at least once in their lives to witness the great history of our people.

The Spirit of Resistance

2010-08-08T12:08:00.000-04:00

There were rules set before we could enter the temple. No photos inside, no tour guides allowed to talk inside either. As we walked through Abu Simbel, the beauty and grace of the structure was riveting. We were ready and eager to learn. As Dr. Carr was describing the scene to us, one of the guards stopped him, and pulled him to the side letting him know that he couldn't explain anything to us. He quickly obliged the guard, and after the guard walked away, he resumed his explanation. This was a common occurrence throughout the temple. What is the point of looking at pretty pictures if you don't know what they mean? It takes away from the whole experience. Eventually, I wondered off and ended up near Dr. Beatty. He was describing a magnificent scene in a hushed voice, and again, he too was silenced. Although they were silenced, it did not stop them from trying to teach us. They are the true definitions of teachers.

As I continued wandering, I became upset. I couldn't understand why we couldn't learn, why we couldn't photograph our history. My friend asked me was I ok, and I told her what happened. I ended up calming down, and I began to realize that getting mad wouldn't solve anything, and that I should appreciate the few moments that I actually had to hear their words.

An Intellectual Meeting of the Minds

2010-08-08T10:33:00.000-04:00

I started writing this blog at 5:51 am on the bus headed to Abu Simbel. I took a brief nap, and now I’m up reflecting on the trip thus far. I think back to the classes and the individual discussions I've had. I'm surrounded by eloquent, passionate speakers who share similar feelings that I have, and when they speak it riles up emotions from deep inside. The first night we were here, we had to separate into groups, and share what we wanted to gain from this trip. "A sense of self", "A better understanding of the history we were stripped of", " The chance to experience life outside of the US, and the chance to immerse myself deep into another culture", were just a few of the answers. As everyone stated his or her reasons, I was filled with a sense of camaraderie, and knew that this trip would be life changing. As our discussion went on, people shared that they were learning how to speak Arabic, or learning how to read Hieroglyphics, and countless others were working on research projects. The brainpower in our group is tremendous. I'm taking in all that I can because it is a blessing to be here. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be able to climb into a pyramid, or see the treasures of King Tut. I've been on a boat floating down the Nile, and have learned a lot about myself during this trip. Dr. Carr or Dr. Beatty quickly answer any questions that are asked, and if they don't know the answer, they find out for us.

We are taking on the jobs of scribes, writing down our experiences, snapping pictures, blogging to share our journey through our past with those who are unable to be here with us physically, but are here in spirit. This trip has taught me that one shouldn't take things at face value, and if you look closely there is normally a deeper meaning to everything, and this is the charge of intellectual integrity. Others may come here and look at the Hieroglyphics, and think: oh what pretty pictures, and not know what those pretty pictures mean. People with our group can decipher those pretty pictures, and give you a complete break down of their meaning.

Please excuse my random ramblings, there are so many thoughts in my head, and I'm trying to get them all out before I forget.

Beauty is in the Small Stuff

2010-08-07T22:27:00.007-04:00

Ok. It is only day 5 and I think I am a little sickish. It is ok though because no matter what I have to keep moving. I did not come all this way to be held back by a few sniffles and a little tickle in my throat.

Today we are visiting the unfinished obelisk, the Aswan High Dam, and the Temple of Auset ( (Isis). The obelisk represents the penis of Osiris, the husband of Auset, who was tricked to his death by his brother Set who wanted his throne. Set tore Osiris’s body into multiple pieces and scattered it around Egypt. When Auset discovered what Set had done, she journeyed around with her sister to find the pieces of his body & found all but one. The unfinished obelisk was supposed to be a monument that was supposed to last for eternity in honor of Auset. It is unfinished due to the fact that while building it a crack developed in the middle of it. The fact that the Egyptians left this great monument unfinished due to this little imperfection proves their great desire and need for perfection. Their constant need to better themselves is proven by this unfinished monument because due to the crack in the structure they felt that it was not good enough to leave as one of their everlasting marks in this world. I feel that the Egyptians strive to be better than the best is something we can all take heed to and attempt to duplicate into our daily lives.

After obelisk climbing, we visited the Aswan High Dam, which was built to help control the yearly flooding of the Nile. In my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful than the vast, blue, serene movement of the Nile.

My favorite part of the day was the temple of Auset. Auset, a very prominent figure in Egyptian history, meaning the wife, was incredible to say the least. The beauty of each inch of the temple is unique. For example, when I observed the columns no one was like another. Every single one had its own different design and every single piece of the temple told a piece of Auset’s story. The carvings are breathtaking and they really make a person appreciate the beauty behind art and architecture. In fact, seeing this and the previous Egyptian pieces makes me want to study more Egyptian art history. It makes you see the beauty in all the small things.

The Jewel Within

2010-08-07T15:57:00.004-04:00

The flight had been long and tiresome. I spent the majority of the 9 hours resting in preparation for what was to come. Only a moment before landing, I had awaken to behold a sight so beautiful, so grand. As I peered out of the small window of the airplane all I could see where the desert sands. I had arrived in Cairo, the Land of the Pharaohs, the land of my ancestors. It was difficult to contain my excitement. We settled into our hotel, across from the Pyramids of Giza. Yes! There were Pyramids in my front yard!!

The following day we journeyed south of Cairo to Memphis, "Place of the ka of Ptah", also known as Mennefer. Memphis was the early capital of the first nome of Lower Kemet. From this point, we visited the Sakkara step pyramids. The first standing stone structure designed by Imhotep, and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, were a sight to behold. We then made our way to one of the Seven Wonders of the the Ancient World, the Khufu, Khafre, and Men-ka-ra pyramids. They were indeed ruins, but still quite beautiful. To imagine that the surface of these structures where once had a smooth and shiny limestone casing like glass is beyond belief. As I climbed the Great Pyramid, I couldn't help but marvel at the intellect, artistic vision, spirit, and drive of our people. I was elated to have the opportunity to enter the Second Pyramid. The thought of being able to enter such an extraordinary and breathtaking monument never entered my mind before now. Next stop: the Sphinx!! There are no words to describe this statue as momentous as its beauty. To gaze upon its face, is to affirm that the ancient Egyptians where indeed black!

We had seen what many only see in books and on television in one day. I need time to process and reflect on it all. It was a great way to end a long day of exploration.

On our third day, we visited the Citadel of Sala El-Din, the mosque which served as the burial site for Muhammad Ali. Afterward, we made our way to the Egyptian Museum. Before entering Dr. Carr led us libations and we were able to pay homage to our ancestors, whose belongs we were about to view. I thought about my family at home, and all of those who had gone home to meet their Creator. I wished they had an opportunity to experience what I was, walk through the sands of time, and feel their spirit move from the sheer glory of our people, kings and queens, our ancestors, and realize the magnificent of themselves and aspire to greatness. The museum held only what could be considered a fingernail of our history, much of it was still lost within the sands, scattered around the world, and destroyed long ago. still it was too much to take in in one day. Perhaps the best part of the museum was the Royal Mummies Hall!! I looked directly in the face of my ancestors. Amazing!!! Never before had i felt such a powerful sense of purpose, and empowerment. I come from a long line of kings and queens, pharaohs, a "great house"!!! Awesome is my heritage.

We arrived in Aswan. Although I was exhausted from the intense sun and heat (which was well into the 100's), suffered from a minor stomach sickness (which put a damper on my adventurous spirit with food!) and had only been here for a short time, it has been an experience like no other. As I laid in my bed, I imagined what Kemet was like in ancient times, the smells, the sounds, the life. I could not wait until the next day.

August 7th, was a rather short day in comparison. We saw the High Dam in Aswan, the Unfinished Tenkenu (Oblisk). It was unfinished due to its acquired natural fault, the crack running partially down the middle of its structure. There are 29 know ancient Egyptian oblisks that survived. Of course the Washington Monument could never stand against the eminence of these structures. Our ancestors where indeed "in the front" of such makings. We sailed to the Island of Pilak to visit the Temple of Isis or Auset. It was absolutely gorgeous!! Despite graffiti from numerous invaders who only wanted to desecrate and claim what did not rightful belong to them, After viewing the parameter of this ancient ruin, I was able to steal away to have but a brief moment to myself. At this moment time seem to pause. As I looked around the temple and reflected on the amazement of it all, I felt that there was nothing on this earth, nothing in my lifetime that I could not accomplish. I was promised to greatness from birth, it was in my blood, and I longed to fulfill that destiny, to continue what had already begun.

The day ends here, but the journey is far from over.

Instructions of The Good Society

2010-08-07T15:07:00.001-04:00

Hotep people following around the world,
The Instructions of PtahHotep
PtahHotep left behind 37 maxims that he learned from his long life. PtahHotep literally means "peace of the Creator or God". For him to leave behind a list of things that he's learned to lead a peaceful and long life takes immediate precedence. There is a quote that immediately hits me and here are my reflections on it.
If you are a man who leads,
Whose authority reaches wide,
You should do outstanding things,
Remember the day comes after.
No strife will occur in the midst of honors,
But where the crocodile enters hatred arises.
Well there was one thought that kept coming into my mind throughout the whole piece and it was on the topic of the continuity of what Dr. Carr introduces as modalities of the African Diaspora.
In Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition Cedric Robinson writes that there is a raw metaphysical cultural unity of modern Black people. One of the major themes of our study is re-claiming the past starting with Classical African civilizations and moving forward. With those two thoughts in mind, I was thinking about our conflict to liberate ourselves from the powers that be. It entered my mind what if our leaders were aware of our own traditions to claim inner Africa as the real origin of what really informs their leadership.
PtahHotep is the wise, learned pacifist. He teaches that how to be silent in the face of conflict, he says that we need not be greedy and be content with God has in store for us. What if somebody taught Dr. King about PtahHotep at Morehouse College? What if he claimed an African tradition that was 4000 years old instead of saying he liked the ideas of Ghandi? It would be profound if Black leadership could be made aware of what Black people have been doing since the beginning of what we know as "time". It's on us to spread and apply what we learn.
These are the things that I don't have the wisdom to articulate. I appreciate what PtahHotep has to say and I wish to add to it.
Wake up Black people,

James Robinson
Howard University Student Association
Director of Student Advocacy for 2010 - 2011
(786)302.5496
jamesrobinson1010@hotmail.com
@kurtleelove

A Feeling of Connection

2010-08-07T14:37:00.002-04:00

We have been here now for several days. I came into this experience somewhat mindful of the importance of going to Egypt (Kemet). However, I never realized that I would actually feel a strong connection to my ancestors. As we first landed off the airplane into Cairo, Egypt, I felt a sense of peace and purpose. In Cairo, I experienced many great things from seeing the beautiful pyramids of Giza, enjoying Egyptian food, being hustled by street vendors, going to the great Cairo Museum, the Muhammad Ali Mosque, and last but not least riding a camel for the first time! I had always seen pyramids in many books and on television, but to experience them first hand is something I will never forget. As I looked at the details of each pyramid I was amazed. We all had the opportunity to go into one of the pyramids. Even though the way down into the pyramids was hard, it was truly worth the experience. After the long climb down into the pyramid, looking up and seeing the hieroglyphics on the walls with 'brown' people was breathtaking. The pyramids made me think of my ancestors, and their struggles and successes to get my generation to where we are today. I thought about their process of being taken away from their homes where they were kings and queens. I was really touched. Even though I knew I was a descendant of kings and queens, it was really confirmed being in the midst of the tombs of former pharaohs. During the trip, Dr. Carr led us in a libation at the Cairo museum. We were able to pay homage to our ancestors. I truly felt again a sense of peace and purpose. It felt as if being in the land of my ancestors, made me stronger and more empowered to be a change agent in world. I wondered if they ever thought it would be possible for their future generations to return to the lands they were taken from without choice. My greatest moment thus far from this trip has been being able to feel a connection to my ancestors. For without them and my most recent immediate family I would be nothing. I am truly thankful to be experiencing a life-changing feeling of connection to my strong, determined, and beautiful ancestors.

Black Diamonds and Pearls

2010-08-07T14:34:00.001-04:00

So far my favorite part of the trip has been the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This museum houses some of the treasures of the Egyptian civilization and culture. We were in this museum for hours, and the collection was so massive we didn’t have time to see everything. I wish that we were allowed to take pictures in the museum, because the statues, paintings, jewelry, mummies, and anything you could think of were there in its entire splendor.

I entitled this blog “Black Diamonds and Pearls” because the whole time in the museum the Nas song “If I Ruled the World” was playing on repeat in my head. In “If I Ruled the World” Nas says “opening their eyes to the lies that history has told foul.” I wish that every African American could come to Cairo to see that the Kings and Queens were Black people, and not “Caucazoid North Africans.” It would give them a greater knowledge of their history and where we actually came from. The title of the song is also significant because there is a time where our people actually ruled the world. People came to Egypt to learn from the great scribes, and took the Egyptians style of building. Egyptian kings and queens, in my opinion, black diamonds and pearls, ruled for thousands of years, and under their leadership created monumental buildings and unstoppable empires.

As we ventured through the museum, Gavette and I found ourselves having different discussions. There were many statues of Kings and Queens, husbands and wives together. This lead to us compare the family structure of today verses the family structure in Ancient Egypt. We discussed how the single parent family rate of African Americans is so high now and how back then, the family dynamic was much different. Although the single parent family rate is high, there are still traditions that remain the same. We were talking about how the family structure in Ancient Egypt is matrilineal, and how our families are too. There were numerous other similarities as well. I find myself flabbergasted at times when I think of how long these traditions and cultures have stood the test of time. As we continued throughout the museum, I ended up standing in front of a statue they believed to be Nefertiti. As I stood in front of the statue, I called my friend over so that she could see how tremendously similar our body shapes were. It had me amazed, and this lead to a discussion about the “Power of the Sway.” The “Power of the Sway” is how we as women present ourselves. It’s our demeanor, our scent, our essence and beauty. It is what attracts men to us. We as women are powerful, and I think that from time to time we forget that. Being in the museum reminded me that. We alone have the ability to birth nations, and are protectors, nurtures, and extremely strong. The perfect example of this is Isis. She was told that her husband was murdered by his brother, and she gathered up her sister to help her find the pieces. For centuries, black women have done what they needed to do for the ones they love, and have always been there to protect them.

As our tour of the museum ended, I was on the bus and reflected on the Libation we had before we entered into the museum. As we poured water for the people in the past, present, and future generations, I looked around at the people from the 7 different schools, together as one, brothers and sisters, black diamonds and pearls.

“You Don’t Build a Pyramid With Out Dreaming”

2010-08-07T14:33:00.001-04:00

“You don’t go around the world and not take the last two steps.” –Dr Carr. This quote resonated throughout my head the entire first day we actually ventured out and studied. Our day started out at 7:45, so that we could beat the heat. Our journey took us to Memphis where we visited the Mit Rahina museum. Here we saw numerous statues of Ramses II. My favorite statue and the most awe-inspiring one was kept inside for display. We had to walk up the stairs just to take in the full view of the statue. This statue is 100 tons, and 14 meters high, made out of a limestone block. The details on this statue were immaculate. Every outline, all of his facial features, even intricate details woven inside of the statue were simply amazing. It had me speechless. To think that this great piece of art was crafted with no technology and simple hand tools was astonishing.

After we left, we headed to Sakkara, where the step pyramids, and the first stone tomb are located. We had the opportunity to walk through the tombs, and had our first taste of dealing with a “crocodile alley” which is a place filled with people trying to sell us souvenirs. The weather started to turn toasty quickly. I was ready to leave, but I didn’t want to miss anything, so I stuck it out, and I am glad that I did because everything was worth seeing. To get into the tombs, we had to crouch down, and I was glad that I wasn’t claustrophobic. Everything around us was filled with such rich history and culture.

Our journey also took us to Giza where we had the chance to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid, aka the Pyramid of Khufu Khafre. They are working on restoring it, so we didn’t get to walk through his pyramid. We walked through the Cheops boat museum, which houses the 140-foot boat of Pharaoh Khufu, which is also the oldest surviving ship in the world. Near the pyramids is where a lot of peddlers wait, and bombarded us with trinkets and souvenirs. After a while it got annoying because it was hot, and I hate being harassed. We had to rush after we left the second Pyramid so that we could make it to the Sphinx before it closed. We had to rapidly take a group picture in front of the Pyramids, and quickly sped to the Sphinx. We barely made it, but we got to see it and learn its history. We boarded the bus to head back to the hotel, and then it was dinner time. We were all drained, but we learned a plethora of information, and I think that we all felt as if everything was so surreal. After dinner we had to attend class. I wanted to skip it, but again, Dr. Carr’s words resounded through my head. “You don’t go……” In class we learned about the other places we were going to visit, and about honorific transposition. Dr. Carr and Dr. Beatty didn’t want to keep us since our day was long, and for those of us who wanted to stay, Dr. Beatty was offering a class on uniliterals, which includes the main hieroglyphics, and their transliterations. We even went over the pronunciations, and how to draw the characters. I was glad that I stayed, because this was an important lesson. We stayed for about an hour, and afterwards I raced back to my room to reflect on the wonderful day we had, and then I was off to sleep.

Smh... (continues)

2010-08-07T14:07:00.000-04:00

I was unable to add this in the comments from my previous blog, "Smh" because it was too large, so I'm setting it as a new post.

You know... It was hard for me to write that blog because I AM a Christian. I was afraid that people would look at it as though I was speaking down on Christianity. At the same time, I feel as though it is my obligation to give credit where credit is due. It's respect.

Angi, you know how deep our discussion was last year. When we witnessed all of the things we saw in Egypt, some people felt lost. We clearly saw the similarities between modern religions and the religion of Ancient Kmt which came first. We were truly LOST. "Well, what do I do now? I don't want to leave what I have been following all of my life? I can't leave my religion!"

That's the thing...you don't have to and I think that that's something people who learn about Ancient Kmt should know. I believe that this issue is a major problem in spreading the truth.

You can still believe in who or what you want to believe in. This is about respect; respect for others and their beliefs. We discussed in class that the people of Ancient Kmt met people from all over the world with beliefs in different religions. They didn't deny them or look down on them. They RESPECTED their religions, acknowledged them, and KEPT their own religion. That's why it has been able to last, consistently, throughout the many dynasties.

When we can understand that we all are different and have different beliefs, we'll eliminate many problems of the World. We'll begin to tell the truth. We'll begin to give credit to those who have set a foundation for us. There is nothing wrong in giving credit. That doesn't mean you have betrayed or left what you originally believe.

Simply put...do what works for you, but show respect.

Now, the fear of betraying/leaving our current beliefs is NOT the only reason why the truth continuously fails to be HEARD (not told). A second reason is due to the fact that people simply don't know. There are people that try to get the word out, but there are other people with more outlets that prevent the story from being told. Smh...

This leads to the third reason. Some people know the truth, but refuse to tell it because it wasn't their people... I'll stop at that

Return of the Whirlwind

2010-08-07T13:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we had our first full class lecture day, where we did not visit any new sites but instead listened to Dr. Carr and Dr. Beatty's presentations on the places where we have gone and the places we are heading. An interesting discussion ensued in which we discussed the purpose and methods of scholarship on and by African people. We discussed the purpose of being scribes for our people and the times in which we live and having this discussion in the modern day Nubia made my experience at Howard all the more important in terms of academic genealogy. As we discussed aspects of the writings of Ptah-Hotep and the Memphite Creation Narrative I began to wonder what was the importance of having all these brilliant African minds figuratively locked in a room discussing our peoples history in Africa and how does this relate to Howard University?

At the end of the discussion one of the ladies who came with us mentioned a quote by Marcus Garvey in which he said "Look for me in the whirlwind" in which he meant that future generations would pick up where he had left off, and almost on Que. we witnessed a very mysterious whirlwind pick up around the hotel! Our guide, Walid told me that this was very unexpected and out of season but as silly as it may sound to some I had a feeling that this was a sign from Garvey and our other African ancestors that we were doing a powerful thing and more importantly that we were doing something right. Today we went to the Temple of Auset (aka Isis) on Phile Island. This place was the last hold our for the ancient Kemetic spiritual system and is a simply awe-inspiring place. The columns ranged in style, the outer and inner sanctums hummed with a spirit of a time long gone but still in motion.

As we made our pilgrimage into what some would turn the Holy of Holies in the temple I could only think about the ancient initiates who once walked the same halls. Even though this place was built during the Greek reign it still buzzed of Africa, our home. On an even more personal level our attention was constantly drawn to the graffiti left by Arab, Greek, French and other invaders from centuries past. Unexpectedly I found a name etched in one of the satellite buildings: "J. Morgan". Although odds are the person who wrote that was not named James or even of African descent I still felt that I was being sent a message by the Creator that I should recognize how I as a student am a part of a bigger tapestry and that the work that we do today can have a sweeping impact on those who come after me. Nobody knew that we would be walking through the ruins of their Temple when it was in operation, just like we don't know who could be walking through the ruins of our great institution thousands of years from now. The one thing that we do know is that the only thing that matters is that we do our best at our craft. What is our craft? Scholarship! When it is all said and done, we are all going to the same place, which is the grave however works can last an eternity so it is my solemn pledge to future generations, those of whom that I may never meet that I will dedicate my life to truth and justice and whenever falsehood and social ill should rear their ugly heads they will be able to look for me, better yet look for us in the whirlwind.

Welcome to Kemet

2010-08-07T09:15:00.001-04:00

Although the trip has only just begun, it has already become one of the best experiences of my life. In the first two days, I have climbed, ducked, and sweated my body to near exhaustion and would do it all over again if given the opportunity. I warn you, “amazing” will be used way too many times throughout this blog.

It did not hit me that I had actually arrived in Africa until we rode past the Nile River and the Great Pyramid on the way to the hotel. A few months ago I never expected to see these treasures and here they were on the other side of the window. It was amazing and I could continue to see the pyramids from our hotel, Le Meridien Pyramids.

The next day we had our first excursion. It was rough, yet unforgettable. We visited the Mit Rahina Museum where the huge statue of Ramses II lays in the same spot where it was found. I could only think of how incredible it must have been to discover this 14 meter statue in the sand. We continued our journey to the sacred land of the westerners better known as Saqqara. There we visited the first pyramid, the Step Pyramid. It was extremely hot outside and we were ambushed by vendors. I wasn’t expecting to use my bargaining skills so soon. The Giza pyramids were next on our visit. They were so much bigger than expected. They are breathtaking now; I can only imagine how grand they were when the limestone was smooth and glistening in the sun. I climbed up and down semi-steps and ducked through narrow corridors in the Second Pyramid. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. It’s amazing that the Egyptians of the Old Kingdom could be so passionate about their religion and culture that they would create such magnificent structures that last for millennia. Will the structures we’re making last so long?

After a short rest, we visited the Citadel of Salah Al-Din and the Egyptian Museum on Thursday. So many artifacts were in the museum. How many more monuments of our ancestors will we find if we were able to dig under all the Nile communities?

I can’t wait to see what treasures the rest of this visit to Kemet will bring. Reading about these monuments in books is nothing compared to seeing them in front of my eyes.

Until next time,

Michelle Ricks

The Eloquence of the Scribes

2010-08-06T20:48:00.004-04:00

Today was our first full day of class in Aswan. Aswan in comparison to Cairo is a lot less fast paced and calmer. The environment gives us a chance to relax and take it all in. Today in class we discussed memory, translation, and how to become scribes.

Memory is the link between the past and the present, between space and time, and it is the base of our dreams. Without a reconnection with African memory, there is no wholeness. This connectedness is essential to linking African intellectual work and memory because it is through this preservation of memory that traditions are spread from generation to generation, increasing the decrease in the beliefs of the forced European based society present day generations are raised in. According to Ngugi wa Thiong’o, in his book, Something Torn and New: An African Renaissance, “Language is a communication system and carrier of culture by virtue of being simultaneously the means and carrier of memory…To starve or kill a language is to starve and kill a people’s memory bank.” This is how the Europeans imposed their ideologies on African people-they tried to erase every strength of the African, socially, mentally, physically and replace it with that of their own. “Translation is the language of languages, a language through which all languages can speak to one another.” It is through the translation of works directly written in African languages that a shared modernized heritage will emerge.

For one of the first times since we started this journey, I think everyone was has having their own individual epiphany and coming to their own understanding of exactly what we came here for: to not only learn our history that the Europeans have tried to erase but to know it, embrace it, and share it. We must become scribes taking back the knowledge-the truth they tried to make us forget, and share it in order to preserve and affirm our ways of knowing. Protecting their memory and maintaining their ways of knowing is a prime example of how our ancestors preserve and affirm their way of life. They did this by learning to survive and passing along this memory as we must do for the next generation. I think our ancestors agreed wholeheartedly because with this discussion we created an undeniable energy that definitely affected them in some kind of way. This was seen by the unexpected sand storm that occurred during class. I believe that this was due to the connectedness we established in the room to not only each other but also to our ancestors.

At the end of the day after dinner, we continued embracing this connectedness by coordinating a trip to the market in which the majority of us participated. The merchants were not nearly as annoying and did not harass us as much as those who followed us around when we visited the pyramids. We were still referred to as “cousin” though and this time were not asked if we had husbands but rather to give kisses. A few of them thought I was Nubian or Egyptian surprisingly. However, on a good note, my friends and I mastered the art of bargaining & hustled the hustlers. I cannot wait to show everyone what I got!

AT LAST....Egypt!!!!

2010-08-06T11:25:00.002-04:00

This trip has been a dream come true for me. Since I was in the second grade, I have been fascinated with Egypt and have wanted to visit. When I first came to Howard, I was so excited to hear that an Egypt study abroad trip existed. Now, in the summer before my junior year, I am writing a blog entry in a beautiful hotel on Elephantine Island in Aswan, Egypt. Words cannot describe the feeling of knowing that I have finally done it. I have made it to Kemet.

Since the time we arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, we have been running. The first full day here, we visited the iconic Pyramids of Giza. Their peaceful majesty in the midst of a chaotic city is remarkable. From the time we saw them in the horizon on our way from the airport, we all knew that we had arrived. Seeing them from a distance is one thing. Walking on them, and touching the same stones that Egyptians, our people, shaped and assembled over 4500 years ago is a whole other. Everywhere I go, I am sure to touch as much as I can. Just to be in the EXACT same places as such great people is a wonderful feeling. Not only did we get to visit the pyramids, but we were also able to enter into the Second Pyramid, the pyramid of Khafre. As Dr. Carr says, “You don’t go half way around the world and not take the last two steps.” I was never scared, but just extremely excited, as some of my classmates can probably attest to.

Along with the Pyramids of Giza, we also visited the Step Pyramid in Saqqara and we also entered the pyramid of Titi there. Going inside two pyramids in one day was so exciting. I have so many great pictures and memories from that day. One of the best, and iconic pictures of my trip is the Sphinx profile picture. I will definitely admire this picture forever and it will always remind me…I WAS IN EGYPT!!!!!

I am so excited to see the rest of the sights during this trip. Egypt holds so many great treasures. I knew that prior to coming here, but you can’t even imagine the amount of artifacts, monuments, and sculptures that exist from Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were truly an AMAZING people.

Pictures tell the best Stories....

2010-08-06T10:10:00.003-04:00

Look at each photo for atleast 60 seconds....

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60...

If followed the instructions, how did it feel? Also, Thank you for being here with us, on this Journey. It felt like you all were here with us.

At the Sphinx

2010-08-06T09:41:00.001-04:00

Smh...

2010-08-06T09:31:00.002-04:00

It's nearly 2:00 p.m. and I've already had many "a-ha" moments. Engaging in the discussions in class, I find myself in confusion. I'm not confused at the information provided in the lectures and discussions. I'm confused at how people can overlook or even better, IGNORE, the obvious. How can you seek the truth, find it, and then, pretend it doesn't exist?

We discussed that there are two orders of religion. The first order is what you experience on a personal level. It incorporates your culture or ways of living. The second order is a process which includes being born in one religion, learning another, taking specific elements of the other religion to apply to your own, then rejecting that other religion as if it never existed or is completely wrong.

In analyzing the different components of various religions, we see a lot similarities of the beliefs in Ancient Kmt (Egypt, Kemet). Many of the rituals, symbols, and stories told in modern religions are copied from that of Ancient Kmt. People have taken particular parts of the Kemetic religion and made it their own. When we visit the temples and tombs, we clearly see stories and rituals that are used in our own religions.

Dr. Beatty explained that there are different levels in being a Priest in Ancient Kmt. In order to complete these levels, people of Ancient Kmt had to go through various stages and processes. Based on what level a Priest accomplished, he was allowed to enter specific areas of a temple. One needed to be pure to enter the most divine places of the temple.

This same requirement is seen in the Bible. After Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, they later build a temple. Aaron was the only High Priest that could enter particular area in the temple, Holy of Holies, that connects with the divine, God. It is also described in the Bible that if a Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the temple and was not pure, they would die. As a result, a rope would be tied to the foot of the Priest, so if he were to die, he could be dragged out.

This is one of many similarities, yet, there are no acknowledgements of Ancient Kmt. These Kemetic beliefs were adopted. There is an injustice because the Egyptians accepted others' religions and allowed people to learn their religion. In return, others changed their religion, influenced others, and did not give credit to the Egyptians.

The second order of religion is something we commonly see. Think about the movie "Avatar." It shows how to overcome a nation. You learn the ways of life of the people, modify it to make it your own, then take over.

Lastly, for now, we discussed something so shocking in class. We reflected on all of the places we've visited, thus far, and there is no question that the Ancient Egyptians who inhabited Kmt, build the pyramids, temples, created language, math and science, and served as Pharoah were all BLACK. That is without a doubt, but when Zahi Hawass came up with a virtual image of King Tutankhamun, he lacked African features. He actually described the Egyptians as "Caucasoid North Africans." I have one question..."What the hell is a Caucasoid North African?" That's almost as bad as an article I read that described a abductor as a "dark-skinned white man." Smh...

I'm glad I've returned to Kmt for a second time because I'm gaining a better understanding, one that transcends my previous experience. The process of sharing these truths is very important. No one is going to tell these stories, but the true descendants of Ancient Egyptians...US, people of African descent.

Full lecture day

2010-08-06T08:46:00.002-04:00

I’m currently sitting in a lecture from Dr. Mario Beatty & Dr. Greg Carr. I can’t begin to describe the vast transformative effect of African scholars on the immediate conceptualizations of Ancient Kemetic civilizations. Re-marrying the idea of Egyptian cosmology and archetypes to the continent of Africa is imperative to re-claiming, re-enforcing & revealing the cultural unity of the African diaspora.

This trip has meant more than a vacation in a different place. My colleagues and intellectual superiors have laid and are laying a path of scholastic excellence that can no longer be denied. Most people would write what we do off as non-seqitur banter that serves no purpose. Progress has, and is, being made. The first African-American person to receive a terminal degree in Egyptology, Andreas Woods, is a student of Dr. Beatty.

I am sitting in the room of the direct intellectual progeny of great African scholars such as Jacob Carruthers, Cheik Anta Diop, Ivan Van Sertima, Asa Hillard. These names are gaining recognition outside of our spaces. Their ideas are transforming how we look and what we know about the definition of "Black people". I always say that there needs to be more scholarship on how Black people see themselves when they are don’t use the misinformed paradigms of “race”. I just saw a title Égyptien ancien et Yoruba moderne : régularité phonétique which translates as Ancient Egyptian and Modern Yoruba : Phonetic Regularity. You can’t beat that!

James Robinson

Howard University Student Association

Director of Student Advocacy for 2010 - 2011

(786)302.5496

jamesrobinson1010@hotmail.com

@kurtleelove

Buried Treasure: Discovering the REAL Egypt

2010-08-05T18:16:00.001-04:00

Breathtaking, speechless, unequivocally amazed are all understated words to describe the moment I walked into the Cairo Museum; unfortunately in retrospect, there are no words that will justifyingly express my experience. From the massive statues of Akhaten, Rameses II, Nefertiti, & Imhotep, King Amnehotep & Queen T, the head of Queen Hatshepsut & Nefertiti, Rameses’ Sphinxes, & the Norma Palate (depiction of the unison of upper and lower Kemet), to the tangible evidence such as the wigs of the pharaohs that these people-these Egyptians were our ancestors. They were Africans. This was clearer than ever when I saw the mummies of Rameses II, Sety I, and Tutmoses I, II, & III themselves.

The most influential exhibit for me was the exhibit of Tutankhamon. OMG! I find it so unfathomable that a tomb so ornate exists. Although I have yet to see his mummy, the coffin alone amazed me. His mummy was placed in a pure gold coffin, which was placed in an even bigger coffin made of pure gold with blue and red gold used to elaborate the intricate details. This was placed in a pure gold sarcophagus which was placed in a bigger pure gold sarcophagus, which was placed in an even bigger pure gold sarcophagus, which was placed in an even bigger pure gold sarcophagus, and placed in the biggest sarcophagus about the size of my room at home in height, width, and depth. In addition to this, his vital organs were placed in small coffins that depicted the same coffin his body alone lays in with the exact same specific details, which were placed in a box in which 4 symbolic females surround for safety. Furthermore, he had 2 chariots, his throne, and 3 couches buried with him including all his jewelry-ALL MADE OF PURE GOLD. The thoughts that went through my mind about all of this? 1. How big is this tomb?! 2. I cannot comprehend how anyone would ever attempt to steal anything from his tomb because if it were I, I would be too amazed at the artistry to want to disturb anything. 3. If all of these structures in this museum are the originals and they look like this, WHAT EXACTLY DID THE ORIGINAL EGYPT LOOK LIKE?! I wish I could have experienced that long ago.

Mosque of Salah Al Din

2010-08-05T17:35:00.003-04:00

Bro. James Arrival in Aswan Video (Day 3)

2010-08-05T17:30:00.002-04:00

Egypt: A Dream Come True

2010-08-05T17:23:00.002-04:00

As our plane took off from New York's JFK International Airport I could feel my heart racing, I could not believe that I was going to Egypt! The flight was full of deep thoughts and a nice discussion with Dr. Mario Beaty on our plans for this endeavor. The 9 hour flight went by rather quickly as I was surrounded by not only friends from Howard University but also from Miles College. There were many Muslim men and women traveling to their country of origin to handle business, personal and religious affairs. In a new way the flight alone made me realize how small I am in the world but upon gazing at the pyramids of Giza for the first time with my own eyes I also realized how great of an impact one person with vision can have. Even now from my hotel the pyramids appear to be so close even though they are not. In fact as one of my professors, Dr. Carr noted "It is not that they are close, but because they are so big that you think they are closer than they are."

One can feel the influence of Islam and Arab culture permeating through the parts of Egyptian society that are not centered around Ancient Kemetic Tourism and culture. Some of the subtle differences one will notice is that announcements in English are done after the Arabic version, the car traffic seems to be chaotic as there are no visible speed limits or traffic signals. I was amazed when our tour guide Farouk told us "Crossing the street is a matter of luck and timing." We witnessed how Egypts wealthy communities can be side by side with Egypts poverty stricken masses. One way to tell the wealthy from the poor areas are seeing air conditioning units in the windows, amazing that such a regular part of Western life is a luxury in this land known for its scorching desserts. The nile river is nothing less than breath taking. It is no wonder that it has been the inspiration of poets and Pharaohs for all of these years.

I was shocked to run into scholar Anthony Browder and some of his staff, namely a Brother i know named J.P.. I didn't know they were going to be here so this is an added treat. I am looking forward to this next week and a half.
My arrival in Egypt or rather Kemet is truly a dream come true

So far, So GREAT!

2010-08-05T14:26:00.002-04:00

It’s been a long 3 days. Yesterday, Memphis, Saqqara, and Giza.
http://www.coas.howard.edu/studyabroad/kemet/site_visits.html#m

Today (by now night), like yesterday, started with a 6am wake-up call and ended with the evening lecture from 8-10. Somewhere in between, there’s been a trip to the Mosque/Citadel and the Egyptian Museum, a flight to Aswan, and a welcoming water taxi to the Movenpick Hotel on Elephantine Island (home of Farouk, one the guides; what a team he a Waleed make!).

The Egyptian Museum is home of one of the greatest exhibitions on classical Africa. No doubt, a powerfully moving libation was offered at the entrance of the museum to prepare the young and old minds alike to experience the fullness and vibrancy of African civilizations.

While New York was all a-buzz a few days ago about the arrival of one of Tutankhamen’s chariots, now on display at the “King Tut” exhibit in NYC, the Kemet Krew 2010 saw a far more stunning and representative collection of his belongings. As the New York Times article notes (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/arts/design/03chariot.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=tut&st=cse), the exhibitioners of the NYC collection shamelessly admit that the exhibit is driven by commercialism and greed (the carriage was delivered and reassembled at night after the museum closed to ensure that not a single day of profit from the exhibit was lost; so what if rushing puts history at risk?!). With Waleed, Farouk, and Profs Carr and Beatty’s guidance (the latter doing so defiantly since only licensed guides are permitted to provide information during group tours), the commercial exploits have been circumvented, and all within earshot will be the wiser for it.

The serenity of Aswan never fails to make me think that this is how life should be lived. Wish I were there… Since there are only 24 hours in the day, and site visits (and travel time to and fro) and lectures comprise no less than 16 of them, it’s tough to find time and technology to upload to the blog regularly. But hang with us; great entries are being written and are coming to a blog post near year sooner than later. The slower pace of Aswan (compared to the rat-race of Cairo) assures it.

Until then, hotep…

To the Pyramids!!

2010-08-04T18:14:00.002-04:00

Today we toured Memphis and Sakkara where we visited the Mit Rahina Museum. The most impressive structure here in my opinion was the statue of Ramses II. This statue is so astounding that it has its own building. In this building King Ramses II lays on the ground in all his glory at 14 m long and that is with him missing his legs because they were never found. So the question is: How tall would he stand if he were not missing his legs? Furthermore, where are they? We then visited the first step mustaba, created by Imhotep. We also visited the tomb of Teti, which was extraordinary. The art on the walls were amazing in itself. The fact that the Egyptians were able to create things so remarkable with the tools nowhere near as advanced as what we have today just puts me at a loss for words.

The day did not end there. Next up we visited the El Sultan Carpet School where we watched little children create beautiful works of art we usually take for granted. Followed by camel rides!! We also visited the Khufu Boat Museum where we saw the 140 ft long ship of Pharaoh Khufu, the oldest surviving ship in the world. The last tour of the day was the pyramids. We climbed the Great Pyramid, entered the second pyramid: Khafre (gives the perceptive illusion of being larger than the Great Pyramid but only such due to the elevation of the land), and saw Menkara and the infamous Sphinx.

The worst part of the day was being harassed by the various merchants located pretty much everywhere, especially around the pyramids. One of them tried to buy me for some camels!! Luckily, Dr. Carr came to my rescue on that incident as well as multiple similar ones that occurred throughout the day. What a day!

Egypt: Embracing the Unknown

2010-08-03T18:13:00.002-04:00

Pyramids, hieroglyphics, desert, unbearable heat, pharaohs. These are the first things that enter my mind when I think of Egypt. As the days dwindled down to our departure day, for some reason so did my anxiousness about the trip. At certain times I just did not feel like going through all the preparations to get there. If I had my way I would simply snap my fingers in order to avoid a 9.5 hour plane ride. On the other hand, all of this changed when I physically started the trip. The excitement of entering this beautiful, historical place with the purpose of enhancing my knowledge not only about the place itself, but also about its history and my ancestors’ history brought about a feeling synonymous to that of a child’s first day of school-curious about your surroundings, possibly frightened by the unknown, but at the same time, invigorated by the fact that you are discovering things-answers to questions you may have been subconsciously been wondering and secrets people seem to know but intentionally leave you out of. By the time I got off the plane, it was established: This is going to be the best trip of my life.

11:15 Kemet Time: First Post From Classical Africa

2010-08-03T15:45:00.007-04:00

Hello Bison and World! Brittani, Asya, Maggie and I are in the lobby at Le Meridien Pyramids, putting together the first video clips of our first class. We hit the ground running, leaving JFK yesterday at 7 p.m., flying into Cairo, checking in, grabbing a quick dinner and straight to class: all in all, 29 hours straight of flight and contemplation. We had a spirited discussion of the major themes and concepts that will frame our study of the Nile Valley, the first that combines students, faculty and administrators from Howard, Chicago State, Northeastern Illinois, Miles College and several other schools. Each year the study has become more focused and refined, and this year's journey incorporates a wide range of pre-framed research projects. We tried to upload a clip showing our initial "talking circles," where students shared their research interest in preparation for our first full day of site visits. We'll try again tomorrow. Tomorrow morning: Memphis, Sakkara and the Giza Plateau!

AfriKa!

2010-08-03T10:31:00.002-04:00

Those of us stateside are happy to hear that the Kemet Krew 2010 has arrived safely!

As my post yesterday suggests, arrival to Cairo is perfectly eventful. No doubt, the first excursion is in process; and we'll hear from them later once they've checked in to the hotel, had a delightful dinner, and headed to the conference room for the first evening lecture. Before they can begin to blog, they have to secure a wireless connection. No doubt Hatem has Tarek on the case. Glad to hear, too, that Farouk (a most able Nubian guide) made the trip to Cairo. Farouk doesn't travel to Cairo from Aswan often any more; that he did for this trip means more than the travelers can imagine.

Can't wait to hear from you...

The Journey to the Black Lands/The Land of the Blacks

2010-08-02T14:54:00.010-04:00

Hotep!

Like Angie (who posts faithfully still!), I write with mixed emotions: excitement for all who will make this journey for the first time and disappointment that I'm not in line at JFK hoping that an exit row or window seat is still available. Opting not to return to Kemet this year, after making the trip the first two years, was a tough decision for me too. So, I'll have to settle for following along from the blog and adding my color commentary from home (where I've vowed to work 8 hours a day on the book project that stood between me and the continent for the first time in 3 years). It was, in fact, at a table in the cafe (where they served mutton regularly) in South Africa that a precocious group of HU Summer Study Abroad students (YEBO! (I see you) to the SA crew!) talked Dr. Carr and I into taking some 60 folks to Kemet 2 years ago. Who knew?

Take it all in, since you never really know when and if you'll get the chance again. And blog often to make those of us stuck here feel, see, breathe, and smell the land of the blacks. Show love to Tariq, Waleed, Faruk, Abdudam, Hatem and the whole HU-Kemet crew. They'll take good care of you....

No matter how much you try, you won't be able to imagine what it will feel like to see the pyramids with your own eyes, to watch the sun rise and set on the Nile, or to experience it all with Drs. Carr, Beatty, and Watkins--easily the sharpest profs from whom to learn about classical Africa.

I and my fellow blog followers await your first impressions and your false door inscriptions.

One love... Dr Williams

(Pixs - upper left: the first pyramids you'll see from the bus; lower left: the Mosque at Citadel en route to the hotel, i.e. your first stop (I bet you thought you'd get some rest after that long flight... NOT!; Rest when you get home); right: Le Meridan Hotel (your home away from home for the next 2 days)

It's time...

2010-08-02T12:43:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting in front of the computer surfing the Internet before my ride comes to take me to the airport. I am in utter disbelief! I can't believe that in just a couple of hours, I will be taking off in a plane headed to Egypt. I can't believe that all the preparation has finally come to an end, and that I will be stepping foot in Mother Africa. I am filled with a range of emotions. I am excited about all I will see and eager to obtain all I will gain from Dr. Carr. At the same time, I feel like I'm going crazy. My stomach is full of butterflies, I am uneasy about this ten hour flight, and I am scared I am going to forget something important. As the time ticks down, I am nothing short of grateful and humbled by this precious gift I have received. I am expecting a life changing experience and cannot wait for the process to begin!

- Rhushanda

Take two

2010-08-02T11:59:00.001-04:00

*exhale*

Alright. It’s about time I confront this blog after days of shying away from even thinking about the trip to Kemet. Sadly, earlier this summer, I had to decide between two of my biggest priorities: Kemet and Law School. Neither of them is mutually exclusive, but our trip coincided with my mandatory week-long law school orientation. After a few persuasive attempts at having both, I realized I’d have to do what I have to do. I cancelled my trip and now I am sitting here typing as opposed to lugging my green suitcase around –which, by the way, still has a Consolidated Tours tag stuck to it.

The good thing is, I went to Kemet last year (along with repeat offenders Brittani Moncrease, and of course our instructor, Dr. Carr), so I have those experiences to draw from. And to those going on the trip this time, I think you will be finding out soon enough that the fever will set in, and you’ll be planning your next trip while you are there J So, this explains why I was planning on going two years in a row in the first place, and why I was so disappointed that it didn’t work out the way I had planned.

But enough about my little temporary setback! I’m blogging yet again for a few reasons: 1) I can’t stop writing about this stuff, what can I say! It’s too interesting. 2) Blogging will help me connect with my buddies going on the trip, not to mention my partner in crime, Brittani Moncrease (shoutout!) and 3) I want to teach Egyptology one day, and I think somehow, someway, this is good practice.

So, if those going on the trip will have me, I hope that I can be a guest blogger on this site and contribute to the unique conversation that this group will be having. The experience of going to modern-day Egypt and reflecting on Ancient Kemet is special by itself. However, when members our intellectual community to do this – along with their family and friends – a severely rare occurrence takes place. By nature, it is an experience that is intensely unselfish and fraught with duty to share and educate others.

With no phones ringing, no text-message alerts, not enough interesting (or English-language) things on TV, and no time to sit around interacting with your devices anyway, you will rediscover a side of yourself that our generation hasn’t regularly seen since early childhood. You will be able to think, theorize, reflect, imagine, and connect with everything around you. You’ll be on the same wavelength as those scholars of yesterday we revere. Seriously.

To end, I’ll say that Brittani (also my senior-year roommate) and I longed to return to Egypt this year because, for one, we would be able to think again. Think about our purpose, think about our history, think about our pride, and think about the people we’d bring back with us next time. As soon as we started learning, we could only think, ‘Man, we have so much work to do.’

So, yall, have a safe and enjoyable flight, and get even more excited about the clarity and peace that you’ll have on the other side of the water.

Catch you when you get there J

-Ang

An Experience of A Lifetime

2010-08-02T10:18:00.002-04:00

Later on today I will be on a plane headed to Egypt, and it will also be my first time leaving the country. Everything seems so surreal right now. I"m nervous, and excited. One of my closest friends will be joining me on this adventure, and that means the world to me. I've always had dreams of being able to travel and see the world, broadening and expanding my horizon. From this trip I expect to get a better understanding of the world outside of the US. I want to have an experience that I will never forget, and a story to share with anyone who will listen. I love to learn, and this is a once in a lifetime trip.

The beginning

2010-08-02T05:46:00.002-04:00

It's so amazing to even have this opportunity, to see a civilization that has dominated others with its splendor and magnificence. It is even more amazing that although I have thought about this day for so many years, I am finally heading to Africa, the home of my ancestors. I want to touch the things that people thousands of years ago have touched and remember that a mighty people have and continue to walk this land.

Right now, I'm getting the last minute items together and will soon be leaving to NY. Even as I sit here writing this, I realize that reality has not yet sunk in, and I still do not fully understand that within one day I will be in Egypt. I pray for safe travels for all of my fellow companions and peace for all of those that we are leaving behind.

Blessings,

Glo

Voyage to Kemet

2010-08-02T05:22:00.001-04:00

Hotep! We have been blessed with the fortunate opportunity to travel to modern day Egypt to see and witness the unique culture and civilization of our ancestors of Ancient Kemet. The opportunity has arrived and we are prepared! Remain open-minded while experiencing the magnificent beauty of the various structures our ancestors laid in the fields of architect, science, math, reading, and literature.

Safe travels to the airport!!

-Sister Stephanie

Philadelphia Education Fund

A few more hours before we take off...

2010-08-02T01:14:00.002-04:00

I am counting down the hours before we take off to Egypt. I am beyond excited and grateful for this opportunity. I want to learn as much as I can (and being that Dr. Carr will be there, I know this WILL happen), and I want to experience as much as I can. I want to thank my dear friend Brittani Moncrease (she went last year and again this year) for convincing me and enlightening me about this opportunity of a lifetime. See you all in a few, and as for our friends and family back at home; stay tuned :)

Rhea Nicole

Anticipating a life-changing experience

2010-08-02T00:04:00.005-04:00

I am truly excited to be embarking on what I believe to be a wonderful experience ahead. I am looking forward to learning about the different aspects of Egypt, from the ancient pyramids to the pharaohs. My knowledge of Egypt is limited but I hope after this experience to have much more knowledge of my ancestors. I am preparing myself for the day of travel ahead! : ) See you all soon.

Gavette Richardson

One Day Away

2010-08-01T09:32:00.002-04:00

KEMET! Wow. It is shocking to believe that in slightly over 24 hours I will be in the land of the pyramids, the land where tyrants, conqurers and Pharaohs have seized and maintained legendary political power or lost it at the hands of even stronger and craftier opponents. Egypt is a place that has seen the birth of theology and architecture and now after 20 years of life I and the rest of the team going from Howard University will be gazing upon the same land that Ahkenaten began a religious revolution, the same land that Ramses II began a legendary building campaign still unmatched by any political figure since. Egypt has a place in the Holy Bible of the Jews and Christians as well as the Quran of the Muslims, it is mentioned in a great many conspiracy theories on the internet as well as in the scholarship of Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima and Howard's own living legend Dr. Greg Carr. The clock is winding down and my excitement is gearing up, the only thing on my mind is that we have a 17 hour flight!

The Return, Beginning, and Revelation

2010-07-31T23:28:00.004-04:00

As the day continues to draw near my anticipation and excitement continues to heighten. Never in my current state as an undergraduate have I ever imagined I would have the opportunity to travel outside of the country, let alone return to the motherland. Many have gone before in search of some truth, apart of themselves that had never been revealed to them. I had been left in the dark, and now my footsteps are being guided to a more brilliant light. Its one thing to learn of your history through textbooks and lackluster images, but to actually live that history, to journey to a place where the richness of your culture and heritage envelopes you, nourishing your spirit, and awakens you to a revelation, is beyond anything that could be described in words. Its my turn to gain my own truth. Eagerly I await to arrive upon the brim of wonder, majesty, and all that is reminiscent of the glory of my African beginnings.

Expectations

2010-07-31T13:29:00.011-04:00

As I ponder the prospect of traveling to Egypt (Kemet), several thoughts flash through my mind. This is a journey that I have long sought to undertake. I had planned on making the trek last summer, but my health rendered this impossible. Since then, I have prayed for strength and healing. Praise God for allowing me to move forward.

The mere thought of visiting the cradle of civilization, which is nestled along the banks of the Nile River, invokes a myriad of emotions. My expectations are high as I anticipate viewing one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the majestic Great Pyramids of Giza or as I prepare to marvel at the grandeur of Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple at Deir el Bahri, which is near the Valley of the Kings. The Temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertiti at Abu Simbel in Nubia have a special allure for me. These two massive rock temples are among the most magnificent monuments in the world. These are just a few examples of the many treasures that will soon be revealed.

At many of our stops, I seek to pour libations to pay homage to our ancient ancestors. Their contributions to humankind in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, religion and the arts have long been ignored. They leave behind a legacy of greatness. So, this journey, in part, is undertaken to correct the blatant attempt by many so-called scholars to mis-educate me.

Many individuals that have traveled to Kemet describe the visit as a life altering experience. For people of African descent this is especially true. We must understand that, for the most part, education for African American for more than 400 years has been designed to dehumanize and disconnect us from our rich African culture and heritage. Therefore, it is important that we begin a process of re-education. This is critical to our liberation and achievement. It is never too late to learn and grow intellectually.

I invite all who follow this blog to ponder the images, thoughts and reflections posted by members of this study aboard experience. Not only will it be an unparalleled learning experience for each of the participants, but readers of this blog have an opportunity to share in this journey. I hope that this virtual experience will encourage many of you to plan a similar visit to Kemet.

Lastly, I look forward to meeting and sharing this experience with the others members of this study aboard journey.

Peace and Blessings,

Clarence Jones, CPA

Home again, home again

2009-08-23T18:20:00.005-04:00

It's been a week since our return to the US from Africa. From home to home and, now, back home again...

While I've yet to recover fully from the experience (it was high drama, even after getting back to JFK. The short version... I was taken by bus to my plane to DC after the door had closed, and my and Nijeul's luggage was in my recycle bin the next morning!) I have been able to reflect on the experiences Summer Study Abroad provides Howard students. The blog, to which I must admit I was a doubting Thomas!, helped in that regard. I read the posts all along, but I reread them one day last week while sitting in my office (I got 9 hours sleep, and off to work I went).

Since it was registration week, and I've yet to settle into my new position as Dept Chair, I used the blog one day as a refuge. While staring blankly at my computer screen, trying to figure out how to place 1600+ incoming Freshmen in 64 or so sections of Freshman English (capable of seating 1300 students at best), I saw pictures of the Kemet Krew flash across the screen. So, I clicked, and to the blog I came.

I remembered that I had started writing a long piece on our last night in Cairo, but for the life of me, I couldn't find it to finish and post it. (Someone in the A bldg used his/her powers to make me focus, I suppose). Then, I thought perhaps not finding it was for the best since the kids joked daily (especially Mariah) about how long-winded both Doc and I were on the blog and elsewhere. You should have seen some of the sentences we co-constructed to begin to unravel our thematic considerations! But by the last two class days, the students were all equally long-winded (well, almost), as they constructed their narratives for the day-by-day "virtual tour" video. They began to see that complex ideas often require complex-compound sentences! As soon as Brittani the video, we'll post it too.

Earlier today, I snuck a peak at some of the video interviews Toria and Shelley conducted (Shelley's final paper for her grad class at Drexel investigates ways to get more African Americans to study abroad), and I was reminded why I give up two crucial weeks of the summer (the 4 weeks of prep don't seem to count except when deadlines for my own writing & research are inevitably missed) to journey to the Continent with how ever many fellow Bison (and honorary Bison) are so inclined.

At the risk of being held to it, I say, here's to next year, & here's to home, in all its manifestations... here, and all over the world...

Still on Egypt time

2009-08-19T04:22:00.003-04:00

Still on Kemet time…
Its 4:30 am DC time and Im wide awake, laughing at an episode of the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire. This time last week it would be 11:30 a.m and I would more than likely be tired from my 5 am wake up call, sweating because of the 110 degree heat and standing in the tomb of a great ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. I’ve only been home for one full day but Im still very much on Kemet time.
The trip home was less than enjoyable. Egyptian kids were literally crawling around on the airplane floor, eating sugar and kicking my seat. I had to warn their parents and make mean faces at the kids in order to get some adequate rest. The food was also bad. I tried to hold my nose and force down the dry chicken and hard noodles but after a few bites I was done, luckily I smuggled a apple and banana in my purse. On the upside, I was sitting in a row with two of the people I thought that I didn’t think I would become close friends with, Mariah and Ernest. Believe it or not, Mariah and I had a class together last semester and never spoke; Ernest and I had met briefly in passing as well and never got better acquainted. However my most vivid memories of my voyage to Egypt include them as well as the nile, Havian, Nijuel, Clarice, Sawdaiya, and Rameses II.
I’ve learned more soo much about myself, my history and my ancestors thru this trip. I learned that my history doesn’t start with slavery, it begins with Kings and Queens; I learned that the Greeks and Romans not only stole many ideas and concepts from the ancient Egyptians but also are responsible for the decline of the ancient history as we know it; I’ve learned about the Battle of Kadesh and other obstacles that the Egyptians had to overcome to continue prosper as the most advanced society in history, I’ve learned the importance of Ma’at, Isis, Osiris, Horus, Seth, Seshet (sp?) and allll of the other ancient Egyptian manifestations of the divine; I’ve looked into the eyes of the 70 feet tall statues that Rameses II built for himself as he looked back at me and asked what am I going to do with what I now know…If knowledge was equated to money, I would’ve become rich because of this trip. I was able better understand Islam and the lifestyle of the Egyptians now. Its amazing how this nation went from being soo wealthy to reducing its citizens to being poverty stricken…this blog could go on for days with thoughts, memories, and lessons learned but I think I will stop here. I will just end this by writing that I more than anything I am grateful, and that I would not change the diligence that was required of each day, the exhaustion that I felt and any of the experiences that I had in Egypt.

Shout out- this one goes out to Dr. Williams and Dr. Carr-If I could have any teachers in the world instruct me in Egypt, it would always be you two.

yours in ma'at.....
Dana Daneeeee

Caravan of Love

2009-08-18T13:17:00.019-04:00

While in Kemet, my partner in crime Brittani and I were caught on several occasions jamming to the music on our iPods. Fortunately, that was the only electronic device that survived my many strokes of "bad luck" (which I now interpret to simply be ma'at...where there was a negative occurrence, a positive instance was just around the corner). Well, I was sure to only listen to songs that complemented the majesty of my surroundings...one of my favorites that will now forever remind me of my first trip to Kemet is by Isley Jasper Isley..."Caravan of Love." The music video they released does the lyrics no justice, and therefore, I'll have to take it upon myself to create a video for the song. (I'll post it up here once Brittani and I have finished the documentary :o) In the meantime, the song will serve as the perfect background music for this post...***

Are you ready for the time of your life? It's time to stand up and fight...

We embarked on this journey with a sense of purpose. We had read the most select literature on where we were going. We were bring our life experiences, as Africans in the western hemisphere, with us across the pond. Thus, we were ready for the time of our lives...ready to fight in the intellectual battle that has concerned Kemet for millenia. We were ready to stand up against the interpreters who had it wrong, ready to fight for future generations who will learn about our ancestors. We were ready to fight for both our past and our future by learning in the best way we could.

...Hand in hand we'll take a caravan to the Motherland...

It wasn't just individuals traveling to Kemet. Our group became a family. "Hand in hand" we sought to understand the original message passed down Y our ancestors. I got to know each and every one of my companions during this life-changing experience, and they are my family now. Literally (on the camel ride) and figuratively, we were a caravan; we were a group of travelers moving together in purpose, in direction in order to trade ideas and grow in intellectual wealth. In addition, we came to grow on a personal level, learning how to work with one another, live with one another, and work in synergy to enrich lives. If that's not a caravan of love, I don't know what is.

...one by one we're gonna stand with the pride, one that can't be denied...

This trip has really solidified one idea for me. IT'S UNDENIABLE. After going to Kemet and witnessing its majesty and wonders for yourself, you cannot deny that these people were African in both their origin and culture. The sense of pride that comes from that realization is what many are afraid of. To give Africans the pride they deserve in their heritage is the last thing many people on this earth want to do. That pride can be their pride too...

...From the highest mountain, and valley low, we'll join together, with hearts of gold...

This line of the song is very profound to me as it relates to my experience in Kemet. We climbed Kemet's "mountains" to explore the tombs of the nobles. We climbed up into the Giza pyramids; Father, son, and grandson Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure...we saw the many a benben on our way back from Abu Simbel, the primordial mound that arose from the waters of creation. We trekked through Kemet's "valleys" at the Valley of the Kings and Queens, we saw the sun's rays cascade into the valley at St Maat where the workers who created Kemet's majestic structures resided. Our hearts, rather our ib (the heart-mind) was gleaming like gold, the color of Re's body, the material of eternity that the people of Kemet so chose for their eternal representations, the material that was abundant in the land of Nubia, or Nebu - literally the land of gold.

...Now the children of the world can see, there's a better way for us to be. The place where mankind was born, and so neglected and torn, torn apart.

And in the final lines of that verse, the purpose is recaptured. Now we, the children of the world, are able to see what must be done. I am back in the states with the most sirene sense of direction, purpose, and objective. I am as solid as Hatshepsut's tekenu (or obelisk) at Ipet Isut (known as Karnak). I have a foundation now. And I know that we must take more and more students to Kemet. And finally, we must save Kemet. We must save it from misinterpretation. We must save it from damaging "restoration." We must save Kemet from Egypt, really. From the influences of modernity that threaten to turn it into a whimsical themepark and Disneyfy its story rather than truly restoring it to the sacred intellectual birthplace that it once was (the place where mankind was born). Kemet has, for thousands of years, been neglected and torn apart, and it is our job, as scholars, as Africans, to put the pieces back together, to venerate our ancestors, and to honor their memory with reverence and performance. It is, as I have said many times, our purpose to outdo them.

As I looked into the eyes of the statues at the Luxor Museum in Waset (modern day Luxor), it came to me...if there was any reason why the people of Kemet built these structures, painted these scenes, sculpted these statues, It is Maat. We look at their faces carved in the stone, and 4000 some-ought years later, they look back at us...beckoning us....telling us to do the opposite of what the "childlike" Greeks and Romans did...urging us to take the time to understand, study, learn. They have the answers to all of our questions...as they did back then. And even if every stone in Kemet crumbled today, we, with this trip, have received the message. We will pick up where they left off.

In Maat,

Ang

Back to the states

2009-08-18T12:08:00.002-04:00

It's so weird being back in the United States. I woke up several times in the middle of the night thinking I was still in Kemet. If the opportunity presented itself, I would go back right now. Overlooking the dry desert, hot temperatures, and difference in food, I'd gladly return home to Kemet. The love and excitement we received from the people of Egypt was amazing; more than I have ever had in the states.

It's crazy. I was listening to a song by Erykah Badu and it said, "They take our history and make it a modern mystery." That statement is so true. I remember when we went to Dendera and we saw the drawing of what could be a light bulb or battery. There could be chance that the people of ancient Kemet might have had electricity. It was the first time we had ever seen a picture of it. The fact that we aren't sure what the picture was, makes it what Erykah calls "a modern mystery." It's a shame because that's our history. It's something we should know, but was taken from us.

I wish more of our people would take the time to study the history of ancient Kemet. I guarantee that there would be a change in our community. There's no way you can learn about ancient Kemet, and not feel a sense of pride. Our people created math, science, writing, religion, history, and more. What we see today are all imitations. I'm proud of my people. They had a true understanding of community, something that has been demolished due to Western influence.

For all of us who attended, it doesn't stop here. We were fortunate enough to study in Kemet for a reason. It is our obligation to share what we learned and encourage others to enhance their knowledge. The change starts with us and it starts now...

-Moncrease

Back in the States

2009-08-18T08:18:00.005-04:00

I AM BACK IN THE U.S AND IT IS A BITTER SWEET MOMENT. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING THINKING I WAS STILL IN ASWAN, LUXOR OR EVEN CAIRO AND REALITY SET IN WHEN I LOOKED AROUND AND I WAS IN MY OWN BEDROOM. MY TIME IN KEMET WAS A SHORT TWO WEEKS BUT THE INFORMATION I LEARNED WAS HARDLY CLOSE TO WHAT A USUAL STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM COULD FIT INTO THEIR SCHEDULES. EVERY DAY WE WOULD VISIT AT LEAST TWO SITES AND DEBRIEF ABOUT IT AFTER DINNER FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS. NOT TO MENTION WAKING UP AT 2:30 AM SOME DAYS TO BEAT THE NEVER FORGIVABLE HEAT AND DEBRIEFING ABOUT OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN LECTURE LATER ON IN THE EVENING.

WHEN FIRST ARRIVING IN KEMET I KNEW I WOULD LEARN A LOT BUT I WOULD NEVER THINK I WOULD END UP LEARNING HOW TO IDENTIFY HIEROGLYPHICS, GODS/ PHARAOHS AND BEING ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY COMMENT ON STORIES CHISELED INTO THE WALLS OF HISTORY BY MY ANCESTORS. I WAS TRULY CHALLENGED ON THIS JOURNEY ACROSS EGYPT. ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, DR CARR AND DR WILLIAMS AND WE CAN NOT FORGET OUR TOUR GUIDE HOLA WE TAPPED INTO OUT IMAGINATIONS AND PUT OURSELVES INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE BEFORE US.

DR CARR MADE A COMMENT TO US ABOUT HOW WE COULD NOW HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SCHOLARS OF HIEROGLYPHICS AND WE COULD DISPROVE SOME THINGS THEY BELIEVED. ONCE HE SAID THAT COMMENT I LOOKED BACK AT MY TWO WEEK JOURNEY AND COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I LEARNED. I REMEMBER TELLING A FEW PEOPLE I WAS GOING TO EGYPT. THEY ASKED WHY GO TO EGYPT? I REPLIED FOR EXPERIENCE. I KNOW NOW IT IS EVEN BIGGER THAN EXPERIENCE IT IS THE ABILITY TO LOOK NINETEEN YEAR OLD KING TUT IN HIS FACE AND KNOW HE WAS A BLACK MAN OR LOOK AT WRITING DONE AGES AGO THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD BEEN COLORED AND MAPPED OUT THE DAY BEFORE. IT WAS AMAZING. I WOULD STRESS EVERY YOUNG AND ELDER PERSON TO TAKE THIS TRIP TO EGYPT. IT IS TRULY LIFE CHANGING.

ENDING I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR CARR FOR HIS GUIDANCE...DR. WILLIAMS FOR HER GUIDANCE...GRANDMA CARR FOR ALWAYS HAVING WORDS OF WISDOM...GRAD STUDENTS FOR ADVICE....AND MY FELLOW 21 COLLEAGUES WHO HELPED MAKE THIS TRIP A MEMORABLE ONE. "IF WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT BLACK HISTORY FROM SLAVERY..OF COURSE WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS BUT IF WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST ...WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO..WE HAVE HAD BLACK LEADERS BEOFORE ...BARACK OBAMA IS NOT THE FIRST..WE HAVE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE IT IS NOTHING NEW. "-ANONYMOUS

ERNEST C.

The Deepest Sense of Purpose

2009-08-16T23:04:00.002-04:00

It all started last year. As a rising senior trying to graduate, I was checking Howard's site religiously. On one such e-pilgrimage, I saw it. Howard in Kemet. The photos, and the expressions of joy, awe, focus, and enlightenment...the temples, the mdw ntr (hieroglyphics)... plus, the fantabulous Dr. Carr! I was infatuated with the whole thing, and whined to my friends about wishing to go.

Fast forward some months, to a monthly meeting with my honors program. Evie Hightower stood up and said, "I went to Kemet and I couldn't even begin to tell you what it was like. It was life changing." She went on and on, but what stayed with me was the glow in her face as she spoke. It was the spirit of the things she could not put into words.

I decided right there. I'm going next year.

So as I sat on the bus in Cairo, on the way to the Citadel and the hotel I reflected. I thought of my parents, of sacrifice, of the final senior year push to graduation, of it's how much to expedite a passport?! I thought of my whole church praying on safe travels for Angi, Brittani, and me. And I realized this trip was bigger than me. I thought of those before and after me, and on my first blog, wrote:

I have a responsibility to have an experience full enough for all of us to share.

On this trip, I felt fulfilled for the first time in a long time. I felt the deepest sense of purpose. Before this trip my sense of purpose was limited to myself and my family. It was simply to do my best, make my family proud, give my siblings a good example and, as Umi Says (via Mos Def), "shine my light on the world." But being in Kemet, seeing how these beautiful black people took that sense of purpose and surpassed anything the world had ever seen, on every level of human life, I felt so humble and so very powerful at the same time.

I will never forget this.

Although my trip was abbreviated, it was still so much. We turned our minds inside out with talks of God and how He/She/It is conceptualized and manifested. We dove into oceans of imagination wondering how much we still don't know about Kemet, and how much we've lost in the politics and filters of translation. We held on to each other while trekking through millenia of knowledge, meeting long lost cousins and uber-great uncles through the legacies they left us.

From an ancient river that flows against gravity itself, to the (increasingly nonsensical) temporal context I find myself in, one thing has resonated above all else: our potential (collective and individual) for all things is infinite. The real question is, what will our legacy be?

PS.....Thanks for rollin' with us =)

Returning "Home": A Blue(s) Mood

2009-08-16T16:15:00.006-04:00

We are back in Heliopolis, site of the ancient city of On, ten minutes from Cairo International Airport. Tomorrow morning, we return to New York and to our lives and studies with renewed spirits, reshaped visions and the foresight born from measured contemplation of where we have been. Still, the moment is not without its bittersweet undertones, its mood indigo. Last night in Luxor, we convened around the dinner table to reflect on our two weeks together. A breeze blew in from the Nile, drying the tears that flowed, mingling with voices offering gratitude and determination. Many evoked the names of family and friends who raised money to subsidize their voyage, vowing to repay the investment with detailed descriptions and the lessons learned from the places they’d studied. Ernest, with his trademark coolness, thanked us all for stretching him. Angi observed that she sat in a place that her father has dreamt of visiting his entire life. Brittani evoked the Biblical passage that the race (in this case to recover our past and use it to rebuild our present and future) is not to the swift or strong, but to they that endureth to the end.

When we left the U.S. two weeks ago, the country was just entering the latest denoument of fatigue that accompanies supercharged stories of racial strife. The dying embers of the the latest contretemps, this one involving the “intellectual entrepreneur” Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., offers a useful example of what we must confront and what must not distract us as scholars of African descent. As Glenn Loury noted in the New York Times, Gates could have used his arrest and the media spotlight it afforded him to focus the country on the many instances when men and women of African descent have found themselves without the ability to defend themselves from legalized injustice, as well as on the many who languish behind bars wrongly or with sentences far more severe than their alleged offenses. Instead, Gates chose to highlight himself and move quickly to the rhetoric of forgiveness and reconciliation. In other words, he made another futile attempt to entertain the question that W.E.B. DuBois offered “nary a word” in response to a century ago, “How does it feel to be a problem?”

Race is a social reality in today’s global society. It is also a recent world historical phenomenon, and one that must ultimately be discarded if humanity is to develop beyond our fears and live our dreams as more than a handful of select individuals scattered in webs of privilege and sheltered isolation. The reality of Kemet and classical Africa removes the consideration of race as the lens through which those who study it view the world and approach social problems. Examining the ways that these Africans thought about themselves and their reality has the potential to re-attach us, first as Africans and ultimately as human beings, to the rich trove of ideas about self and society, world and cosmos that began with the dawn of organized thought and continues, unbroken, in the traces of the intellectual genealogy of Africana.

Last week, by examining in line by line fashion The Memphite Theology, our study tour group regained a point of view from the Kemetic wisdom literature on the relationship between matter and sentience, and considered the world’s most influential culture’s explanation of how to know the world we live in while contemplating that world’s essence. By tracing out the expression of this understanding at every stop we have made, culminating in this return to the ancient city of On, we have begun to understand the usefulness of discarding smallish, unhelpful frameworks for thinking about what is and what can be. Race becomes a puny thing, an ugly glitch in the long line of the best of what human beings have imagined.

Jacob Carruthers summarizes the idea of God in the Memphite Theology and the Kemetic worldview, noting that, for the Egyptians, God was the interaction of the fundamental essence of the eternal elements of all that is, described in their texts as four principles: Solvency [Nenew/Nenewt], “the primeval condition and substance of creation which has neither form nor stability”; Infinity in time and space [Hehew/Hehewt]; Darkness [Kekew/Kekewt], or the unicity of leveling perception; and endless, directionless Movement, hidden but constantly present[Tenemw/Tenemwt or, in many texts, Imun/Imunet].

As these eternal elements interacted, they expressed themselves in an act of ordered improvisation, a Sep Tepy (“first occasion”) moment of creation signified by the Netcher (expression of the Divine) Ptah. The Kemetians described this moment as “Medu,” or “speech,” the first word. Subsequently, Carruthers goes on to note, reality becomes an unending progression of the word, a genealogy of speeches that stretches from timeless infinity through now and the future, and includes the moment of thought that forms each moment in the human being. It attended the articulation of the elements out of which humans were said to have formed: Earth (Geb), Sky (Nut), Air (Shu) and Moisture (Tefnut). It then brought about the comingling of these elements as the expression of the four pairs of ancestors to human beings: Wosir (Osiris), Auset (Isis), Setekh (Set) and Nebhet (Nepthys). These were simply names for forces that have always existed but which always reveal themselves to the Egyptians’ limited perception in ways that were best managed by imagining and giving name to that which they could not see.

The Egyptians did not attempt to imagine that the interaction of these principles was not, in fact, the order of things in reality. In naming order Ma’at, in fact, they expressed a sentiment born from scientific observation that everything that is, always has been, and resolves itself ultimately in harmony, from the order of the stars to the rising and setting of the sun and the inundation of the Nile and the beating of the heart. For the Kemetic thinker, only our memory of witnessing and experiencing this ever-resolving harmony (provided by devices of writing and measuring gifted to humanity through the ideas of Djehuty and Seshat) is limited, and then only by the space we are willing to give our recorded memory and our creative intelligence, themselves issue of the self-same eternal principles.

Is this intellectual approach really different than the science that physicists evoke to discuss “string theory?” Does it differ qualitatively from the children that the Memphite Theology gave birth to, from the Abrahammic faith traditions to the various improvisational expressions of Africana deep thought, from Vodun, Cadomble or Santeria to the Africanized Protestantisms of Shango (Shouter) Baptists, Pentacostals or good old “shoutin’ Baptists?”. Of course not. The Kemetians did not distinguish between science, technology and spirituality, between sacred and secular, in any sense we would recognize today. Their faith was born from steady, patient observation: They believed, in the words of the 16th century African scholar from the great mosque of Timbuktu, Ahmed Baba, “in God and Science.”

But now, faced with a world that struggles to free itself from the maddening recent habit of reducing people to “races,” how do we capture in language this sense of the interconnectedness of all things? Western scholars have often evoked the alphabet as a progression in the human capacity to articulate ideas, noting that using symbols exclusively for sound (as distinct from using them for both sounds and ideas) frees the mind to recombine thoughts in endless variation. The fact that the modern alphabet is derived largely from Kemetic Medew Netcher notwithstanding, the Egyptians created their inscription system in an attempt to produce a method for capturing ideas, sights, sounds—even smells and tastes—in a coding process that hovered somewhere between the abstract and the concrete.

In an unbroken genealogy, African people have maintained these improvisational approaches to speech, apprehending the unknowable nature of the Sep Tepy but generating technique after technique for capturing more of it than mere words can achieve: In other words, Africana inscription systems consistently free “speech” from the straightjacket of word/script exclusivity. From the parent Medew Netcher of classical Africa, we see the danced reinscription of the orbit patterns of the stars Sirius and Sirius-B of the Dogon, who claim to have migrated with this knowledge to West Africa from the East; we observe the varying conceptual inscriptions of the Akan, collapsed into Adinkra symbols of cloth and metal and ink and bourne according to their collective memory along a similar migration arc; we note the ground markings of the Ki-Kongo Cosmograph, forming the perpetual cycle and spiral of reality whose movement traces the “four moments of the sun” in identical fashion to the Kemetic concepts of Kheper, Ra and Atum.

And, our memory re-attached by the memory of Djehuty and the measurements and records of Seshat, we trace anew the unbroken genealogy of these Africana improvisational speeches, Medew forced into ships and emptied living and whole into the Western hemisphere, reconvening itself and blending and reblending its systems of word, sound, sign, smell and taste, speaking yet again in the Sep Tepy that links classical Africa to the contemporary African world.

We may usefully refer to an essential element of these speeches as the “Blue Note,” that conduit of apprehension and expression that, like its ancestor Medew Netcher, enters the senses as a concrete expression and frees the mind and spirit to join as one, offering the ability to Sedjem, or “hear,” the highest form of intelligence for the Egyptians, so important that they inscribed the admonition to hear on the wall enclosing the double holy of holies at the late period Kemetic center for healers, Kom Ombo.

What is the best-known conduit of the Blue Note, the Blues, except a perpetually resolving expression of Ma’at? How different is the speech of the word-less Blue Note that Louis Armstrong sends forth for the three and a half minutes of West End Blues from the speeches of Khun Inpu in the Kemetic narrative of The Nine Petitions of the Farmer Whose Speech Is Good? Is the in-between the pentatonic scale wail of the Ki-Kongo/Bambara descended New Orleanian not improvising the original speech of Ptah within the perpetually resolving harmony of Ma’at, and in so doing allowing us to release our frustrations, hopes and determination into the expectation that, like Inpu before the magistrates and Per Uah, we shall find that which is true? When Inpu threatens to evoke the Netcher Inpu (Annubis) as the final arbiter of right and wrong, thereby bringing the corrupt officials to account before the scales of Ma’at, we can see Louis Armstrong sweating and smiling, handkerchief in hand, slicing through the subterfuge of minstrelsy with a trumpet sound that could, in the words of Ossie Davis, “kill a man.”

When Martin King, the night before his death, envisions the promised land, is this not an expression of the apprehension of Ma’at? “I Have a Dream,” far from an exercise in hopeful expectation of a failing system of Western “democracy,” becomes an improvisational re-inscription of Africana expectations of the resolution of dissonances into harmony when viewed through the lens of the judgment scenes we have traced in the tombs of Horemheb and Ramses IX, and read in the texts that adorn the walls of Abydos.

The western framework cannot hold such concepts. It is too ill-constructed, too immature. Ralph Ellison’s genius descriptions of the Blues overflow the modest and ill-equipped vessel of American exceptionalism into which he pours them, and the lineage of Homer, Hesiod, Dante, Shakespeare, Hawthorne and Thoreau which feed that vessel. But the Blues are at home with Ma’at, in vertical conversations with the classical genealogy and in horizontal conversations with its varied and various relatives across the African world. Like the main character in the Kemetic story of the “shipwrecked sailor,” the Blue Note points the way home, and home, Thomas Hardy’s admonition from the sidelines notwithstanding, is a place to which you can always return. Just as the Per Uah told the wayward Sinhue to “return to the Black Land (Kemet): It’s the place where you came into existence,” so the Blues reminds us of a place that exists beyond physical time and space and yet suffuses the time and space of any place that we find ourselves. It is speech writ large, like Medu Netcher.

One can imagine the Blues playing as one enters the sacred chambers at the temple of Seti I at Abydos. The Blue Note could reconcile the tender scenes of Seti adjusting the rainments of the Netchers, from the crown of Wosir to the garments of Auset. As Earth, Wind and Fire sang to us to “tell the story/morning glory/all about the Serpentine Fire,” it seems as if the Kemetic people took the idea of inscribing spiritual transcendence to heart.

As challenged by long-term memory loss as its author may be, nevertheless the Blues-tinged lines and sounds of 50 Cent’s “Many Men" is still much better equipped than Thucydides or Patton to help us understand the mood and mind of Ramses II, depicted in the temple at Abu Simbel astride his steed and preparing to plunge his Set battle division into the heart of the Hittite army.

"Many men/wish death upon me/Blood in my eye dawg and I can't see/I'm trying to be what I'm destined to be/And [Hittites] trying to take my life away/I put a hole in a [Hittite] for messing with me/My back on the wall/now you goin' to see/Better watch how you talk/when you talk about me/Cause I'll come and take your life away."

It is a Blues moment, infused with part Stagolee, part Muddy Waters channeling Jesus Christ in the temple. In the temple built next door for his wife, Nefertari, a simple glance at the adoring Ramses offering lotus flowers and incense to his wife is not enough: This is not Romeo and Juliet, or Brad and Angelina. Looking above Nefertari's head, one translates the glyph “Hemetch,” not semantically as “wife” in English, German, Spanish or French, but literally as “well of water.” If there is confusion to what water means to a people surrounded by desert, or to a Black Man, one simply has to reference the great speech of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, the nearly eight minute “I Miss You.” Clearly, these are African people, these Egyptians.

Ausar battles his brother Setekh. Ausar is murdered, his body cut into pieces in some versions of the story and strewn in the Nile. Auset is alerted to the deed and, with her sister NebHet, retrieves all the pieces of her husband's body except the phallus, which is ultimately replaced with a proxy that allows her to impregnate herself with Ausar's seed and give birth to Heru. How many Egyptologists have linked this narrative to writers from Sophocles to Freud?

Perhaps the virtuoso performance of Son House’s Death Letter by the Blues emperess Cassandra Wilson before a live audience in New York City for the Great Night in Harlem album would, in linking indelibly to the unbroken genealogy of Africana medew, remove these ill-considered gestures. Riding the groove convened with congas, electric bass and guitar, she pulls tight the threads of lyric and tone she has woven through the ears and souls of the listening participants, enveloping the audience and every subsequent listener in a grand and irresistible call and response. It is medew, reaching a level of Ancestral communion that flows through her smoky contralto and helps us understand what Auset must have felt when she heard the news, and what she did in its wake:

"I got a letter this morning/how do you reckon it read/it said “hurry hurry, on account of the man you love is dead/got a letter this morning/how do you reckon it read?/It said “hurry hurry, the man you love is dead”…

"I packed up my suitcase/took off down the road/when I got there/he was lying on the coolin' board/Packed up my suitcase/took off down the road.../when I got there/he was lying on the coolin' board."

“Looked like it was 10,000 people/standing round the burial ground/I didn’t know I loved him/Till they layed him down/Look like it was 10,000 people/standing round the burial ground/Lord, I didn’t know that I loved him/until they layed my daddy down…

“You know I got up this morning/right about the break of day/I was hugging the pillow/Where he used to lay/I got up two in the morning/well, right at the break of day/I was hugging the pillow/where he used to lay…”

“Everybody hush!/Thought I heard him call my name/Wasn’t loud/it was so sweet and plain…/so sweet…./hush…/everybody hush…/I heard him call out my name…”

And what of the child born of that Blues moment of pain, triumph and the restoration of Ma'at? The story of Heru is not, as gestured toward by the German Egyptologist Jan Assman, a narrative that might be compared as a revenge fantasy in some fashion to Hamlet. Not if you refocus the speech as an antecedent to the sentiment expressed by Clarence Carter in “Patches.” One can hear Auset telling her son that she is counting on him “to pull this family through/my son, it’s all up to you.” Like the Blues, the narratives of Kemet are expressions of an understanding that transcends the limiting narratives of tragedy, comedy or the genre divisions of internal and external conflict. They are reminders that every challenge comes with the tools through which to meet and transcend it. And, we must remember, beyond the challenges lies the reassuring presence of Ma’at.

Reaching the Higher Ground

2009-08-15T09:19:00.005-04:00

“I’m so glad that he let me try it again/Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin/I’m so glad that I know more than I knew then/Gonna keep on trying/Till I reach the Highest Ground”

---Stevie Wonder, "Higher Ground" (1973)

Dr. Williams and I are sitting in the Sekhmet conference room at the Sonestra St. George Hotel in Luxor, listening to the easy laughter and light conversation of the students as we ease into our final class work day in Kemet. Over the last two days, these young people have written and recorded a mini-documentary of their journey, adding another layer to the long-standing engagement of Howard students with the study of classical Africa. We are both tired but energized by the enthusiasm and unflagging effort of each member of this remarkable band. They have kept on pushing, each question and comment linking them more definitely to the numerous bands of scholars who preceded them. We’ve a story to tell that the blog only scratches the surface of.

This afternoon, we will visit the Luxor Museum, opened in the 1980s and recently refurbished and infused with additional treasures from the endless Kemetic cache. It is an under-visited crown jewel, and we will use the experience to sum up much of what we have seen and discussed to date. The core of the Luxor Museum collection consists of pieces buried for centuries by the priests of Ipet-Isut (“The Most Select of Places,” known to the Greeks as Karnak) to hide them from robbers whose contemporary counterparts have heisted booty that now adorns collections in Berlin, London, Paris, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. As Dr. Williams wrote earlier, Ipet Isut was the spiritual center for Kemetic life for at least two millennia. When they were discovered in the 1960s, the statuary, stelae and assorted artifacts buried at Ipet Isut were in such pristine states of preservation that, when treated and prepared for display, they seemed to reconstruct Kemet as a living civilization.

At the Luxor Museum, we will be greeted by a massive head of Amenhotep III, Husband of Tiye, Father of Akhenaten and legendary New Kingdom link between the Hatsheptsut-Djehutymes III era and the Akhenaten-Horemheb-Seti-Rameses eras. The first thing you notice about all the Amenhotep III statuary in the Luxor Museum—and there is a lot of it—is the lips. This man was unmistakably African. Four days ago, we visited the “house the Amenhotep III built,” the companion temple complex to Ipet Isut known as Southern Opet (The Place of Seclusion), or Luxor. We lingered at the massive twin statues that front what remains of his morturary temple, two pieces known as “The Colossi of Memnon” in a gesture toward the Greek king made famous in the Iliad, five centuries later.

We will wind around the various pieces of limestone, pink and black granite, and malachite, the pristine glyphs, astonishing detail and serene visages pulling us into deeper and deeper reflection on the many places we have visited in the last two weeks. These students have drilled into a deep well of Classical Africana, nestled along the Nile, and mined gems that they have prepared over the last several days to present on this website in the next days and weeks.

As with the story of Hatshepsut, we have aspired to strengthen that which has been strong and to do right by the great legacy we have inherited. Though she was schemed against by the forces of her day, this great Per Uah managed to extend the authority of Kemet as a diplomat and visionary, in the tradition of her predecessors and as the custodian of the legacy of her ancestors. As we stood at her morturary temple, we reflected on what she wrote on her Tekken (Obelisk) at Ipet Isut:

All foreign lands are my subjects, He placed my border at the limits of heaven. What Aten encircles labors for me. He gave it to him who came from him. Knowing I would rule it for him. I am his daughter in very truth, Who serves him who knows what he ordains. My reward from my father is life-stability-rule. On the Horus throne of all the living, eternally like Re.

When we enter the sakhu (mummy) room at the Luxor Museum, we will see Ahmose, laying there, with the golden fly-shaped amulets signifying the battle citations awarded his Mother, the Theban Queen Tetisheri: HIS MOTHER!!—for her helping to lead Kemet’s armies against invaders. These amulets lie under glass a few feet from Ahmose and next to his own battle dagger. Ahmose, a petit man who had commanded the respect and admiration of first his troops, then a nation. Ahmose, whose Black skin and African features are indistinguishable from those we viewed when looking down on Seti I and the Djehutymeses in the Cairo Museum.

We will see statues of Horemheb, the once-general under Tutankhamun who was considered the first legitimate Per Uah since Amenhotep III and who rose to lead Kemet into the transition between the 18th and 19th Dynasties and the era of Ramseses. Three days ago, we visited Horemheb’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, as well as that of Tawosret, mother of Seti I and the Ramses line, a Per Uah in her own right before being succeeded by Setnakht. As we scrutinized these tombs in the Valley, the guides allowed us the freedom to comment on the various texts inscribed therein: The Book of Days and The Book of Nights; The Book of the Earth, The Litanies of Re and The book of Amduat. They re-christened us “Egyptian Negroes,” to hearty laughter all around that rang the limestone shafts cut deep in the earth. Like the nondescript piano movers, train station wayfarers and pedestrians described by Ralph Ellison in his essay The Little Man at Cheraw Station, these guards know more about the contents of the tombs than many who profess to be experts. As African-Americans, we have learned to meet people in our common humanity and take them at their lived experience rather than at the social rank or status that is often used to separate person from person. Because of this, we have been afforded particular warmth everywhere we have sojourned so far.

At the Luxor Museum we will see statues of Seti I, master builder and the moving force behind the temple he built at Abydos, described according to David O’Connor as being set “in the province which he loved, his heart’s desire ever since he had been on earth, the sacred soil of Wennefer (Osiris)” At Abydos two days ago, we examined the site with the richest untapped potential to yield traces that connect all periods of the Kemetic state. The area served as the burial site for the first rulers of Kemet (including Narmer the Unifier) and was venerated since at least 2,000 b.c.e. as the burial place of Wosir (Osiris). It is almost entirely un-excavated, and most of its temples and tombs were razed millennia ago so their materials could be re-used for other structures. Visitors to Abydos come to walk, meditate and absorb the unparalleled carvings in the astonishing temple of Seti I, completed by his son, Ramses II during the 19th Dynasty. The official name of the temple is The Noble Mansion of Millions of Years of the King Men-Ma’at-Ra who Rests in Abydos.

As significant as Abydos is, however, many tourists do not visit. According to the tour guides, Abydos is not on the standard tour package: It lies three hours from Luxor by bus. In visiting there, as well as Memphis and the Tombs of the Nobles in both Aswan and Deir el Medina, we have followed a generation of African-American tours of Kemet that were built by women and men who knew their importance to the intellectual genealogy of the Nile Valley, of African people, and of humanity.

Due to the focused and informed nature of our discussions as we visit the sites, other tour groups have been pausing to take note of how much our group knows about each place; the temple and tomb guards have been referring to us as “professors”; African-American tourists in the hotels have come up to us to ask how we have acquired so much information, and a couple from Eritrea brought her teenaged sons to class yesterday to exchange experiences. When we visited Dendera after leaving Abydos, we were able to discuss the particulars of Kemetic notions of time and space. The classical Africans gave the world the calendar it still uses; the concept of the 365 day year, the 24 hour day and the progression of the constellations in the star-strewn sky, inscribed in the famous "Dendera Zodiac." Our tour guide has been duly impressed with the level of hard work and preparation we have undertaken. She can, of course,only glimpse the passion that lies behind that type of effort.

Ours is a passion born of a sense of urgency. The world changes, but that which can be recovered of human memory that can save us from making the same mistakes of the past must be retrieved. Stevie Wonder had a premonition of his demise near his 23rd birthday and awoke from the vision to write and record"Higher Ground" in three hours in May, 1973. Three months later, he was in a coma because of an automobile accident. His road manager and friend, Ira Tucker, Jr., sat by his bedside as his vital signs ebbed. Finally, Tucker "got right down in his ear and sang 'Higher Ground." As he sang, Wonder's fingers, resting on Tucker's arm, started moving in time with the song. Tucker remembers saying "Yeah! This dude's gonna make it!"

I think of the fact that the lyrics of "Higher Ground" speak to the fact that our lives do not begin with our physical births, but rather have access to all the memories that previous lives provide to be retrieved. As we restore our memories, we give ourselves the means for our salvation, no matter what immediate tragedies or crises we encounter. Moment by moment, we have watched Ernest, Angi, Brittani, Sawdayah, Miriah, Jazelle, Shacrai, Clarice, Marcy, Nijeul, Dana, Havian, Robert and Jalena move as individuals and in concert to reach the highest ground. As Dana, Toria, Shelley, Gussie, Maria, Brittany my mother and I have worked alongside them, learning every moment of the way. I'm so glad that we have been able to do this again. Our last time here we did it well. Next time, should we be allowed, we will do it differently and differently better. For now, as we begin to reflect on our journey, we stand firmly on the highest ground.

Candid Shots - Take II

2009-08-14T09:37:00.008-04:00

Mariah

Angela

Robert

Jalena

Interpretations

2009-08-13T11:30:00.002-04:00

*on the bus from Abydos...*

Over the course of our journey through the various sites of timeless communication erected by our ancestors here in Kemet, I have been repeatedly reaffirmed in my accordance with Jacob Carruthers' suggestion to cut out the middle man, so to speak, and step past our "European interpreters" who have told us how our history went down. Carruthers would know; he has shown us firsthand in his essays how the politics of translation can twist a story into something that would probably be strangely unrecognizable to the people of Ancient Kemet. In the case of dealing with our history, there is a point where is it unacceptable to wholly trust any interpreter. Of course, be cordial :o) but the point is to learn how to think for yourself. Use the available resources to develop that ability.

In that respect, I think our entire group has taken part in the exercise of speculation...and it's now evident that we don't just have European interpreters to worry about. We must be cautious of any interpretation that spawns from a place that lacks integrity.

We must be cautious of the "Restorative Societies" that attempt to reconstruct the temples and tombs of ancient Kemet. In some cases, they sand the limestone, sandstone, and granite blocks down to a bare pulp, devoid of the one bold and telling mdw ntr (glyphs) that decorated their faces. The "restorers" misplace a block here, redraw a scene there, remove a segment over there. All so the modern day tourist may marvel at "how the temple originally looked." Revisiting and revisiting, like the crazy woman at Seti's temple in Abydos, who couldn't even read the walls enough to critique them if she wanted to. (Not that Abydos was incorrectly restored, but the consideration to make that determination should be made.) -- I wonder how much money that woman has spent, marveling at scenes she can't even decipher, twice a day for two months out of the year. We know with certainty that she is off the mark in her interpretations of the temple, but the other interpreters are more stealth.

We must be cautious of the Egyptologists, who take bold steps for high profile discoveries. They make targeted finds and publicize on what we see as credible networks. They excavate just enough to open a site to the public. They determine just enough to declare a conclusion. In fame, they become the same romanticized cowboys who violently expanded the "American frontier", except here they are ravaging and pillaging our historical record, building their case and sending the real evidence on a Trail of Tears only to be hidden and potentially lost forever. The Egyptologists play their charades, knowing they don't fully believe in what they do. And somehow I end up spending 60 more Egyptian Pounds to play charades with them in the Mummy Room at the Egyptian Museum, knowing in my heart that that mummy is probably not Hatshepsut. It's easy to speculate when you reflect and realize that Almighty Dollar has won the bout with your ability to reason.

So now, I'm cautious. Especially of those who have the power and the resources to serve as interpreters for a large audience. They are not all malicious or misinformed. But we must sift to find the gold.

The politics of translation is pervasive. After all, everything is a translation of sorts. For instance, you will never know how I truly feel...even if you looked into my eyes and saw a reflection of the African sun. Even if you experienced all of this with me. With my words, my face, my behavior, my touch, I translate it all to you, settling in the satisfaction that "you know what I mean." But to be me right now, to feel the heat on my skin, to feel the melancholy of awe, to comprehend the universe from a place that only my soul inhabits and its experiences have stylized...is impossible.

What, then, is a primary source but another lens? When will we be able to take our glasses, our filters off? ...Education, I believe, is the LASIK. Read it all. Hear it all. See it all. Experience it all. You can then begin to see with a clear eye. Placing our cameras at every angle, we make some kind of composite photo of the realm we study...

As I close, now having just returned from Abydos and Dendera, I hope that you can capture my feelings as a component of your composite in the study of Kemet. The key thing is to remember where your information is coming from, and what it has been through. Listen for the intellectual accent of your interpreters...

As your interpreter on this study abroad experience, I do what I can for you. I use the available media to make that doomed attempt to eliminate the inevitable void of human loneliness. I want to give my best attempt. I want to provide the closest translation to how I feel in this place, in this moment. I hope that, with the best job English can do and the best understanding written communication can provide, I have done just that.

-Ang

4:30 in the morning?!...

2009-08-12T23:24:00.002-04:00

So, it's 4:30 in the morning and we're on the bus to Abydos. Surprising, I'm not sleepy. I'm wired up.

Yesterday, we visited the Valley of the Kings, Worker's Village, and the Temple of the Nobles. Then we returned to the hotel in which I went swimming and got a Roman Bath Massage...GREAT! I guess it's safe to say that I'm just relaxed and ready for the day!

~Moncrease

It's About Time...

2009-08-12T12:03:00.006-04:00

I’ve been attempting to write this blog since we left the Nubian Village in Aswan. It’s now at least three days since then, and I continue to discover new ideas and moments to write about as time moves forward. It only goes to show how each moment and experience that I am having evokes millions of thoughts and ideas of change over time ad where I stand in the moment. That’s why this blog will most likely appear scattered brained, unorganized, and all over the place—but one must look at the lesson within that. This opportunity is TRULY once in a lifetime…You can’t imagine getting up at 4:30 a.m. (Yikes!) to explore the tombs of our ancestors, Kings and Queens, from Dynasties before our time. And for me, that is the energy that pushes and motivates me forward. Once in a lifetime…so with that:

The more I experience the life and culture of current and Ancient Egypt, the more I am intrigued and pressured to find more. Therefore, I am charged with the process of staying true to “Intellectual Integrity” and the pursuit of knowledge. Yesterday, we visited the mega complex at Karnak, Ipet Isut, which sits on the Eastern Bank of the Nile, connecting directly across the river to the Valley of Kings and Queens and south to the Luxor Temple. You can’t imagine the power these mega structures posses until you actually have all five of your senses centered to their surroundings. You can see the intense detail of the Avenue of Sphinx’ as you enter the temple. You can imagine and hear the chanting of priest walking around the temple in their traditional white. You can feel the texture of the cobbled stones below your feet. You can smell the eased air as you stand in front of the Sacred Lake and breathe deeply.
Acting theorist Stanislavsky refers to the technique of listening and responding. As humans we naturally listen and take in information given to us, and then we respond naturally to that stimuli of information and it motivates our next action or thought. For me, our night sessions have been just that, information received and when we step into the places we talk about, I respond to that stimuli and am motivated and therefore activate my response based on the information received and the stimuli I feel, hear, see, touch, and smell. Robert said that we were receiving a ‘Crash Course’ in Egyptology—I cannot imagine how even more effective this experience would be had we all been in a semester of two of Egyptian Culture.

While in Aswan, were able to step into the life of the Nubians. We visited a Nubian Village which rested along the Nile River on Elephantine Island. We gathered at the village’s kindergarten school and were greeted by village nobles, including the Mayor, school teachers, and other town officials. We were immediately welcomed with cold drinks and had the opportunity to play and talk to the children of the village who spoke little English, however, their spirits and energy attracted us all.

I became really connected to the Nubian.
I felt really connect to the Nubian.
I am really connected to the Nubian.
I am Nubian.

And the journey will continue…this conversation will continue…and history we be told..

Until Next Time,

Nijeul

The ancient Egyptians did not use bulldozers

2009-08-12T08:01:00.005-04:00

After a long day of strenuous sightseeing, a girl would think she could retreat to her hotel room for some peace. Sadly, this is not the case. We just returned from lunch at a neighboring hotel. While the meal was cheap and sufficient, the service was horrible (I guess we were spoiled rotten in Aswan). But I eagerly headed to my room to shower and rest but that is on hold right now because all I hear is the bulldozers and jackhammers working in the next lot right outside of my balcony. Oh joy!

But as for today, it was....very active. We climbed up and down hills into temples and tombs. We got personal narratives from the "security" working down in the tombs. I think the energy of Dr. Carr and motivational speeches and cheers of Dr. Williams kept us going. Well I know it did for me atleast, along with my fellow radio Dana, my energy remained decent to enjoy all the sightseeing of the day. What I loved the most about today is that we got to go into the tomb of King Tut and actually see HIM; and when I say HIM, I mean we saw his mummified body down there. But all the walking, running, and climbing I did today has me fully prepared to scale the hills at Howard with ease come August 24.

I can not believe this experience is almost over :] They are moments when I have to remind myself, "Clarice, you are in EGYPT!" It amazes me each time. It is a great feeling to have.

Clarice :]

Time For Bed

2009-08-11T16:17:00.005-04:00

Honestly, I can't believe I'm still up. We've had a long day. We visited the Temple of Karnak in the morning and Luxor Temple (Southern Opet) this evening. It was crazy because I skipped lunch and when dinner rolled around, I still wasn't hungry. I guess all of this excitement has caused me to lose my appetite.

Tomorrow, we have a wake up call at 4:30 am. It's better than the 2:30 am wake up call we had a few days ago, so I'm not complaining. Instead, I'm going to lay here and listen to "In a Sentimental Mood" until I fall asleep. Goodnight everyone, until next time...