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Africa Knows! It is time to decolonise minds

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Accepted Paper: D28b-02. To panel D28b.

Title of paper:

Author:

Felix Ameka (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics).

Long abstract paper:
There seems to be an assumption that knowledge is understood and construed in the same way everywhere. What is more, the European conceptions of 'knowledge' have different accents leading to confusion in the academic discourse: The Anglo understandings of different kinds of knowledge; 'academic knowledge', 'scientific knowledge' 'social sciences' 'humanities' etc. do not entirely correspond to the understandings or systems say in Central Europe. This become evident in cross-language discourse such as when continentals use 'science' to mean academic as opposed to folk knowledge. In this presentation, I explore the conceptual understanding of knowledge and knowledge systems through everyday linguistic practices about what it means to know in Ewe and other West African languages (cf. Dzobo 1992). I will then show how different oral genres are good sources for information on the conceptions of knowledge. Some of the genres to be discussed are different types of names: anthroponyms, toponyms, ethnonyms, zoomorphic names and plant names. As some of these are based on other genres such as proverbs and oaths, these will also be discussed. Folk tales and practices within festivals will also be addressed. In conclusion I will concur with a British Science journalist and Physicist who argues that science is a mindset to understand nature. The different knowledge perspectives from these sources reveal a mindset of the African to grapple with nature.

Reference

Dzobo, Noah Komla. 'African symbols and proverbs as source of knowledge and truth.' In Dzobo, N.K., Kwasi Wiredu, and Kwame Gyekye (eds.) Person and community: Ghanaian Philosophical Studies 1 (1992): 89-100.

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