015 – Ngugi wa Thiong’o: Consciousness and African Renaissance: South Africa in the Black Imagination

Tags

2000s, Art, Kenya, philosophy, politics, South Africa

The Fourth Steve Biko Annual Lecture given by Ngugi wa Thiong’o at
University of Cape Town, South Africa, 12th September 2003.

Consciousness and African Renaissance: South Africa in the Black Imagination

When Vasco da Gama set foot at the Cape in 1498, it was part of the general period of what has come to be known as the European renaissance, the founding moment of Capitalist modernity and Western bourgeois ascendancy in the world. It was also the beginnings of the wanton destruction of many city civilisations along the coasts of Africa, East Africa in particular. In 1994 Nelson Mandela as the first black president of the Republic of South Africa at a meeting of the OAU in Tunis recalls the destruction of Carthage by the generals of an earlier empire and says: “where South Africa appears on the agenda again, let it be because we want to discuss what its contribution shall be to the making of the new African renaissance. Let it be because we want to discuss what materials it will supply for the rebuilding of the African city of Carthage.” [3]

014 – Thebe Medupe: Astrophysicist + Cosmic Africa

Tags

2000s, 2010s, Astronomy, science

Thebe Medupe (Credit AfroLegends)

“Thebe Medupe grew up in a poor South African village near Mafikeng, about four hours north-west of Johannesburg. He went on to gain a doctorate in astrophysics at the University of Cape Town, and was presenter and associate producer of “Cosmic Africa”, a feature documentary about traditional African astronomy released in 2002. He is a researcher at the South African Astronomical Observatory, where he is participating in a programme to encourage black South Africans to take up astronomy. He is writing a book, in the Setswana language, on ethno-astronomy”[1]

013 – Neil Turok: Finding Africa’s Einstein + African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Tags

2000s, 2010s, science

Neil Turok [Photo Credit DigitalClassRoom/Vodacom]

““The next Einstein will come from Africa.” Of that, Neil Turok is convinced. A South African cosmologist and chair of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Turok’s Next Einstein Initiative is working to nurture Africa’s future intellectual giants, geniuses with the potential to shape global technologies – from quantum computing to modelling epidemics.

011- [Akiiki Original] Art Criticism: African Renaissance, how the prefix ‘Afro-’ may arrest imagination & Manifesto Salesmanship

Tags

2000s, 2010s, African Renaissance, Afro-Punk, Afrofuturism, AfroSurrealism, Art

Art Criticism: African Renaissance, how the prefix ‘Afro-’ may arrest imagination & Manifesto Salesmanship

The Work of David Osagie |http://www.behance.net/davidosagie

 1.

I initially planned this essay for the “Afro-surrealism” call that I saw published on Shadow & Act, but it became apparent as I went on and explored my own viewpoint that I was not comfortable with the idea of the book, though I thought it necessary.

I concluded that: The prefix ‘afro-’ has acquired a parasitic character, leeching off manifestos. And it has the capacity to arrest African imagination, so that the African imagination follows other manifestos, only to attach itself to them and never coming up with an original of its own.

010 – Young Scientist – Siyabulela Lethuxolo Xuza – 23182 Siyaxuza

Tags

2000s, 2010s, science, South Africa

Photo Credit: SmartCape.org

“Siyabulela Xuza is one of the new young generation of Africans who are committed to developing the continent’s potential.

007 – Simphiwe Dana: The Quintessential African Renaissance Woman

Tags

2000s, 2010s, music, Simphiwe Dana, South Africa

“Aside from being an electrifying live performer with an incredible voice, Simphiwe Dana is also a songwriter, a mother and a dedicated cultural activist – in many senses the quintessential African Renaissance woman. Underlying all of her work is a passion for her people, traditions and country and a deep concern for their future.”^[1]

005 – Paper: The Relevance of Karl Popper’s Philosophy in African Renaissance by Joseph Kahiga

Tags

2000s, African Renaissance, Joseph Kahiga, philosophy

The following paper is added to the catalog in its original form, without comment or notes about its merits.

source: http://www.the-rathouse.com/Kahigapopper.html

Biography – “Joseph Kahiga has been a Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Moi State University in Kenya since 1999.  He lectures in critical thinking, philosophy of language, philosophy of Religion and Contemporary Philosophy for undergraduates; and metaphysics and methodology for post graduate students.

004 – Indigenous Games

Tags

2000s, Festival, indigenous games, Recreation, sports

-a picture of a girl playing “Diketo”-

2001 saw the revival of indigenous games played in various communities in South Africa. The tournament was developed in response to the government’s call for an African Renaissance [1]. The Ministry of Sports and Recreation established a tournament to host the games, “South African Indigenous Games”

The indigenous games tournament is held annually in September and 23 indigenous games from different regions of the country have been incorporated.

003 – Modjadji The Rain Queen – History, Culture and Spirituality Booklet

Tags

2000s, Booklet, Kara Heritage Institute, Literature, Mathole Motshekga, Modjadji, politics, religion

[click image for larger version]

From early 2000s after Thabo Mbeki and other African leaders heralded the African Renaissance, there was a lot of interest from the young generation about African culture and there were a lot of “excavations” happening. Documents were created to pass on old African knowledge to the young and new generation. These documents took the form of booklets, which were printed by small community press projects.