o

It has been said that we mustbecome"cultural scientists.•••.learn the ttuellattireofour Africallcu!tutal heritage so thlltrWe···

..AlJTHOR'SNOTE: ThisaTlick ivasacccpicd/orpubJicalion j~ April 1984-URNAL OF BLACKSTUDlI!S, Vol. II No. I, ScPlCmber 1m 72'115 .• ~fub~!";IIiC. .•

. !

iMyen I DEEPSTRUCTUREQFctJLTUlE' ·13

L ",.

. LINDA :rAMES~YERSOhioSjau ·UlIwenlly ..

might titaximizeitsbenefltSin contemporary tbnes(Asante~ .1983);If we-.assume a single gene pool, acceptthe most curre~ ••..archaeological and anthropological evidence. and follow what '.l .has been shown to be true' of dominaatgenesfor eolor versus .. .tccessh'e~ an people: can be said t6beof African descent. .-.''.depending on bow far· back they wish·to go in tracing their .' .ancestry; Weowe it to ou~elves to understand the nature.ofthe Hd~..conceptualsystemthat YIeldedthe first culture from whicball,/1 'other conceptual systems and culture evolved (Ben-Jochannon,'" • ,1971;.Piop •. 1974; VanSertimll, 1983); If .our prcmisesare .indeed true; having clearly identified the nature of this ancient ..system, of th~ught. we ;~hould be able to distin~hthct.,ra.ns.~ltta.l of ItS.elements to al.ll.a.te ~ulturesf Thisart~cle ~.Ulden~ify the deepsttucture of the Afncan-cultural hentage mterms of conceptual sYsttms,.diSCuss methods forteclaiming it; .. ':'",and theconsequences ofJlonreClamatioJl. tn this instance, our

. .discourse wiDbe restricted to comparing and contrasting the. . ancient African and. modem EurO'-Ainerican cultural world- .views as the polar' referents of the cultural continuum;

. . .

rHE DI:EPSTRUCTUR.E... . OF CULTURE . .. . .Relevance of traditional Mricart ~..CUItureinC()nt~m:p()rarytife

._' Culture defiiied as the total way o(lit~of a people, is somewhitindestructible, As long as there are people they will have a wayof.Iife.Culturedetermines quality of life in large.measure, The'··.·importa.n~e of cultural identity topeople of African descent. .has been emphasized repeatedly (Asante.19&3: Cruse, i967;.Karenga,) 983). .. .Part of what is being responded tois what Nobles (1976).describes as the "conceptualincarceration"ofblack people inahegel1ioriousEul'opean•.American"~riented culture.

.. t·

THE DEEP STRUCTURE-.OF CULTURE

. . ' Cuiturehas been defined as the totalwayoflifeofa people;A'people's way of life may be examined at theJevel of~nsoryobservationor surface,structures. which are subjecUoietatively .rapid change, constrained bytiroeand space, and nongener1illye .

. innatute; Or. artotherievelotanlllysismaybeth~,deep .,strilctbre;whichisarcbelypa!.ilot bound to the spedfic grouP.

. .and generative in nature. At tbe deep level of structural. analysis evidenceof aceriain set of rules or system is ~ough <.:r, that affords diagnosisoqhe features of empiriCal ph~Do.••:"iia··(Hammel 1912r''''\-~-'-''''''''''''''''''''''''''''';''''';''-' ....~obJes'~I!J!m id,ent.ifieslbedeep sttuctur~ of culture u~he ···1 ..

phdo~ophical assumptlons( e.g;, onll)logy. epIStemology,axiol- . .ogy, cosmology) uildctpinning·aiidteflectccUn "'tneiC\Jlture·s. ..

,tJ

.yj' ::~l

r:

---

74 JOURNALOFBLACIC sTODIE!> ISEPT£MBER 1987 Myers lDE}!P STllUcrtJRE OF CULTUR£ '75

worldview.ethos.and ideology.The outward,phYsicalIrialuresta-- <,:tions of culture and its artifacts (i.e., specific languages, specific 'knowledge of tribal origins; customs, and rituals, .African .socioeconomic organization,and so on) art amenable tochange and loi-destruction; However,the world view yieldedby a particular ,setofphilosophicalassumptiollscan be

. preserved in the conceptualsystem thosea:SsUmptionsstrt1c~ture. In terms of Africanl African-American culture, whatpersevered and developed were the essential. qualities of the '.'Africanworldview;aView,cofieerned with metaphysical ratherthanputclY'physitillinferrelatioll$hips,suchasthllt between.

-.music and poetry; religious funetionsarid practice, man and_...wllJ.ll:re(Walion,1972);.. .' " " ,

Others have detailed the existence of a traditional Africiln,worldview, andeertailiculhiralethos seem continually to 'predonunate(Asanie,19g0 ••IlalanderaridMaquet,J974; ,Busia, 1963;Diop, t978; Forde, 1954; Gerhart. 1978, Levine;1977;Mbiti, 1970;,Nobels, J972; Paitinder,1954;So'Wande,

" 1974;Thompson, 1974;WillialllS,I976j Zahan.1979).Dixon(l976}and Nichols (I!n6) have bien particularly dear jn

; 'delineatingand articulating thephilosophieal assumptions of 'the worldview, OntologicaIly,thena:ture of reality is believed'to beatonccspiritualand material(spiritual/material,exttaseIi-soryescan ,beknown through the five sense). Self-knowledge 'becomes the basis'oCiillknowle<lgeinAftbcenftie:cpistelnology:' "and one:k~ows through symbolic imagery and rhythm, In "terms of axiology, highest value is placed on interpersonalrelatiollshipsamong people. Diunita! (Uilionofopposites)logicdominates,this worldviewalldtheptocessisntuology (illlsets are interrelated through humanandspiritual networks).

t

THE AFltoCE~RiC,CONCEPTtJAL SYSTEM"

Adherertce toa cohesive set of philosophical asSutriptions~,such as the onejustdesctibed,createsaconceptualsystem,ll'pattern of beliefs and values. that define a way of life and the

worldinwhichpedpleact, judge, decide, iuidsolve problems(Albert. 1970). It is thiS conceptual system that structures theworld view at the level of cultural deep structure to be reflectedin surface strtictu're across timel sp8te .. Forexample, inllnillysisof the sacred. ,and secUlar dYnarnicso( the African-Americancommuriic.tion .systeiii.Daniel andSmitlierinaJi',(1976) IdentiCythe tradItional AfriCanworldviewas signifiCanl.~for understanding patterns of black' communlcationintheUnited States, and the call response pattern as exemplary of a""deep structure" cUltural difference. . ' , , 'Weean therefore· speak ,reliably in terms ofaEutopeaJi ,

,.'conCeptual (definitionill) system as weUasan African toncep. ,-. tual'system. each being distinctly different from the other interms of basicsutvival thrust and fundamental character,. (Baldwin, 1980). Describing ptop1eof African descent~Asan~

, " (1980)acknowledges tbatthey~ a people who appreeiatethe ,'contirl\lurnofspiri~ andmattet, not distinguiShing~~een .11them, Frye (1978)dlScusses,as the first constructor traditional', ft.Africanp.hiIosophicaItho~ght.the notion ~hatthere isan?all-pervasive "energy"thatlS the source •.sustamer, and essence QofallpheJiotricnpn. Tncoiitrast, the W~ternworldviewisRfragmented with itS Separation of spirit and matter (Capra,1975). Rather th,anclfiphasizethcdynamicumty orall thingS.'

,"such a system focuses on thesegnumtatioJl ofthephenomenalworld (e.g., separating mind and body, persons against nature, •self and ofher ,aQd sooll).Orily Witbinthe last quartet century ,do we find an awareness of fbisspiritualfmaterial paradigm,,gainiilggroundinWestemscience(CaptllfI97S,1982; Gelwict,1917; Jantsch,1919: Pelletiet,1978).<HoWevet,knowledgcof, ,

, , the implications pf the paradigm shift; fot' daily functioning ,"still seems to elude Western culture. , .':' .The concept of self will be-used toillustratc how theAfroccntricsYstem functions. In order to make these ideasmore fully comprehensible within a EllrocCnmc frame ofrefeience,lef usfirstentertain the Jiatuteof spirit, and mattet,

, ,the ma~ifestations of spirit: Spirit is defined astlia~ p~rvasiveessence that is known in an extrasensory fashion (i.e., the

, 'it

76 JOURNALOFBLACKSTUDJES I SEPTEMBER.l9Il7 . , :"yas I .DEEPSTJlUcruRlfOFCULTuitE ·71,fastest moving energy. consciousness, God). TItink in terms ofbreaking down matter (the most outward manifestationol,spirit).Cbemistry has aided in this endeavor, with its periodictable we c'anidentify all.of tbechemical elements known and .their atomic (proton.·neutron, electron)configurati()hS, Sub .•atomic physics thenallowsl!S topeiietrate the nrieleIJs6fthe

. atom.and discover a partic:le world in which all particlesofagiven kind are completely identical. The. constituents-of.particles are more'elusive observationally. S~rongly interactingp~i~lfs (had rons) are believed to be composed of elementaryentItIes called quarks. OUT technology does notallQw.usto"scc"quarksor' measurethem, In rnodem physics, the question ..•of consciousness has arisen in connection with the observationof these subatomic phenomena. Quantum theory has made itclear that these phenomenacan be un~rstood onlyaslinks in achain of processes, the end ofwhicb lies in the.eonsciousnessof. the human-observer (WignerI970),Subsequentlyy we.have":simultaneous levelsof eXistenceranging from themost inward.···~rvasive. fastest-moving ~rgy, consciousness, to its mostoutward crystallized form,matter. . ----Inordinaryli{einAmc:rican culture.we ate not always aware'offhe unity (irin' things; but divide: tbeworld intoseperateobjects and events. Western culture assumes this divisionuseful and necessary tocopewith the everyday environment;however, .it is· riot a. fundamental feature of reality, .It isatt ..abstraction devised •.byour discriminating andcategorlzingintellectual 'Orientation (Capra, 1915).111 contrast,theAfricanmind function~ hofistically, 'emphasizing the interrelatedness'and interdependenceohll things.Africans of traditional culture apprehended a sense of self

. extended in time toincIude alloffheaneestors, the yet Ufibotn.. all of naturejandtheentirecornrnunity (Nobles, I976;Zahan,1979).Thus they identified themselves at the levelof permeatingessencerather thansJ:lCcificoutward manifestation (i.e•• aseonseiousness otspirit.ta.therthan individualiZed materialform). According tozahan (1979), from.this point ofviewthe·Individual does not constituteaclosed system in opposition to'

,theoutsid~ W()tld.in order to better securcherot his ownsubstancea!ld limitations. On the contr8ry~the individualenters into'the sultoundingenyitonment. which iri turnperpetuatesher orhim. , . . .Id~ntifyingself in'tbisway .-eflectSthe idea ofhOlonorny. the

Whole beingco~tainedin each Of.ibpartS,wbicbissocharacteristic of natute (Bohm, 1980; Chew. 1964; Capra..1982). The African is at on eeing herself or himself as onewith I IntteCon'Sciousness and tm IVI oy, auni ueart ••o t atconsciousncss manifesting.' ,an speaks of the , ,

. .very Wldcsprea(t, if not univei'S8l;belief among Airicans in the'. ability of the iildividuaI to "double~herselfoJ"biJnself atceriain·moments in ber or his life. Within this frame of referenee, theextended Self. Infinite Consciousness, po~esses a point offission that assures man or woman an ·infinite range of •·'possi~ili' . . .'... '..'.. .•.. .:. . .

' ..• ' e African ltterid~ self is God manifeSting, the hUman ·~v\.t'beingis one with od having s.t~ctured conSciousnessthrou~ po." ~conceptuaIsysteto be divine orsup-remely good. It IS .

. .' iinportanUo note.b wever. that withintbisworldview one is ' 11'notautomaticallygi n the status of human beint. not does I JI ,/· "dying"autofIaticafiDaJre.oile an ancestor. Both statuses are j v ..1-accorded on the b .. S of one either evidencing the potential to cJt(lr.manifest good eo sciousness (correct awuenessaccording to '",i4'·t~estructu~o <the co.nceptual S)'st~m).or in the .c~.of ~he4~'.'ancest..or..~...•.h.·.a real.I.%C..d go.:ode,. C.O. n.,s.erOU.S .. n.:e.S.S..•. 1.n...." d.IVI-. d.- e~~·uall groupexpenece (self-actualIZed).· .. ->. rr II·The African,con ...ptlialsystemwith itsspititUallinaterl~

onto!ogyandsubsequent .notion ofextendedselfllSsumesa.~..seJf-organi2inguniverse (Jantsch.1980), Theprocess ofntuol- ":, ogy.,~Usetsareinterrehitedthr'ough human and spiritual .:':networks, assures· that higbest· value. must be placed·..on .•.rinterpersonal ~elationships~etween individuals.ZahanCI979)V ./

. notes that tBmgs' and beings are not an obstacle to .the V.. knowledge of God. rather they constitutesignifiers and indicesthatreveal' divinebeirig .(i.e.,·one knoWs through symbOlic· ..irnagery andrhythrn in the expression otself':kbowledge).

78 JOURNAL OF BLACICSTUDIES I SEPTEMBER 1981

Establishing the validity and reliability of the conceptualsystem is not the objective of this article per se (see, Myers,1984), but the current paradigm shift of Western science. and'Eastern philosophies (Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism),endorse the acceptance of such an holistic world view. It is fromthe deep structure of traditional African culture that we canlearn how to apply the height of this knowledge to everyday

. experience. ,

RECLAIMING THEAFROCENTRIC WORLDVIEW

Our purpose in supporting the resurgence of the deepstructures of African culture ise 12! ~ replic~on 5!:fa~t s~e .s~e c~ I!!..modem times. ve~ ifpossible, that woulabe unnecessary, aiUl1lkely, iiiil>eneficial.For example, ancient Egyptians taught a deification processwhereby man or woman could achieve everlasting peace andhappiness, called the Egyptian Mystery System (James, J954).We do not, however, need to go through the form and ritual ofthe Mystery System itself to benefit from its teachings. -lndeedthe conceptual system that we would be seeking to achievewould preclude that; because its basic premise is to allow theoutward form to change freely while focusing on its source,inward spirit that is unchanging. Once that is accomplished wewill' have ensured that outward materiality will "take shape"consistent with underlying spirit in a manner far superior toanything II segmented conceptual system could fathom.r Given an Afrocentricconceptualsystem, life is meantto he

I . carefree (free of worry, anxiety, fear, guilt. frustration. anger,hostility, and soon). The waythe system is structured we areone with the source of all things good, and; as such, infinite ..beings. To the extent, however, we entertain the dominantr E~rocentric conceptual system, at best, aspects of that truth

~11 be fragmented in our experience. The choice of conceptual. systems is ours; and at all times we can know that the law of

.i Myen I DE£» SlltUCI1JRE OF CULnIRE 79..mind is worlcingso that.whatever we are believing is, is for us atthe moment o( belief. Power is the ability to define reality.. Asante (1980) speaks of five levels of awareness in our souls.The fifth level, Afrocentricity, occurs "when the person

. becomes totally changed to a censcious level of involvement inthe struggle for his br her own mindlibetation." This level ofawareness is of course requisite'foradoption and maintenanceof the Afrocentric conceptual system. The consciousness of theperson is totally changed and empowered when he or she .••.establishes the conceptual system of the African culture deep .structure. I will now briefly discuss three approaches that willfacilitate the. reclamation process.

.METHODS OF RECLAMATION

Youngand Hardiman (1983) argue t~at tbe Afrocentricperspective can be taught in an academic setting and havedevised a curricular approach consisting of five phases for theteac?i~g ~fliterature. I believe tbe.irap~ro.ach is app~cable t.o(0all disciplines. The first pbase they Idenhfy IS reclamation. ThIS I

. phase entails the documentation of evidence verifying ilie trueAfrican historical record. Phase two is emotional and intellec- f?jt.lW identification in which students conduct'theiroWiiTnvestiga- ~tions, raising questions and answering them interms ofresearch of personal relevance. Phase three is demystificatiQJl ~in which emphasis is placed on defining. and clarifyin~structural elements, form, content, and other devices of the~iscipli~e. In phase. four, .u.!.!.s!mt~inB,students!oeus on fE7integratingcsynthesizing, internalizing, andreflectlDg what\.:!;!theyhave learned through analysis of western orthodox wo.rk.· .The last phase, mastery, requires that students demonstrate f'C:their understanding by applying the information in a product~~f their own creation for future generations of humankind and . .thereby taking their place in the African legacy continuum.

Having analyzed the psychology of black expressiveness,Pasteur and Toldson (1982) provide the following suggestions

~----------------------------------------------------------------~- ----/

,\

, 'CONstQUENd:s()F~ONRECLAMA'TIbN"

:"Thcto~~'~f:n~i~ptUririg thedee~"~irlicfute61',ourculturalheritageat'ecleat, when one cotl$idel'sthe options.' ~.

.' r: .. <' " . <,. .! ,..:;< ,. ". ~> , ." .. --'"" -,,' '',Adhering. to ,·thelmttocentrlCconecptUU ·system.wiih its.material ol1to19lY,as~.',itihereIltly -.Deans' ~OD.

" ~usc by. def"mition'matCri8litj u fiDite Ud JiiDitcd.,A, ' consc:io'lwie$sr()Oted in SUCha worldview Will terliJiDilte itselF, , (i.e:.·beliewwith full~on itialOiGitodie).·~e-cu see.,thel!l~,ibd$hOrt~co~;of£~tric rutH>-··titJiWla.Three lo'n,.lGeft'e'cll:uon'eciOlogy thtO~out of••

• .bala~(ilcla' ram..sOil erOSion;cfmwe.mits.the ~OUie'· d'f~).a,.,orkiO'D the' bnnto(ilUCleat ~n.Uda",··batlmpt~()nomybtieddtttdianyimbal~ utiliAtion'of'::>:.~:~~.:~~~=!!~~~==='· fear~hatred•• 'nger~hoStitiiY~f.rtilliestom apart. _tmgpeace,.aiidiDl.dirtgDOIlt'~: :.:.;' '",,'....;.; '.':. '.

.-', :. Nottd'blactpsyeb()1~gistJilaitnAkbar(l981)dtseribatollt··.:.,:~=~:==~r=~:m~.· cuJtlitatcitepsttuctureancl mUif'esf in: .ralse ie*,of*lf~ The

. "- first·category heident~as,anal~diSordl:r;"J'bisaroup.. ' ofiDdMdua:lS _~: •• materia.- and evaluate their:,w9rth ,bythe:~irialedc(e of-matmahcCbutteiraents. Assimi· .

latinginfo £uro.-A.meric:&n! sOCidY'aDd dCii,mgth~ fadorsthat have ilTciCted'USbiitoii~)iUci conMue to shape gS.jn "

'.,~il~ettlpo~~tybU.s~cid 'inalienatiDitMlepeople"ftomtheu'veryselte&Aft'ectatiottbestckseribesthedemeanor·'Or ,JjCI'$OD's''\Vith .thill:disoi'der .'bel .seXU'U'pto~~ andpeMmdns~c6mmoil. .,:', > '. .' . " '.. 'The ~tC'&teaoty of diS6tdetiS theutiStlf.VIhith.addsto

,.'., thc.~alien«lf6\iettaiidcOVert ~tilitY.tl)~'the jtoup·of.':\:-.~:'one" ori&iltaDd~~licatiC)D' to'Wantoneklf';. 'AilCotdbsg to

iif:"~~L~&. .' 'rejet(ion ma,sometbliCs be ~ 'in'the'cmoice "Ofil1!lltJ'ia&e

·p~er .from..the donunantinferioriting .Il'oup.' Fleeting. .

. ,

I!O .JOUItNALOF8LAdK~D)ES I S£PnMBEk 1m

for tCaJizingand mairitai~ini~ Afrocimtric idcnrlty'ofbtingone .Withnatm, a.prtrtquisite to~thy liVingicuftivate,'relatiodshipf with demeri~in the ·natutidwodd;.:acctss· .knowtedge'OfhoJistiCtriedicine;tesiSffol"lDlili%ingand st8!idllid~ ..•.'.izingeXiste~ guard agaWfitjlctitr~.tOutitlt$cft)t~$atU.fr!.: o~ thmg1hesa,meway;.do so~lbbiP·Wbeil,~Jeellike,'··,'doingthtni aitd~tiatC!o.r(~o~r~tiili~~mpOJsion{~: .., .'be as' frank(hoDcst,'llrtd,,tOlht:"point.ai' pOS$ii)let-movtas, "." .,:naturi11y.l'Clax:~auar~Ytb~y'aspo$slbleno~Jif'e:.:nd ., .~If.wisliliigtosee.$elfmUltlply,ltl;tti1ils.ofgeneral.orielitati~:"

'~h-::;=g.t~~Q;!::e.~~~:~~~,;;.,System~,XnllySis(~y~ J9&1) (or ,those who$eCk..opiimat :~'..wcli-beiiigiDd.Wish t(n'iakcaser~QuscolJUnitmfint towctkiIi8:' .''.·::;f~8$=i~~~::;~o:e~~~;,=~·.·rati()ilal.em:otiVeotCogmti~behavioraJ,therapl'Witbeompl~e· ", .aceuraey,althougb' tbC,tlcmtnts .arc there, 1'beclicnt's par· •,'titUlar, woridvicwor beliCf'$yS~Di,.isjuxtapOsed~st. the'Af'roetntrie'systeolwc'hilve ideiltificki.()nCsyStem isf(tcntifiCd ,'aDd~eatdasj)!d'etable based' 'up~rt theconseqvcnc:es· it<>·h(Jlddot thcbetie\lei'_ :Depeiiditig;on~thechoictsniilde.)'eaJiir.•~CturingtheD takes' plate, in. tcirills ofpereeptioriS.Cbgm- :'tio~ •.emotioJiaI ~~;.alid behavior,

".~ M~ I :bu.PSTitUctudOPCtn.Tt1u . Ii

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I

r >

82 JOURNAL .OF BLACK STUDIES I SEPTEMBER 1987

·giiJJiPseSoftbeitis()lali()ni'ritenslfies;iil:me~beno~this;grOliP, ...t/teireffrirttowardaceeptabiIityby the white domma,ti'tgroup .and they become even more aggressive towam thell"group of·origin. People withantiselrdisorders are particularly suscep-tible to manipulation by the dominant .group to aid in the..suppression and control of progress in the African-Americancommunity.The last category Iwill discuss here is the self-destructive

·disorder, people in this group are the most ditect.Victims.of·oppression. Akbar states ihat these disorders represent, self-defeating. attemptstosurvlve.in it society that systematicallyfrusii'attSnornial efforts Ior.natural human growth. Membersof this category have usually Joundthe doors to legitimatesurvival locked and out of the urgency for survivalselectedpersonally and sociallydestructive means to alleviate immediatewants. Included in this category would be pimps,prostitutes,~ubstanceab~ets,and psychotics, . .

CONCLUSION

The issues.raised ill this article regarding theadoption of aconceptual system rooted-in the African cultural deep structureareempirically verifiable and warrant further investigation.Autobiography comes as a most highly recommended method- .oiogy, simply because. it is so .purely consistent~th the.Afrocentric epistemology of self-knowledge as the basis OfallkiioWledge•.An open andhi>ttes~encountetWithyourse!fmight .:bea fits!Step in crltical examinatlon, particu1ar1ywhemfealing ..with the deepest levelsof analysis.What areyou assulIling to be.tnie?Andhavingassumed it, how isit shaping youtexperience .rightriOw? Howhasit.influencCdyo1ir, past?\Vhatbetterinformed i:hoices might you want to makei'rithe fiiture'?. The adopuoll ofanAfrocentrie conceptual system.promptsus to reevaluate every aspect of out. being; we begin to see an .old ~<>rldin a newWay.As viebegin ourexploration, viemight .Want topaypartictdarattention to folklore. Messages that folk

1 Mjiom I D£llp·STIlUCTUREOPCULlURE S31I .

are~ommunicati~g iri.ordinaryday-to-d.ysituatloDs· mayceriainlyproYeli$ valuable a source of tnowledgeas mUCh",.

~:~~~:!nt~:n~~~:~i;:~~~::~~!:.Peltot. 11)78) ser'V;eprimarify torcinf'orcetbe status quo rathertban entighteD.~·is thecase\\,ithm\i~h siH:alled~holarship •Ratherthan ela.bOrateon these issues furthCt; SQffidit to say ..that wetanaffotdlobecreative, no areaofinterest sbCiu{d beleft untouched. The consequences fot notliberiltlng our mindsdbe~~~. . .If you can control a person's thinking, yO~'donot have to

w0rtYaboutthe Person'S action. When you detetminewhalaperson shatt think, you do not Itaveto C'dnctm ~ourself aboutWhat thtpenonwill do: If you make ilpttsonfetl that heor sheis inferior. you dci not have-to compel him or her to accept aninferior statUs, for the person will seelcit for himSelf or herself .(WOodsol1,1933); •

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. ". . .AKJlAit;N;(198 1,."M';'taI dilorder uilOD, AriiCaa-~ "lii.dr: JIoobIlull·7.2.. . .... . . ":'. .. ....

ALBERT.), (1970)oCollCOpiual ayatcllllUa Africa, -pp.99-107;" J.hdem •••••E. .Sojl(oda;)The M",*, ElpOr;euc:e. Vol t E_Oft;Ii.: Nortllwatcnl Um."~..' ..... '

ASANTE, M~(1980)AfIOClintriCity:1'hcOTyof SociII CliUie- B\dJilo, NY:Amulcf1.ASANTIl:,M.(19B3)-AfricalllinauQjics •••••ca!IIIDUllicaliim~tiei. -1'racaIcd

at tbe F'.tIce.ith Aimual Coofcmicc of the AfriuD Hcritl.C'Stllllie* AIIoc:i&tiOD;.N•.•••·Yort.·ApriI. .. .. . . . :.. .

BALANDER.G •••••• J. MAQUET (1974) DidiOlWYof IlIlicltAfricail ClYiliwioJLJ'{o",Yort:·LtoII AmieL .. ... .

. ...BALOWI'N.J. (1980) "The paycboiOifO[ oppreai~q.-laM.Alantb •••••R. VoDdi(cda.)CoDltmporuy Blick TIIousht, Ncwbur; Park: Ck 5qt •....

BEN.JOCHANNAN. Y.(197I)Afriu:Motber ofW •••••.••Civilizalloll..Nri York:• A1hbU"lilI... . . .. .. .. .. .. .IiOHM.D, (lil8o)Wl!ol'- •••••thtilllp\il:attotd er, London: RaiJtledae.t ~

Paul. . ... ..... .. . . .. .'. ..•.....DUSIA, Ie A. (1963)-n..:AfriuD WOrld """': ilIJ. DrIcllct(od.)AfricaB IIcri~.

No.Vork: ctowen-Coliii:t. ._-. CAPRA. F.(i915) TheTlOof Pbyiia. N~ Yort:liaataili. . ., .. CAPRA. F. (1982) The timWl&Point:ScitIIc:e, sOciety ••••• 'hc RiaiDiCultun. New .

YorlcSimon. SchUlter,

8<4 JOURNAL OFBLACJ(S1'1iDIES. I 5EP'rEMBER 1981

.CHEW, G. G., M. GELL-MANN,and A. H. ROSENFIELD (1964) "SlroDSIyiD.mc.iniparticleo."ScU:utir!C:AnxriCan210: 7.t-33. •. . ' .

CRI!SE,H.(I.~1l TheCJisis ortheN"esro hile.IIOctu.UleW yo,t; Wimlt!DMo~owiIDdC<impOl\Y.IIIC"~. '. . .... '. . . . ,

l>ANIEL,J. L. •••d G. SMITHERMAN (1976) "How 1 sol over. COIIimunicatioDdJtwnicI in tbt bldcommunity.·Q. J.ofSpeeeh62; I:u;.~. .I

mop,c.A, U914) TbeAfrican Onsm ofC¥liution:- MYth or Rulity. Net..-Yori: .u_Rill.. . , V

·.DIOP, eA (i91i) c"iuual Ullity of BIatI::Afiic*:Matrian:hy iIDd':PatriatChyill;\itiiqWty,~;11iird World, .... . ..

OI~ON; V"(1916) "Worl'hic- ••• iIDd~hmelboclolOlY;"m:L.J(in*c1 aI. (od,,) ,MriOa.. Plilloaopby, AuumptloDJ _ ParodijpnrotR_h'ODBtacltPm"""Loa "","lei: FUOD.OeDter. ..

FORDE, D. (ed,){I~) MricaDWorIda: StudieSin the C<>SmoIop:.Jld••••••• rSociai .VaI_ orA(rico" PcopIea. NcwVork: (),.{ord um.:i>.eIa. .' .

FIlY!!.·C; (lnl) To';;atd.·. PhilOSOphyorm..:k Sludi ••. SIliFraftciico:lt . .t £; .lti::ltitdi~~Ini;,. ." .: .....•.......

Gt!LWICK; It. ('9i7)ikway or Oisc:overy.N'" Y~k!();doidUoi.V.Pn!A, ..••GI!RHART. G; M. (1911) Blael:: Po_ ill Souu.Ai'rii:&:The·I!YOiUti"DOC",

ldeoIosY. Berkeley. UDiv.or~omia Pna, .\ HAMMEL,LA.(I972t'niemjthOfotnic:lural ualym; Levj"!iiraus ~ u.e"ih...,

boon.· AcI.cIiso•••WeoIq MocIulCia.Alllbropolol)'(MocIuIe nv). lteailia&JlA:MdisO..-Wii1ey.. . .... '. , ' .' ..•. . .•.•. . ..... • '\ .

.J;\MES. (I, (1954jSlo"0 UIIie)' r :New Yoik:PIilloocipbical La'braty. . ...•JA1'O'SCH;E.(I9S9).n.e·Sell~IUDivene: ~ifICUilIfUal&blmpl~

MIll of !lie Eme,.u..PatadiJDI of Evolu\lOft.NewV"n, PtrpmOD:K:AitENGA,M (1983)'''Nationalilm: lbe ]Il~ or ei>lIecIivevocation."

Preaealed."a( the ~ih ADDuaICOnf......,..onhdi.tiOnaI"COimcil~r BlickSludiei. Bei;l<ck)'.!ot>fiL .•. .' . . , ~.' . . .' .

LEVlNE,J..,W.(1977)1IIatt Cohure,iIDd Bia-CotI#luoneoa;.New Y9tk:OifordUaiY.~;· ."

MBm. J,(mOrAr~ It.lili() •••IIjIdPIill~by.Gjoid.IlCitY.l'I\,;O!>Ubled.Y'MYERS, G.j; (19&0)"lICIitf.lystcml aDaIysis:ilDArridilbaseil ~.IIimPY.~. _ ..•.. -". - . ~ .. .."

PASTEUIt. A. B. iIDd1.];TOLDSQN (!9S2}RoouOfSoul: The.PoyehoIoSYOfBlaek. Eopraoiv<acu.GanicJI city,NY: AncIiOi'/OoultWay;, .". ." ..',.PELLETIER.", R•. (I971) t_oni. .a·~ or CODJcio••••••••..~ l'od::

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VANSERnMA, !-tl9l!3) ~blilScieiici-:AlIOieai •••••Modei;,. Wew)';uasWkt.NJ;T~ft. . ..' .

W~TQN.O.:M.(lm) Millie: IIl.ct.Wbiu...., Blue.NcWVork:WlIIi••dfOrto ••.·WIGNER.E,P.(70)SyamcUiaud·~~·MIT"""· .WILLlAMS,tl(I976)TheOeoUuclioeofIllad:CiviIiutiOa.~:TliIriIWotkL.·W~osoN",(:.Mm11leMiHiI_ilOtto(ilIeNepv.W~J)C:*-ia1iiii

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'ZAHAN, D. (1979)TIieitdici •••• S'lrittaaIlIy.ud :t'fio>u&IK of'rradiiioDalAfrica.CtiicJOao:tJaw,<it~ ~ . '.' .. '. .' ..

.L/JukJ_ Ny".,. tllnrllJlyiurASttJd4t. hi>imMDI/lllkk·~·PJ~.:tIIfd ~1iIiti17.., .". OIiIoSloulhtIwnIty. un "laid. JuultkUW '0II11iidlWlopllV"l Of." A,f-trktW~tif JU~

-. /_lfMI"'1; Ji., """,IpiJ1ik1lllMu i1ri:lutk The Pi)dlolOlJo(~ae:The !~orwCIrId V"'''.MldThe l'Iat •••.•·orPhiraliamaDd1 ••••ArricaD··Americ-IIi6k. . . . ... .

OPTIMAL CONCEPTUALIZATION:Methods of an Ancient Afrocentric Psychology

Based upon the philosophical assumptions and principles serving as the foundation of the world viewof ancient Africans, a conceptual system has been identifieddesigned toward the achievementof ever-lasting peace and happiness. It may be described as optimal, if one values such an aim. Most of usin the West have been socialized into a world view undergirded by a conceptual system that is lessthan optimal, yielding racism, sexism, classisrn, and so on; one that is sub-optimal. Briefly describedbelow you will find the differences between the two conceptual systems and subsequent world viewsdelineated in terms of structure. If utilized, the optimal conceptual system orders one's thoughts, per-ceptions, feelings, and actions so as to yield maximum positivity in experience. Optimal psychologyis realized through reason, which is the unity that contains and transcends all opposites.

Conceptual Systems

Assumptions Optimal Sub-Optimal

Material with possible spiritualaspect that is separate andsecondaryExternal knowledge knownthrough counting and measuringHighest value in objects oracquisitionDichotomous=-either/orTechnology-c-all.sets arerepeatable and reproducibleIndividual formBased on external criteria ormaterialismMaterialism, competition.individualismIn constant flux and struggle

Finite and limited (beginning withbirth and ending with death)segmented, fragmented (duality)Temporal (temporary)

Continual confrontation

Conditional (focus on appearance)Manifestation of material attraction

Unity through common goals orspecific aimExternal. superficial

Ontology(nature of reality)

Spiritual (known in an extrasensory fashion)and material (known through the five senses)as one

Epistemology(nature of knowledge)Axiology(nature of value) .Logic (reason)Process

self-knowledge known through symbolicimagery and rhythmHighest value in positive interpersonalrelationships between wolmanDiunital-unionof oppositesNtuology-all sets are interrelated throughhuman and spiritual network .Extended self, multi-dimensionalIntrinsic in being

IdentitySelf-worth

Values guiding behavior Spiritualism,oneness with nature.communalismPositively consistent despite appearances dueto relationships with sourceInfinite and unlimited (spirit manifesting)

Sense of well-being

Life-space

Holistic/onenessExternal

PerspectivePeace, happinessorientationStress, anxietyorientation"LoveorientationClose interpersonalrelationshipsGroup orientation

Carefree/flow

Unconditional (see beyond to truth)Manifestation of sharing spiritual union

Unity through ideology

Aesthetic orientation Tied to ethics and character

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