Page 181 - A People Called Afrika

Afrika’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems

had the power to cause all within range of its vibrant sound to
stop and listen. It was a powerful unifying tool for the people.

There are lots of instances that can be cited in regard to the
deep spiritual connection that Afrikans have with art, some-
thing also reflected in their image carvings, which are not
art as it were, but channels of communication with higher
powers. Meaning, when the colonialists came to Afrika and
stole artifacts which they put in their museums as art for the
public to pay to see, they did not just steal art works from
Afrika, they stole their tools and instruments of worship, so-
cial engagement and organization. They took with their force
and might, what unified cultures and brought identity, co-
hesion and acceptance between brethren, families, commu-
nities and clans and they refused to return them, claiming
they would be best placed to be custodians of these sacred
items. Funnily enough, some of these artifacts are now be-
ing put on auction by these same ‘custodians’ to raise mon-
ey during these economic times. No surprises there, really,
the exploitation of Afrika’s colonial heritage continues today.

It’s a shame that in today’s Afrika, most people who display
some form of artistic creativity are either shunned because they
are not longing to be doctors or engineers or lawyers or they are
quickly encouraged to find a way to monetize their gift, rather
than understand it from the perspective of the role of that gift,
which came from God, in uplifting Afrika spiritually, morally,
socially. The subordination of what came supernaturally to a
basal and carnal role has played a large part in the demeaning
of Afrika. Musicians, poets, dancers, artists and acrobats are
using their God-given gifts to entertain tourists for purposes of
extracting more dollars and euros from them, placed on a stage

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