For the Culture

In honor of my recent birthday and Black History Month, I decided to share some thoughts. I want to take a second and ask that if you are an elder or my elder, I humbly ask your permission to speak to you. Now some may say why did he ask for permission from the elders. We must realize that the elders have the wisdom and the experiences and before you get up and think you know it all seek their acceptance and wisdom first. Church folk like to usher in the spirit and those of African decent will call upon the spirit of our ancestors to come speak to us through us. This is how we pay homage to the giants whom shoulders we stand on. I believe it is very disrespectful to not honor those who came before us and paved the way so we can benefit from the small luxuries and freedoms of life.

Now, lets move on for a minute. I know we hear the term “The culture”, “State of The Culture” and “For the Culture”. Automatically I think about black and African culture. Not sure why but it is definitely something we can take a look at further and see why black folks have claimed the word culture as their own. Culture can be defined as a multifaceted element inclusive of morals, beliefs, laws, knowledge, customs as well as other capacities obtained by an individual as a society member (Osunrinde & Agbetuyi, 2018). Culture has the ability to produce similar thoughts and behaviors between most individuals in a specific society. Culture is also a way of life of a group comprising of values, standards language use and attitudes shared by the group members. One of the most interesting things about culture and development is that it improves cultural unity, sense of purpose and belonging as well as an understanding of the past and the anticipation of what the future holds.

Now you are probably at a point where you are saying what is the point and why are we here. Great question. In order to understand the culture we have to envision what it is. We have to depend on the elders to provide a contextual framework for us to be enlighten and filled with knowledge. Have you ever just listened to older people talk? Have you had the opportunity to listen and learn from your grandparents? Have you had the opportunity to watch your parents, mentors, or other family members get gray hair and listen to what they had to say about their experiences in life? If you have you are ahead in the game and blessed. If you have not, no worries. There is plenty of literature for you to read about yourself, where you come from and the culture you belong to. I believe in the African proverb of Know Thyself. As we embark of this journey of self realization our imagination begins to revert back to the state it was in when you were a child. When we were kids, because we were not born an adult, we imagined all kids of things. Houses, cars, places, animals and most of all what we wanted to be when we grew up. Life was much simpler back then. Our imagination is an essential function of our life (Agbenyega, Tamakloe & Klibthong, 2017). Imagination allows an individual to enlarge his/her experiences mentally. Therefore, listening and engaging in conversations with our elders positions us in a way to engage in dynamic imaginative process which goes beyond the limitations of the information we are receiving.

In Africa culture and communities, imparting wisdom and knowledge through storytelling and oral tradition was a vital part of our daily lives as well as culture. Our ancestors, elders and forefathers who invented numerous material luxuries as well as provided wisdom through lectures did not stay within the small walls of general information. They imagined what they wanted life to be like and began to work tireless and sacrifice daily to make that dream become a reality. Here is my charge to you. Before you speak in a room full of people, ask questions or embark on a journey of self-discovery, I encourage you to consult with elders. Those who have some salt and pepper hair, experiences and wisdom. Just sit and listen for awhile and imagine and envision what they are talking about. Think about how those things apply to you. Think about what things you need to alter to better your life. You do not have all the answers, continue to be a student in this game called life. Know Thyself and Do Better.

References

Agbenyega, J. S., Tamakloe, D. E., & Klibthong, S. (2017). Folklore epistemology: How does traditional folklore contribute to children’s thinking and concept development? International Journal of Early Years Education, 25(2), 112–126. Retrieved from https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1137264&site=eds-live&scope=site

Osunrinde, A. A. & Agbetuyi, P. A. (2018). Mindset of librarians in the promotion of African culture vis-à- vis Nigeria as a nation. Library Philosophy & Practice, 1–15. Retrieved from https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ofs&AN=133865479&site=eds-live&scope=site